In June 2023, Plarail Real Class made its debut with two vehicles: The Odakyu Romancecar 3100 NSE and the Limited Express Series 185 (Odoriko-Green Stripes).
These two were to start a new era for the beloved plastic trains that many Japanese have grown up with since 1959 (Note: The prototype “Plastic Train and Rail Set” was released in Showa 34/1959 and in 1961, the first battery-operated vehicle known as the “Electric Plastic Train Set” was released) and Takara Tomy has always made sure they could attract a new generation of fans. But times are changing.
Plarail Real Class developer Iwata-san told Hobby Watch back in August 2023 that the reason for starting Plarail Real Class was “In response to the declining birthrate and aging population, we have been trying to launch something for adults as a new approach, and we have been trying to challenge it for a long time. It started back in 2019”.
It is known that Japanese couples are not having children and as Japan’s government tries to find ways to convince couples to have children, without a younger customer base to depend on, as parent company Takara Tomy, has done for many years, you need to change things up.
Similar to comic books in the west which were created with children in mind, that is not the case any longer as the price of comic books increased and their customer base are primarily adults. Takara Tomy knows that they still need to attract the attention of those who have collected and are familiar with Plarail and the new generation of children who will keep playing them.
It’s a concept that has worked for the company and “Plarail” has sold 186.4 million cumulative units since the brand began.
Of course, there were those who were skeptical as Takara Tomy had once attempted to attract adult fans twice.
Back in 1972, Tomy released “Super Rail” and the catchphrase was “When you graduate from Plarail, it’s time for Super Rail”. And the company released these trains that were similar in size to HO Gauge and using sleeper-type tracks, which made it different from Plarail. These trains went forward and reverse but at the time, “Super Rail” used precision parts which children couldn’t handle that well and thus were prone to damage. And because they were electric, they required many dry cell batteries.
By 1976, Tomy would release TOMIX and would focus on an older demographic than Super Rail. And N Gauge would become popular and sales for Super Rail slowed. By the end of its run, seven locomotives, eight trains and 12 freight cars were released.
Takara Tomy would again try to find a middle area between Plarail and their TOMIX N Gauge Line and to release something within the middle would lead to Plarail Advance in 2011. Advance featured a concept of running smaller trains on one standard Plarail track, so two trains can be put on one track.
While some embraced the concept, Plarail Advance would only have 13 releases and for the naysayers, this was enough to convince that for those who want to spend under 2860 yen (about $23), Plarail was the cheapest way to go. While those who want the next step up, should invest in N Gauge model trains which ranged on the low end from Y6500-Y12,500 ($45 USD to $86 usd).
So, what Takara Tomy ended up doing was taking their Plarail concept and developing a new series with adults in mind. Making it more realistic than the standard Plarail with a lot more detail. Details such as window frames, exterior panels, LED destination displays, realistic pantograph designs, seats inside the cars, destination display boards and car numbers.
Adding three gray train tracks aka “Real Straight Rails” per package and not utilizing the blue standard Plarail tracks (note: Plarail Real Class can ride on the blue plastic tracks, but after using the cool gray tracks, you kind of don’t want to use the blue ones anymore) and it becoming a premium product priced at 7700 yen. And giving the Plarail Real Classtrains a much cooler packaging.
Naysayers once again criticized Takara Tomy because if people wanted to spend around Y7700, they would go for N Gauge trains and criticized Takara Tomy for such a pricepoint.
Part of the beauty of N Gauge trains is the ability to control your train from going forward to reverse, they are much smaller and has a built-in motor and lighting.
But while having N Gauge trains is cool, there are factors that make it troublesome for people. For one, most train collectors love building dioramas around their trains. And this takes a lot of financial responsibility, maintenance and many hobbyist see it as a labor of love. But to have lavish dioramas, you need the room to make it happen. And for many Japanese who live in cramped rooms, not everyone can do such things.
With Plarail, not many build elaborate dioramas but with the low cost of tracks, they can easily assemble and disassemble their own tracks and these trains run on a single AA battery and no controllers or wiring needed whatsoever.
Takara Tomy has had long success with its N Gauge line ala TOMIX and success with its PLARAIL line, as they have had with their diecast metal line ala TOMICA.
But for train lovers, the lower price of Plarail does offer its convenience. But with consumers now growing older and Takara Tomy being affected by the low childbirth rate in the country, you can’t blame them for trying something different.
As of August 2024, there now has been a total of eight Plarail Real Class train releases. No doubt convenient for consumers to collect. And a lot of adult Plarail fans who love the detail have since become fans and along with that, they have become increasingly hard to get as resellers are nearly quadrupling the prices for these trains.
Because of its premium price, these are not going to be found as easily as standard Plarail.
And in the past year, it has been the trend that if you don’t pre-order a Plarail Real Class train release, chances of obtaining one becomes a challenge and whether or not you are wanting to pay a high price for them.
In a way, it’s an adult problem that children don’t have to worry. Because normal Plarail are for the kids or the young at heart, but Plarail Real Class are for those who can afford it. Primarily adults or children who have generous family or friends who will buy them one. But children or adults interested in Plarail Real Class will always know that they can work on the same tracks with regular Plarail trains.
Developer Iwata-san told the magazine monomax, “The most important thing was to make it possible to play with regular Plarail trains. To achieve this, we had to design it according to Plarail standards. The length and height of the trains are fixed, and we also had to consider the safety of children, so we struggled to decide which parts to focus on and which to leave out. For example, if we used clear parts for the window glass, the width of the chassis would not fit within the standards. We struggled to figure out how to make it thinner. We also struggled with the design of the driver’s seat and the air conditioner, which are both tall. In the end, we created a high type for display and a low type for running and enjoying, and by making them interchangeable, we were able to complete the ideal body. In fact, this item has another big feature. That is, it can be enjoyed as a display piece. To achieve this, they went to great lengths to develop a realistic straight rail that can also be displayed, rather than using the usual blue rails”.
Despite the declining birthrate in Japan, there is a boom by adult collectors which is being driven by demand for trading cards, plastic models, figurines, model trains, and other products aimed at adults. And by using the latest technology to create adult models based on familiar toys that people once played with, while creating a sense of nostalgia, it makes it much easier for adults to become interested.
And with Plarail, the first two trains that were released received so much positive feedback letting Takara Tomy know that their are collectors who love Plarail Real Class.
For nostalgia, the fact that many of the Plarail Real Class releases are based on Showa era trains from the defunct Japanese National Railways and many of these classic trains are being purchased and stores out of stock goes to show its popularity.
Gone are the limitations of precision parts and many dry cell batteries of the “Super Rail” or the shrinking down of trains such as “Plarail Advance”, which many felt was competing with Takara Tomy’s TOMIX line. But now you have trains with detail that is the best middle ground release from the company by far.
And while it’s only been only a little over one year, the verdict is still out on whether the third attempt to attract adult collectors is a true long lasting success. After all, “Super Rail” lasted over a decade, “Plarail Advance” lasted seven. But while they were trying to go for an older demographic who graduated from Plarail, these releases were not child friendly.
Takara Tomy has also learned about how route maps and geography are very important. With “Plarail Advance”, you had so many trains from the Kanto region released that those who live outside of the Kanto region could care less.
Off-the-bat, Takara Tomy made sure to emphasize that Plarail Real Class are for adults. Most of the promotions for “Plarail Advance” were on websites and magazines read by adults. Also, they are concentrating on trains from different regions from Japan which is a major plus.
Also by creating trains that can be used for play or display purposes, it helps that Takara Tomy is focusing on quality and not releasing a flood of trains. In fact, in 2024, it appears that Takara Tomy has scaled back their releases of Plarail and are focusing more on children and adults who are gravitating more towards the company’s hugely popular Shinkalion (transforming robot/train) toys and wrapping trains for younger audiences.
With sales going great for “Plarail Real Class” and it becoming a success for the longtime toy company, it remains to be seen if the magic will continue five years or a decade or more from now. With Takara Tomy celebrating the 65th anniversary of “Plarail” and with many lessons learned from their previous attempts, perhaps this third attempt was what Takara Tomy needed to attract adult collectors.
