New system in Japan lets you pay for shopping with anime character keychains【Photos】

It’s not just e-money, it’s ani-money.

If you’re an anime fan, at some point your love of Japanese animation is going to have you reaching for your wallet. You could be treating yourself to something splashy, like a limited-edition figure or Blu-ray box set, or maybe it’s just a fun little impulse buy, like a keychain of your favorite character.

But what if that keychain itself was your wallet?

That’s the idea behind the new Oshiharai Keyholder, which combines the Japanese words oshi, otaku slang for “favorite character,” and harai/”payment.” Developed by Sony, the Oshiharai Keyholder uses the company’s FeliCa IC card technology to combine an anime keychain with a prepaid e-money card.

Despite the embedded technology, the Oshiharai Keyholder is still just three millimeters (1.12 inches) thick, roughly the same as a normal character keychain.

The keychain works with Rakuten’s Edy e-money system, which is widely accepted in Japan at retailers and vending machines and allows you to pay simply by tapping a receptor pad.

▼ Homura helping to buy some Pocari Sweat, hot green tea, or other delicious Japanese vending machine soft drink

The initial batch of Oshiharai Keyholders features two characters from dark magical girl franchise Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Madoka Kaname and Homura Akemi. Preorders open May 1 here through the Aniplex Plus online store, priced at 2,980 yen (US$29), and with delivery scheduled for June. Quantities are limited, but since Sony is billing these as the “first round,” it’s probably only a matter of time before Oshiharai Keyholders for other franchises start showing up too.

Source: Sony (1, 2)
Images: Sony
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