True facts: the pachi-slot revolution
Pachi-slot machines have been taking the colors of the most popular anime licenses since the late 90s.
Entertainment changes and so do people. The world of pachinko* has been following the rule. As technique evolved and animation got more popular at the time, the company Heiwa launched a pachinko slot (pachi-slot or pachislo) machine in 1998 on the theme of Lupin the Third. It was a success and over a hundred thousands machines were spread over Japan. It took two years for another machine of this kind to be created, still with Lupin the Third but based on the character of Fujiko Mine. Lupin the Third pachi-slots were to be released every other year after that.
Following this success, other machine manufacturers tried to enter the market. Sammy tried it in 2003 with the Hokuto no Ken license. It’s a hit and the number of machines soon exceeds 130,000. In 2010, Sanyo sold 220,000 Evangelion pachi-slots. If the machines have been using many, many anime licenses, only a few of them were really successful.
The evolution of the machines now allows to add animation scenes inside the game. Companies making pachi-slots call for professional animators, sometimes with a director level, who join them for the great pay and the more peaceful production rhythm.
Japanese animation is 100 years old: come celebrate with us!
*Le pachinko is a mix between a pinball and a slot machine. Pachinko parlors are widely popular in Japan. As for pachi-slots, they are more like regular slot machines.
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