Benelic Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo) is releasing a new capsule toy, Kerounen The Capsule Toy 5 (5 types / 500 yen per turn, tax included), at capsule toy vending machine locations across Japan starting in late June 2026.
About Kerounen The Capsule Toy 5 (5 Types)
The fifth installment in the Kerounen capsule toy lineup has arrived. Kerounen is an amphibious rescue robot machine born from the collaboration between Kow Yokoyama — the illustrator and modeler known for his landmark work Maschinen Krieger — and creator Noriya Takeyama, known for his soft vinyl figures such as Koijarasu. This new series introduces translucent colored bodies to the lineup.
Once again supervised in full by both creators, the signature features remain intact: articulated arms and waist, and the detachable pilot figure "O.T.M (Otama)." The standout addition for Series 5 is the use of tinted clear color bodies. Each of the five variants sports a distinct clear color — black, blue, red-to-black gradient, green, and pink — giving the Kerounen sculpt a fresh new look. The Otama pilots have also been given complementary color schemes to match each Kerounen.
Product Details
Kerounen Kagemaru
Kerounen Mizumaru
Kerounen Kaenmaru
Kerounen Clear Pygmies
Kerounen Clear Momos
Product Name: Kerounen The Capsule Toy 5 (5 types)
Release Date: Rolling out from late June 2026
Price: 500 yen per turn (tax included)
Recommended Age: 15 and up
Size: W45 × H60 × D35 mm
Material: PVC
Available At: Capsule toy vending machine locations nationwide
About the Creators
Kow Yokoyama
A Japanese illustrator and modeler who has worked extensively on mecha design and three-dimensional sculpting for science fiction novels, commercials, games, and toys.
His defining work, Maschinen Krieger (originally known as S.F.3.D.), was first unveiled in 1982 and continues to attract a devoted following both in Japan and abroad. Yokoyama has built a distinctive world through his curved mechanical forms and illustration style, with a career spanning domestic projects and mecha design work for international films.
Noriya Takeyama
Founder of Märchen's, a company that plans, designs, produces, and sells character goods. After creating hit products as a planner for girls' toys, Takeyama went independent and expanded collaborations with film characters internationally. His work draws on childhood encounters with familiar pond creatures — frogs, goldfish, carp, turtles — and has given rise to numerous characters including Koijarasu, Keronga, poolys, and Dokukkino. In collaboration with illustrator and modeler Kow Yokoyama, he unveiled the new character "Kerounen." He has also served as a lecturer at the Amusement Media General Institute's Character Design Department since 2005, contributing to the industry by nurturing many professionals.
©KOW YOKOYAMA / NORIYA TAKEYAMA / 千値練
