- Title: UK: TAMAGOTCHI CYBERPETS GO ON SALE IN LONDON.
- Date: 8th May 1997
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 8, 1997)(RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: PEOPLE QUEUING OUTSIDE SUPERSTORE (3 SHOTS) 0.15 2. MCU: YOUNG MAN SAYING TAMAGOTCHI ARE SMALL AND YOU CAN TAKE THEM ANYWHERE (ENGLISH) 0.25 3. MCU: YOUNG MAN SAYING HE'S NOT GOING TO CALL IT A NAME. HE WANTS ONE JUST FOR THE NOVELTY VALUE BUT HE WILL TREAT IT JUST LIKE A PET (ENGLISH) 0.40 4. MCU: YOUNG WOMAN SAYING SHE DOESN'T THINK THE CRAZE WILL CATCH ON IN BRITAIN. THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE HUMOUR AND THE FACT THE JAPANESE ARE CRAZY (ENGLISH) 0.54 5. MV: TAMAGOTCHI ARRIVE IN CAGES CARRIED BY SUMO WRESTLERS 1.05 6. MV: DOORS OF STORE OPEN AND FIRST CUSTOMERS FLOOD IN 1.09 7. GV: QUEUES OF PEOPLE IN STORE (2 SHOTS) 1.18 8. GV/ZOOM/MCU: YOUNG MAN BUYING FIRST TAMAGOTCHI 1.30 9. MV: JAPANESE COUPLE SHOWING THEIR DELIGHT AT PURCHASE 1.41 10. MV: MAN HUNTING FOR A SPECIAL WHITE TAMAGOTCHI 1.48 11. MCU: DARRELL JONES OF MANUFACTURERS BANDAI SAYING IT IS WORLD'S FIRST MOBILE TAKE ANYWHERE PET. IT LIVES IN A SMALL SPACE, STARTS AS AN EGG AND THEN HATCHES. YOU HAVE TO PERFORM SEVERAL FUNCTIONS TO KEEP IT ALIVE. YOU HAVE TO FEED IT, ADMINISTER MEDICINE WHEN NEEDED. ALSO IT GOES TO SLEEP BETWEEN 8 AND 12 AT NIGHT SO YOU HAVE TO SWITCH THE LIGHTS OFF TO HELP IT SLEEP AND IF IT IS NAUGHTY YOU HAVE TO DISCIPLINE IT (ENGLISH)/ CU TAMAGOTCHIS (3 SHOTS) 2.21 12. TV/MCU: QUEUES AT TILLS BUYING TAMAGOTCHIS (2 SHOTS) 2.34 13. MCU: MAN SAYING HE IS TOTALLY CONVINCED IT WILL BE JUST LIKE HAVING A CAT OR DOG BUT HE WILL SEE AND HAVE AN ANSWER LATER (ENGLISH) 2.49 14. MV: MORE CUSTOMERS CHOOSING THEIR TAMAGOTCHI 3.03 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 23rd May 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City:
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA27WNLZ1C4G9MMLYY5R46OFU0U
- Story Text: INTRO: The latest toy craze from Japan hit Britain on Thursday with hundreds of people queueing in the rain to give a home to a high-tech cyberpet.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- The Tamagotchi could be the biggest craze since the Rubik cube in the 1980's. Two hundred people, including a university lecturer, queued on Thursday (May 8) to be the first in Britain to own one.
The "virtual" interactive computer pets come on keyrings and fit in the palm of the hand. They go through a cycle of being born, growing up and dying if they are not well cared for.
They sleep for 12 hours at night, but make a noise if they are unhappy or hungry.
In Japan, some businessmen leave them in creches during the day so that they do not die.
Darrell Jones of the manufacturers Bandai says the Tamagotchi are just like pets - they need to be looked after. If they fall ill, they need medicine and if they are naughty they have to be disciplined.
If the cyberpets do die, the owner simply has to press a button and another baby comes to life.
But animal groups fear the toys may send the wrong message out to children. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says people must realise the Tamagotchi is just a video game and bears no relation to animal welfare.
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