A Tamagotchi for the Grown-Up Who Had One in the '90s — and for Their Kid

For the grown-up who had a Tamagotchi in the ’90s, give the Tamagotchi Uni: the current generation, worn like a watch, with English on screen. For something small, the R2-D2 Tamagotchi. And if their kid is old enough, give one to each of them.

That’s the answer. Here’s why, from someone who had one.

My Tamagotchi

I’m a designer in Japan. About thirty years ago, when I was in junior high school, a friend gave me a Tamagotchi.

It came to school with me, of course. I looked after it under my desk during class, and the teacher never caught me.

It was a boom I still remember. The white Tamagotchi, as I remember it, was changing hands for tens of thousands of yen. Mine wasn’t the first model; I think it was one of the follow-ups. I honestly don’t remember how it ended. I only remember it was a present, and that I kept it alive under a desk.

If someone gave me a Tamagotchi now, I’d be happy for the simplest reason: it’s nostalgic. And I’d want to give one to my own kid too.

What’s different now

The egg on a keychain has grown up. The Tamagotchi Uni, the current generation, is worn on a strap like a watch. It has Wi-Fi, so your Tamagotchi can visit the Tamaverse and meet other people’s, and you can pair with a friend’s to swap items, per the shop’s listing. It charges from a built-in battery instead of button cells.

And, most important for a gift sent from Japan: the Uni has seven languages built in, English among them, chosen the first time it’s set up (Tamagotchi Wiki).

For the grown-up who had one: Tamagotchi Uni

This is the one I’d give. It’s the same idea I remember from junior high, grown into something a grown-up can wear. The shop’s listing gives 6 and up, which matters for later.

There are three colors, all the same inside. Give the one that suits them.

For the Star Wars fan: R2-D2 Tamagotchi

Small, inexpensive, and the droid everybody loves. It’s a Tamagotchi Nano in R2-D2’s shape: you keep him charged and clean, there are nine mini games, and characters from the films turn up from time to time — Boba Fett, Yoda, C-3PO — per the shop’s listing. It’s the easy gift for someone who had a Tamagotchi and grew up on Star Wars. If they’re a big fan, the figures in Star Wars figures from Japan go on the shelf next to it.

For the anime fan: two Tamagotchis from Japan

These two are made for the Japanese market. Expect Japanese on screen. They’re for the fan who loves the series enough not to mind.

Jujutsucchi: Gojocchi Color (Jujutsu Kaisen). Depending on how you raise it, it grows into different Jujutsu Kaisen characters, including the students of the Tokyo school, per the shop’s listing.

Demon Slayer Tamagotchi: Nezukocchi Color. It grows into different Demon Slayer characters depending on how you care for it, and if you neglect it, a demon comes for it, per the shop’s listing. It runs on two LR44 button batteries, included.

Give one to their kid too

The Uni is 6 and up. So if the grown-up who had one has a child, give two: one for each. The parent gets the thing they remember; the child gets it for the first time. And for once, the parent can explain how it works.

Before you buy

• Language. The Uni asks at first setup: choose English. Changing it later needs a factory reset, according to the Tamagotchi Wiki. If it’s a gift, leave the setup to them.
• The Smart, and why it isn’t here. You’ll also see the Tamagotchi Smart at the shop, but the version sold in Japan is Japanese only. For a US reader, the Uni is the better gift.
• Anime models. Japanese on screen. Give them to fans who’ll enjoy that.
• Wi-Fi. Some Uni features need Wi-Fi, and the shop’s listing notes those services may end without notice.
• Availability. The Uni and the R2-D2 Tamagotchi are sold outside Japan too. This guide doesn’t claim otherwise; it points to what the Japanese shop has in stock.

How to buy from Japan

Okurimono Japan doesn’t sell anything. “Check Price” takes you to the product page on Discovery Japan Mall, an independent Japanese retailer (not Bandai’s own shop) that ships internationally and shows prices in your currency. You pay them directly by card or PayPal. The shop states orders usually ship within 5 business days with tracking and insurance; customs duties, where charged, are collected on delivery. Returns are for damaged, defective or incorrect items only, reported within 7 days with photos. Prices on this page are the shop’s yen prices on 27 September 2026, converted approximately, before shipping and duty. Full details on How to Buy, duties in ordering from Japan to the US, and more in the Toys & Hobby category.

One more thing

Mine was a present from a friend. Thirty years later, that’s the part I remember. Give one, and you’re the friend.