Plarail in its present state - What are your thoughts?

Greetings, 

I would like to see how everyone feels of the state of Plarail. 2024 kind of shows how there is a shift as of late but here are my thoughts.  

Please offer your thoughts on the state of Plarail in the present including current trends.

Here are my thoughts:

- Plarail Real Class, Shinkalion and Go Go Thomas has become popular, so much that there is less interest and production for standard Plarail (S-series) and even targeted for children ES line has been non-existant.  In 2024, what we did see more of are more wrapping/all sticker trains for children (ie. Rilakuma, Chikkara, Curious George, Disney-related, Crayon Shin-chan).

-  More train competition to appeal for younger children to gain a foothold in the industry vs. Plarail.  In 2024, Muraoka, Toyco, Trane (who produced small die-cast metal nguage versions of the trains) and Agatsuma Diapet have become more popular.  These trains are dominating the sales charts for overall trains for children.  What we could hope is with more competition, this leads to Takara Tomy considering how they can do much better than these competitors. Unless, Plarail Real Class is their "much better" but you're paying three to four times the amount.

Muraoka: http://muraoka-toy.co.jp/category_jr.php?category=JR

Toyco: https://toyco.co.jp/

Agatsuma: https://www.agatsuma.co.jp/product/diapet.php

Trane: https://www.trane.org/

Trane has been receiving so much traction and dominating the sales charts for 2023-2024 over Takara Tomy that for the Tomica line, we are seeing the company release the Enoshima Electric Railway (No. 150) in Sept. 2024.  Now if this is a one time thing, who knows? But this is exciting if they do intend to go against Trane in the die-cast metal segment.  

- We are seeing more "Plarail original" trains and Shinkalion trains instead of Japanese trains on standard line.  Since February 2024, for Plarail S released trains, based on actual Japanese trains have dwindled.  The only train with the "S" designation was the S-59 Keihan Railway 13000 Series Thomas the Tank Engine (July 2024) and the S-08 273 Series Express Yakumo (September 2024).  Just two trains.

How costly was that S-37 Osaka Metro Chuo Line 400 series gaffe?  The fixed version was released in December 2023 along with the S-46 EF510 Red Thunder. The last month we would see nearly a consistent month of S-series releases featuring actual trains in Japan.

-  We know one of the biggest problem for Takara Tomy and they have said this before, thus the reason for Plarail Real Class is the problem of couples not wanting to have children in Japan.  Similar to comic books in the west, which were once popular and focused on the children's market has shifted to more adult buyers familiar with the brand.  The demographic is getting older and the targeted age demographic is shrinking.  Consumers who are older and grew up with Plarail are willing to spend for more quality and prefer Plarail Real Class over the standard Plarail.  Is the third time a charm?  After experimentation in the '70s with "Super Rail" and the 2010's with "Plarail Advance"?  Was Plarail Real Class what people wanted?

If one thing is evident, the mistake of "Plarail Advance" was focusing on too much Kanto region trains, people want regional and the person behind Plarail Real Class said he wants to feature trains from all regions.  But he also said the reason for Plarail Real Class was to address Japan's birthrate problems.

- Shinkalion has the anime series tie-in and thus is more popular and cooler.  Even on the Tomica side, we are seeing the robots slowly become popular, whereas in Plarail, the popularity of the brand is leading Takara Tomy to make more Shinkalion non-transforming trains.

-  Targeting the older demographic: As mentioned, more sticker-wrapped trains and standard Disney releases for the kids and the focus on Shinkalion and Plarail Originals and sets with tracks and train will probably be the child focus now.  Takara Tomy is a business that can't focus on the child demographic, considering that Japan's birthrate problem is hitting record lows.  With Japan's sluggish ecomonic growth, no one wants to have children, let alone expand their family.  So, Takara Tomy has to target a demographic that has been there demographic before, the adult collectors who grew up with the original product.  But aside from Plarail Real Class, in 2024, what we did get are more adult-centric releases.  March - Arigato trains for 381 series Yakumo Express and SL Hitoyoshi, Shinkansen N700S 60th Anniversary and the 60th Anniveersary Commemoration Hikari set.

-  What about the popular Thomas line?   Go Go Thomas is a license that Takara Tomy will continue to release.  As indicated by November 2024 release announcement, still going strong.  I don't think anyone who are fans of "Thomas" or "Shinkalion" have to worry, these two are doing great.

But in the end...it's all business

It's all business and you focus and take opportunities where most money is made.  If Shinkalion, Go Go Thomas and Plarail Real Class are the Plarails that sell the most, I understand that being the focus.  But what about the current generation of train fans and the loyal collectors who still want S-releases?  Will we see ramp-up of JR related S-trains in 2025?  Or are we going to see more focus on sticker-wrapping trains for kids and Plarail originals?  It is no doubt one of the reasons why Plarail Real Class is becoming popular, for adult Plarail collectors, aside from cool sets, there is no worries of an S line when barely anything is being released.

But as for 65th Anniversary of Plarail goes, while we are having solid sets and "arigato" trains being releases, I was expecting for a better anniversary year for releases.  It's been bad for Japan's economy for another straight year and report back in February of Japan's new birth rate recording record lows was bad news.  Takara Tomy reflects the market and while Tomica line still goes strong.  For the Plarail line, Takara Tomy skipped January 2024 and also October 2024 and announced their November 2025 release.

And for me...

 I have to be truthful, ever since I got the Plarail Real Class, I am loving it.  There is just so much detail with the Plarail Real Class and while it costs nearly double or triple of a standard Plarail, I'm part of that adult targeted demographic, who is willing to spend $40-$50 for it.  It's just a much better product.  

While Super Rail got a good decade and Plarail Advance got seven years, Plarail Real Class celebrated their first anniversary.  While adult collectors have raved about PRC, will Takara Tomy continue it's support for many years to come?  It's too early to tell right now.

But unfortunately, while Plarail is cheaper for us internationally due to the weakened yen, it's a competitive crowd that people know they can probably get it cheaper from Japan than their country in Asia. 

There has been news reports in Japan of fashion designer labels, anime-related toys selling out because people are going to Japan to buy them now, due to the weakened yen.

You really need to pre-order things on Amazon before releases, otherwise you're not going to see it again.  Since the release of the 2nd release of Plarail Real Class, every release afterward has been difficult to obtain.

I've not been able to purchase any Plarail Real Class since the third release....anything afterward has been difficult.  But pre-ordering is the best thing to do if you purchase via Amazon JP (which is fine).  I took a chance in not pre-ordering because in the past, I have seen things brought back when they receive more shipments on Amazon and sold cheaper than the pre-order price.  But now....I'm not seeing things getting restocked on Amazon.  This is many months in 2024 of waiting and waiting and I get a feeling, I'm going to have to pay more, because I didn't pre-order.  I took the chance to see if it would be like it has in previous years.  This is not the case in 2024.

And last, the more adult targeted releases and the arigato series was great....especially for adult collectors.  But with added competition, bad Japanese economy/low birthrate.  What will happen to the Plarail line in 2025?

Its been a sad time for hardcore Fans

I think the only mistake they made with PlaRail Advance was to discontinue it when they did. It was very innovative and appealed to the Japanese market especially due to it looking more realistic and also being nearly 'N Gauge'. Being backward compatible with the original PlaRail track was a masterstroke as they had a ready made market for it without having to worry about selling sets to the consumer, although of course there were sets available when it was in its hey-day.

I've not yet seen the new 'real' version apart from the odd picture as I'm not really into PlaRail these days, but anything that makes them money can also help subsidise the continuation of standard PlaRail even if they are taking the FP approach and dumbing them down now for the kiddy market - which I agree is a big mistake as shown by FP.

I think they realized they were competing with themselves vs. the TOMIX line but also trying to get a feeling of how to make Plarail marketable and who their core consumers are.  A lot of Japanese Plarail fans place the blame on the trains released.    But I think the way they discontinued selling it was a disservice to the fans who were loyal to Advance.

I thought the weakened yen was a illusion for me. That explains even living in a third world country I got the opportunity to get Plarail train sets! They are much cheaper recently.

True!

I think they realized they were competing with themselves vs. the TOMIX line but also trying to get a feeling of how to make Plarail marketable and who their core consumers are.  A lot of Japanese Plarail fans place the blame on the trains released.    But I think the way they discontinued selling it was a disservice to the fans who were loyal to Advance.

Maybe so, but isn't real going to compete with any makers of HO/OO gauge trains on the Japanese market also - do Tomix make HO?

As for the Advance debacle that is a way to totally upset potentially loyal supporters, who is going to buy into other new ideas from them after having been stung so badly?  This action against advance may well hold back the new real range for this simple reason.  As it happens there is still a very healthy 2nd market for Advance, new unopened offerings have shot up in price since they were discontinued by Tomy.  I believe my collection of advance is now worth a considerable sum if I were to list them...

They do make HO but it's very limited like once every few months.  But they still churn out NGauge like crazy.

As for Plarail Advance, I feel those are solid collectors that can fetch a higher price in the market.  Especially if they are well-maintained and boxed.  That's one thing with Tomix and Kato, they know people want them in their cases and people don't buy them loose.  But typically train collectors are very good with maintaning their collections.

The following is discussion that took place this month on a Japanese discussion site and also on X about the state of Plarail. https://togetter.com/li/2479754

As evident for 2024 and looks like 2025 is starting off with slim pickings with the children's line still continuing but the focus now shifting towards Plarail Real Class.

One retailer said they stopped purchasing Plarail for their store and sold all of his in stock items for the year end event because sales have been poor for the last two years. He spoke to a wholesaler and heard they are not selling well nationwide. https://x.com/Shiokaze_Do/status/1866979810637123963

Others blame it on video games/smart phones, YouTube videos and declining birthrate and of course, Takara Tomy increasing prices. I think it is a perfect storm of weakened yen, declining birthrate and smartphone/video games and YouTube in general. Also, with small home sizes, as rooms are smaller, only those with good size rooms can take advantage of Plarail.

Hardcore Plarail fans are also dismayed of Takara Tomy putting their Plarail Railway and Shinkalion trains in the S series.

I was feeling positive about Plarail Real Class when I first posted this thread, but seeing how they are not dropping the prices as they did with the initial Plarail Real Class (from Y7000 to Y4500) on Amazon, and sticking with the Y6600 price point. That's tough. If they have kept it at Y4500, I would have kept collecting it but not at Y6600, as you are now getting closer to N Gauge pricing.

It's a bit surprising how Plarail has shifted from a wonderful 2023 for "S", along with ES and Plarail Real Class, to an anniversary year of 2024 that that was dismal with less "S" releases and more fictional trains and a 2025 that looks to further be dismal for "S" collectors.

And other companies started focusing on train sets for children that really took away from Takara Tomy's business and also the sucess of the diecast train releases.

It's truly a sad time but it looks like Plarail and its well known "S" series is slowly coming to an end.

[Super]

Well that sure is depressing news 😒