Japanese toy manufacturer MEDICOM TOY and Ukrainian company RINARO ISODYNAMICS have unveiled a new limited-edition collection of portable BE@RBRICK AUDIO 400% Bluetooth speakers. The Maneki-Neko drop is inspired by the Japanese symbol of luck, depicted as a cat that brings happiness and good fortune
The speaker is finished in high-gloss metallic gold and detailed with traditional Japanese motifs.
The new speaker collection will go on sale on January 31.
More about Maneki-Neko
Named Maneki-Neko in Japanese (literally ‘beckoning cat’), the figurine—true to its name and contrary to popular belief—is not actually waving. In Japan, unlike in Western cultures, the way to beckon someone over to you is palm forward, fingers pointing down.
One of the most widespread legends about the origin of this symbol tells the story of a cat born at the Gōtoku-ji temple in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo during the Edo period (1603–1868). According to temple historians, while hunting with falcons, a local regional ruler was saved from a lightning bolt when the abbot’s pet cat Tama beckoned him into Gōtoku-ji.
Grateful to the cat for saving his life, the ruler made it a patron of the temple, where it has been venerated in its very own shrine ever since.
Today, the tranquil grounds of Gōtoku-ji are dotted with thousands of beckoning cat statues of varying sizes, shaped as a Japanese bobtail. The statues can be purchased at the temple and are usually left behind as an offering, although many take them home as a souvenir.
About BE@RBRICK AUDIO 400%
BE@RBRICK AUDIO 400% is not just a new design for the bear figurine, but a technological product — a fully reengineered audio system integrated into the BE@RBRICK form.
At the core of the collaboration is the BE@RBRICK 400% — the fifth of six available figure sizes, standing 28 centimeters tall. The speaker is equipped with the omnidirectional QUAD’360™ sound system, developed by Rinaro Isodynamics specifically for this collaboration, along with four acoustic drivers encased in BE@RBRICK’s head. Working in unison, the drivers ‘create a clear 360-degree sound field’.
In addition, the accessory features dual-speaker stereo connection technology for a more surround sound.
According to the Ukrainian company Rinaro Isodynamics, the development of the device required ‘over 20,000 hours of engineering work’, during which 214 newly-designed parts were created.
Due to the audio system and additional levers in the legs, the figure is heavier than standard BE@RBRICK models. Its weight is 870 grams.
You can connect to the speaker via Bluetooth from iOS or Android devices by pressing the main button. The volume and track switching controls are located in the BE@RBRICK’s left and right hands respectively: you can adjust the volume or switch tracks by twisting the left or right hand of the figure.
Among the other stated features of BE@RBRICK AUDIO 400% are up to six hours of playback on a single charge, fast charging in approximately 90 minutes via USB, and a specially developed rechargeable battery designed to be replaceable.
About RINARO ISODYNAMICS
Founded in Ukraine, Rinaro Isodynamics positions itself as a pioneer in innovative sound engineering. The company designs and manufactures audio technologies, including sound systems and headphones. One of their most famous headphone models is Empyrean, created in collaboration with the Romanian brand Meze Audio.
‘We believe that people should be able to adapt their music to their lifestyle and passions without losing sound quality. Our goal is to give people the tools to create a unique listening environment for music that evokes emotion and reflects the way they live’, Pavlo Shymanovych, founder of the company, says.
