Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 476,386 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,282 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 304,168 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,282 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 304,168 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,230 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 476,386 cutting edge ideas.

Transforming Bullet Train Toys

Clean the Sky - Positive Eco Trends & Breakthroughs

In Japan, McDonald’s Happy Meals Now Come with Shinkalion Toys

— May 19, 2024 — Life-Stages
McDonald's Japan is paying homage to the country's speediest trains with the debut of new Shinkalion Happy Meal toys.

In Japan, the Shinkansen (or "bullet train") is a network of high-speed railways that can reach speeds of up to 320km/hour. Now, McDonald's is celebrating the country's world-renowned public transit with Happy Meal toys dedicated to Shinkalion. In total, there are six new Happy Meal toys and each one is dedicated to a unit from Shinkalion: Change the World (an anime franchise based on a toy collection by Takara Tomy and Japan Railways Group). Each toy is a little transformer that can be adjusted to create a train-based robot superhero.

The transforming Shinkansen toys will be rolled out of the course of two weekends at McDonald's locations in Japan, with the first installment coming May 17-23.

Image Credit: SoraNews24, McDonald's Japan, Project Shinkalion
Trend Themes
1. Anime-inspired Collectibles - Anime franchises are expanding their reach by integrating with popular fast-food chains, creating exclusive collectibles that appeal to both children and collectors.
2. Transforming Toys - Toys that can change forms, such as from vehicles to robots, are capturing the imagination of young consumers and introducing dynamic play concepts.
3. Cultural Homage Merchandise - Businesses are tapping into national symbols and cultural icons to create merchandise that resonates deeply with local consumers.
Industry Implications
1. Fast-food - The fast-food industry is leveraging partnerships with entertainment franchises to enhance their Happy Meals, driving customer engagement and loyalty.
2. Toy Manufacturing - Toy manufacturers are continually innovating with multifunctional designs to captivate a tech-savvy, young audience.
3. Public Transit - Public transit branding is being revitalized through collaborations with various merchandise and marketing channels, boosting public interest and pride.
7.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness