Haro (character) - Toys and Merchandise

Toys and Merchandise

In real life, Bandai released a series of Haro Capsule toys (called Haro Cap, different from the Gundam Haro Capsule selling by Broccoli USA) with different colours and painting, which mostly painted as a reference to different icons of the Gundam universes. For example, one having the V shaped antenna painted on the forehead(?) referencing RX-78-2 Gundam and one painted red with an antenna on the forehead as the MS-06S Zaku II, Char Aznable Custom.

Haro has also been immortalized in a series of robotic toys called "1/4 scale Digital Hobby Series Mascot Robo". It was initially available in color Green but the "Haro Color" series was released later on, adding Yellow, Orange, Navy Blue and Sky Blue colors to the roster. These Haros are basically glorified alarm clocks that react to any nearby sound by rocking sideways, lighting up red eyes, creating robotic sounds, spewing Japanese phrases and/or flipping their "ears". If an alarm is set and time approaches, the Green Haro plays a tune (not the actual song) of Mobile Suit Gundam's OP theme, "Tobe! Gundam".

Years later, at the height of Gundam SEED's popularity, a 1/1 scale (the same size as the 1/4 scale) Pink Haro called "Haro 2" was released to coincide with popular character Lacus Clyne. The Pink Haro is more sensitive to sound than its predecessors, along with a light-detection sensor. When the ambience transists from bright to dark (usually by casting a shadow over it by waving your hand), the Pink Haro will react in the same manner like the previous Haros, only noisier. If an alarm is set and the time approaches, it will keep saying Japanese phrases while flipping its ears and blinking its eyes continuously. Pink Haro's voice in this toy was provided by the same voice actor who dubbed its voice in the anime, Kotono Mitsuishi.

On February 2008, a "Gundam 00 Style Digital Hobby Series Mascot Robo" Haro, who obviously represents Lockon Stratos' Orange Haro will be released as announced in the Plamo Radicon Show 2007. Pictures over the internet give the impression that the new Haro will be another 1/4 scale (making it the same size as the previous Haros). Unlike its Orange Haro ancestor of the "Haro Color" series released years ago, this Haro's reported features include two different modes of play and an internal motion sensor to which it will react in the usual manner as its predecessors should it be attempted to be touched. It is yet unclear if previous features such as the alarm clock function and the photo-sensitivity that the Pink Haro had would be included, or if the voice actor Arisa Ogasawara (who dubs Haro's voice in Gundam 00) will provide the toy's speaking voice.

Through the years, Japanese videogame publisher and toy maker Banpresto as well as other companies have released countless other Haro products due to the character's immense popularity as a Gundam "mascot". These various merchandise include T-shirts, wristbands, towels, circular or Haro-shaped calculators, room lights (including Platenarium-like lights and bath lights where you submerge Haro in your bath, activate him and he'll glow underwater), bath toys (a haro-shaped rubber duck that actually propels itself around the water when activated) microphones and earphones, speakers, Haro-shaped CD players and cases, cell phone accessories, plush toys, cushions and even the short-lived "Haromatherapy" room freshener in which pressing it will make Haro pop its ears and release scents to stimulate the olfactory senses.

The biggest and most expensive Haro product ever created was the infamous Haro desktop PC case. It weighs a heavy 5 kg and around 40 cm in diameter. It wasn't big enough to support all PCs as it was reported to carry relatively small computers like the Mac Mini. Incidentally, only 1000 units were ever manufactured and it retailed for 99,800 Yen. A very expensive piece, it was shunned and labelled as "a novelty product for Gundam fans only". The Haro PC case was controllable via remote, but unlike the 1/4 and 1/1 scale Haro toys, it cannot move sideways. Instead, it opens its "ears", takes out its hands and moves them back and forth while blinking its yellow eyes (instead of the conventional red) and speaking in an extremely loud voice.