Ever unboxed a new gadget and spotted that yellowish, molded pulp packaging? You know, the stuff that cradles your new tech, keeping it safe and sound while being eco-friendly? It's pretty much standard issue for all sorts of electronics and appliances these days.
But what usually gets tossed right after unboxing is now sparking some serious imagination among Japanese netizens.
It all started when Japanese "Star Wars" superfan バギ（@BAGI8416） shared his discovery on X. His wife had just bought a new hair dryer, and when he flipped over the molded pulp packaging inside, he was blown away – it looked exactly like a street scene from Tatooine! He was so stoked, realizing this wasn't just trash; it was potential, and he couldn't bring himself to throw it away, so he kept it.
▼ What looks like ordinary molded pulp packaging
▼ But flip it over...
▼ And boom! It's totally a "Star Wars" Tatooine street scene!!
Turns out, many other Japanese netizens agreed it was uncanny! This post unexpectedly reeled in a bunch of "pulp packaging hoarders," who started showing off their own pieces they just couldn't part with. Some had even already transformed them into full-blown model dioramas!
One netizen pointed out that molded pulp packaging is perfect for model display backgrounds. Its highly abstract, bumpy edges look just like the rocky mountains and wilderness from retro game backdrops. Just add various aircraft models, and boom – you've got yourself a sci-fi desert spaceport!
Get this: the Earth Defense Force base in NHK's 2022 tokusatsu series "TAROMAN" was actually made from hair dryer pulp packaging!
Japanese singer Taisei Miyakawa also chimed in, recalling how the pulp packaging from a microphone he bought once looked exactly like a Moroccan fortress. So, he took matters into his own hands, carved out some holes, and transformed it into a home for his crickets.
So next time you unbox a new appliance, hold off on tossing that pulp packaging straight into the bin. Flip it over, turn it around, give it a good look – you might just discover your own fantastic new world!