Bandai Candy is launching a new candy toy line based on the art book "Kaiju Zukan" by the popular singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu. The new "Kenshi Yonezu Kaiju Zukan Card Wafers" are set to hit shelves on August 10, 2026!
The collection features a total of 22 metallic collector cards. Each pack comes with one randomly inserted card and a vanilla cream-flavored wafer, with a suggested retail price of 198 JPY. They will be available in the candy and snack aisles of mass retailers across Japan.
"Kaiju Zukan" originally began as a serialized illustration and story feature by Kenshi Yonezu in the Japanese music magazine "ROCKIN'ON JAPAN," running from the August 2013 issue to the December 2015 issue. Yonezu personally illustrated and wrote about a variety of bizarre monsters that don't exist in our world, detailing everything from their physical characteristics, habitats, and diets to their lifestyles and even their deaths. The series was compiled into his first standalone book in 2016, featuring a total of 41 unique creatures.
This candy toy release selects 22 monsters from the book to be immortalized on collectible cards, including "Hone Monban," "Omawari-san," "Daitai-kun," "Kozure Kedama," "Bikkuri Bed," "Gaitou Shinshi," "Wolf Man," and the cover monster, "Kaiju." The front of each card faithfully reproduces Yonezu's wonderfully strange, melancholic, and fairytale-esque illustrations with a stunning metallic sheen. The back features the unique story of each monster, preserving the original book's experience of being both a field guide and a collection of short fables.
Ahead of the official launch, the product has already appeared in some stores in Japan, prompting fans to share their unboxing results on social media. Many users also reported searching multiple stores without success, causing "Kaiju Zukan Card Wafers" to trend on X. Bandai has stated that the actual release date may vary by store and that the product is available in limited quantities while supplies last. Additionally, a new line of "Kenshi Yonezu Mini CD Collection" capsule toys, featuring hits like "Lemon," "KICK BACK," and "Plazma," is also slated for release in the fifth week of August 2026.
Kenshi Yonezu Kaiju Zukan Card Wafers
Card Types: 22 in total
Contents: 1 metallic plastic card, 1 vanilla cream-flavored wafer
SRP: 198 JPY (tax included) per pack
Availability: Candy/snack aisles of mass retailers nationwide in Japan
Recommended Age: 15+
Scheduled Release Date: August 10, 2026
via： 株式会社バンダイ