We get used to the monotony of going to the same office every day, doing our work in a matter-of-fact manner, and then going home... Have you forgotten how to "smile"?


I am one of those people who pound away at the keyboard and write articles day in and day out. However, when I stopped by MINIPLA in the station building the other day, I felt my heart beat faster than it has in a long time with a toy called " Flying Ball.

The sphere, which is simply made like a bamboo-putter, is said to be a ball-shaped helicopter operated with the palm of one's hand. What kind of magic is that? I was curious, so I decided to buy one. The price is 1,944 yen (tax included). It is much cheaper than a radio-controlled helicopter, but I wonder if it flies properly.


When I opened the package, I found a ball-shaped body with a propeller, a remote control switch, and a USB charging cable. Charging time is about 20 to 30 minutes. This should be enough for 7 to 8 minutes of play.


It also came with stickers for decoration, so I tried to make it look more friendly before flying it.



By the way, this is "for indoor use only. I decided to try flying it in a corner of the office with my coworker, who was absentminded at the end of the workday.

When I turned on the main unit, the ball lit up. And when I pressed the remote control switch, "Shooeeeeeeeeee! and the propeller started spinning insanely vigorously! I had to hold the ball at first, but it seemed as if it was about to shake my hand and float away.



I gently let go of the ball horizontally as it was...and it flew! It floated up to the ceiling!


"Whoa! and "It flew that way!" and "It went that way!" I was making noise like a young man setting off fireworks in the middle of the night, when the altitude of the ball suddenly dropped. "Don't drop it! At that moment, one intuitively holds out one's hand. Then, a sensor at the bottom of the ball reacts to the hand that is held up, and the ball rises again.


Furthermore, the ball not only moves up and down, but also flies slightly sideways or diagonally when it hits a wall or partition. It is quite amusing to watch the adults scrambling to keep up with its unpredictable movements. It's a laugh-out-loud experience for those doing it and those watching.



As their eyes and bodies get used to it, they stop crashing it so violently and their facial expressions start to act a little cooler. Here's a video of the ball at that time.


If the ball were outdoors, there would probably be many dangerous factors, such as the ball rising too high or running out into the street in a wandering chase. Of course, even indoors, you have to be considerate of the furniture and people around you.

Flying Ball" is a peaceful sphere that makes everyone who plays with it smile. It is also perfect for refreshing yourself when you are in a daze, so it is good to have one in your office as well as at home. Even if you don't have any colleagues to invite, it is fun enough to play by yourself. However, please do not accidentally send it to a room in the middle of a business meeting and cause a panic like "Is that a semi? Be careful not to cause a panic like "Is it a cicada?