Toy franchise features transforming bullet trains who fight to protect Japan

Takara Tomy announced on Saturday that its Shinkalion toy franchise is getting a television anime adaptation that will premiere in 2018. The anime, titled Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion the Animation , will air on TBS and its affiliates.

The Shinkalion robots are various models of real-life Japanese bullet trains (shinkansen) that transform into robots to fight an unknown evil to protect the safety and peace of Japan.

In the franchise's story, Hayato Hayasugi (his last name is a pun on the words for "too fast"), the train-loving son of a train museum curator, accidentally stumbles into his dad's secret research lab one day. Inside he finds the E5 bullet train. As soon as he enters, he hears an announcement that a mysterious enemy, the Bachigami ("bee god"), is attacking the city of New Saitama. Luckily, with the touch of his father's Shinca ("evolve") card, the bullet train he's in transforms into a mighty robot — the Shinkalion E5 Hayabusa.

In the anime's story, Hayato and other children will serve as conductors to pilot the Shinkalion. The children must work together with the adults of the "Shinkansen Ultra Evolution Institute" (SUEI) to defeat a monster that looks like a jet black bullet train.

The anime's website describes Hayato:



Hayato Hayasugi, an 11-year-old resident of Ōmiya. More than anything, he has a pure love for bullet trains. He loves to look at them, and to ride them. His dream is to one day operate them. He has a strong sense of responsibility, and his creed is "Anyone who loves bullet trains isn't bad person."

Takara Tomy also revealed the "Deluxe Shinkalion Series" (DXS) line of toys in the franchise on Saturday, starting with the E5 Hayabusa.

The franchise has also held events and has had magazine features.