Bandai 3D Demerama

Japan, 1980s

Bandai, founded in 1950 by Naoharu Yamashina, is one of the largest toy companies in the world. This red plastic 3D viewer is one of two stereoscopy ventures that we know of from Bandai. It uses multi-view plastic card strips that are inserted into the bottom of the viewer’s handle and advanced using the lever on the side. The set comes with 3 cards which can all be loaded into the handle at once. The views are typically of action characters similar to superheroes or Power Rangers and the film color has faded to magenta. It also comes with a handy strap so the whole device can be hung around your neck and with you at all times! Bandai also made a 110 stereo camera that was more of a toy than a serious stereo camera, and it came with a 3D print viewer. If you have access to print or digital copies of Stereo World magazine, the March/April 1984 issue has an article on this Demerama viewer and the September/October 1987 issue has an article on the camera and print viewer.