Video Game Archivist Helps Preserve Bandai Keshi Figures from The Legend of Zelda
Posted on August 14 2023 by Kristen G. Rosario
When the original NES classic The Legend of Zelda came out back in 1986, little did people know that the world of video games would change forever. Like with most other hit games, the title came with a lot of fun toys for kids to purchase when they weren’t deeply entwined with the land of Hyrule. One of these said toys were Bandai’s keshi figures of assorted characters from that first Zelda game. These tiny eraser figures don’t run cheap nowadays, with a single individual non-painted Zelda keshi running you about $68 USD on eBay.
Fortunately, there’s a fan out there who has found a pretty clever workaround to own one of these rather unique figures. Said Zelda fan is retro video game archivist Mr. Talida, who runs a rather unique online site called Keshi Corner that specializes in preserving classic keshi figures by letting people 3D print them for free. Just recently, Mr. Talida unveiled on their Twitter page that the 3D scans for all 43 Bandai keshi figures based on The Legend of Zelda are now available to download on their website.
This means that if you have the right materials and a 3D printer, you can now help preserve the nostalgic nature of these over 35-year-old figures.
The gang’s all here!https://t.co/1rfWMLa2Xt pic.twitter.com/ZZYerOlt6A
— Keshi Corner (@KeshiCorner) August 10, 2023
In a post on Reddit they made on this announcement, Mr. Talida replied to one comment thanking them for working on this project with the following:
Thank you very much! Yeah, lots of hours invested, but worth it. I want these figures to be accessible to more people, and I want the history of the toys and merch surrounding the Zelda series to be preserved for future examination.
-Mr. Talida
Of course, Zelda wasn’t the only Nintendo series to inspire a line of Bandai keshi figures. Mr. Talida has also helped preserve keshis from series such as Pokémon and the Super Mario series as well. There are even Zelda keshi figures outside of the original game that they have helped preserve as well.
It’s amazing how many gamers from all around the world have bonded together in some way, shape, or form to help keep the legacy of these retro games alive. What do you think of this news? Will you be trying your hand at 3D printing one of these classic Zelda keshi figures? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: Mr. Talida (via moblinthebold)
Kristen G. Rosario is an Editor who joined Zelda Dungeon back in September of 2015. His current goal is to become a full-time video game journalist, hoping to eventually gain a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. While he pursues that dream, he not only takes care of his adorable dachshund Angel, but also helps run a YouTube channel with his brother. The Zelda series is a quest he hasn’t fully completed yet, but hopes to get there one day.
