Ice × Peltier dehumidifying hybrid cooler — for the desk and before sleep
Conclusion: ice + Peltier for up to −9°C local cooling — All-in, 1,006% funded as of Jul 8, closed Jul 30, 2026.
Gadget & tech
How Big Is Makuake, Really? ¥110B Funded, 10M Backings — Verified
Conclusion: Makuake has processed ¥110B+ across 10M backings and 60 projects over ¥100M since 2013 — the numbers behind Japan's biggest product-crowdfunding platform, verified.
Japan's crowdfunding in early 2026 — money pours into AI devices
Conclusion: in Jan–May 2026 the top five all cleared ¥100M (AI/premium gadgets). Makuake leads by amount, CAMPFIRE by count.
Tenniix AI Tennis Machine, Verified: ¥187M Raised, 5th-Biggest Campaign of 2026
Conclusion: the Tenniix AI tennis robot raised ¥187.1M on Makuake — the 5th-largest Japanese crowdfunding campaign by amount in Jan–May 2026, editor-verified.
Summer 2026's hit — the “SPEEDER” cooling fan seat, 3,821% funded and live
Conclusion: a car cooling fan seat at 38× goal — ¥10M+ from 1,600+ backers on Makuake, closing now (Jun 2026).
Backing an AI gadget — how to read AI glasses and AI-companion campaigns
Conclusion: AI gadgets lead with experiential allure — always verify certification, server continuity, fees and how finished the unit is.
CODE27 AI Companion, Verified: ¥215M Raised From a Kickstarter Hit (Japan Launch)
Conclusion: CODE27's Japan campaign raised ~¥215.5M against a ¥300K goal — a real, verified reverse-import of a US Kickstarter AI-companion hit (2026, funded, editor-checked).
Rokid Smart AI Glasses — Makuake's all-time No.1 (¥636M)
Conclusion: a ¥500k goal → ¥636.7M from 7,413 backers — Makuake's all-time No.1 (2026, funded).
UGREEN NASync DXP — Japan's first reward campaign past ¥1 billion
Conclusion: a ¥1M goal → ~¥1.02B from 16,849 backers — Japan's first reward campaign over ¥1B (2025, funded).
kibidango, the 80%-success lane — the curated home of ViXion01 and DWARF3
Conclusion: a curated, low-fee platform citing ~80% success — strong on imports, with ¥400M+ hits.
Valerion VisionMaster Max — Makuake's all-time No.1 projector (¥300M+)
Conclusion: ¥100M in ~12 hours, ¥300M+ final — Makuake's fastest gadget and No.1 projector (2026, funded).
ViXion01 Autofocus Eyewear, Verified: ¥425M From 5,703 Backers (Landmark Success)
Conclusion: ViXion01's autofocus eyewear raised ¥425.19M from 5,703 backers (8,504% funded) on kibidango — a verified 2023 landmark, now shipped.
PrinCube — the world's smallest mobile colour printer, in Japan
Conclusion: a ¥1M goal → ¥303.5M, then a Japan reward record (2020, funded) — with a fulfilment lesson.
Overseas vs Japan — judging 'reverse-imported' Kickstarter hits
Conclusion: an overseas hit isn't automatically safe in Japan — check certification, warranty, support.
GREEN FUNDING, the quality lane — 85% success, ¥5.14M average
Conclusion: a curated, TSUTAYA-backed platform — fewer, larger, high-success projects.
How to spot a hot campaign — first-day speed, prototypes, momentum
Conclusion: opening speed, a working prototype, and update cadence are the real signals.
What blew up on Makuake in 2025 — AI gadgets, a whisky, a heritage inn
Conclusion: AI products grew 3.5× YoY; the top gadget, AINOTE 2, raised ~¥469M.
CAMPFIRE vs Makuake: fees, review, and fit
Conclusion: products → Makuake, community → CAMPFIRE.
Makuake vs Kickstarter for Backers: Which to Pledge On (2026)
Choose Makuake for Japan-made products; choose Kickstarter for global scale and reach.
How to back Japanese crowdfunding from overseas — language, payment, shipping
Conclusion: it's doable but uneven. kibidango is fully multilingual; foreign cards are increasingly accepted (with a surcharge); not every project ships abroad — verify before you pledge.