Yo-kai Watch (item)



The is the titular device which the series revolves on. It is a special watch that allows humans to see and communicate with Yo-kai. Yo-kai also use it to communicate with humans.

Overview
The Yo-kai Watch is an unique piece of technology which helps humans to uncover and communicate with Yo-kai, a feat normally impossible without the use of this device. Conversely, the Yo-kai watch is useful for Yo-kai to communicate with humans.

The real power of the Yo-kai Watch, however is the ability granted to the use to summon Yo-kai he/she has previously befriended by inserting their respective Yo-kai Medals into its gap. Each of the eight primary tribes of Yo-kai have their own summoning song, as well as their surge of light sporting the respective color of the backs of their medals. It should be noted that a medal inserted upside down (or wrong side up) will not trigger the summon; the original Watch model had it where it would make the leader of the Nosirs say: "Ah ah ah!" in a scolding manner.

Similarly, the user who wears the Yo-kai Watch is the only one who can summon Yo-kai. Likewise, Yo-kai themselves who are being called can deny the summon, and may bring other Yo-Kai with them (as shown in episode 56 when Komajiro joined Komasan for a summoning).

Yo-kai Watch 1 & 2
The Yo-kai Watch, in its Model Zero incarnation, was first conceived by Nathaniel/Kenny around 60 years ago. Nathaniel/Kenny also created Yo-kai Medal prototypes for five of his closest Yo-kai friends, which were Classic Yo-kai.

In the present day, on one summer day while trying to catch bugs for a summer project, Nate/Katie (depending on which character the player is using) receive a present-day model of the Yo-kai Watch (which also differs depending on the character) courtesy of a freed Whisper, who instructs he/she to use its light to uncover Buhu in order to start a combat, which began a series of misadventures that lead to the discovery of a diabolical plot. After the player defeats the would-be usurper McKraken, the Yo-kai Watch fades along with the Yo-kai out of the character's sight as the seal transports all Yo-kai back into the Yo-kai World, though the Yo-kai Watch and all Yo-kai eventually return.

However, one night, Kin and Gin (with Bronzlow appearing as well in Physic Specters) arrive over Nate/Katie's house while they were sleeping and caused the Yo-kai Watch along with it's owner's memories to vanish. The next day, Nate/Katie finds the Yo-kai Watch in the Memory Shop. The shop owner offers he/she to sell the Watch for just $1.00 (¥100 in Japan), then to use it at the Crank-a-kai outside. Nate/Katie buys one of the capsules and drops it aside, revealing Whisper. The Yo-kai Watch restores the memories of both Nate/Katie and Whisper, among them ones about Jibanyan. When Nate/Katie and Whisper reunite with Jibanyan, the Yo-kai Watch restores Jibanyan's memories as well.

After traveling 60 years into the past, Nate/Katie learns from Hovernyan about the Yo-kai Watch Model Zero. Whisper then explains the normal model was created by Steve Jaws. Sometime later, Nate/Katie gives Nathaniel/Kenny the main piece needed to finish the Yo-kai Watch Model Zero. Nathaniel/Kenny then entrusts Nate/Katie with the watch.

Yo-kai Watch 3
When his mother got inspirited by Cornfused after Nate finds her misplaced glasses, he discovers that his Yo-kai Watch can't make 'Merican Yo-kai appear when hit by the light. Moping at the failure in his room, Whisper soon gives him the Yo-kai Watch Model U1 to replace the Yo-kai Watch and allow him to see 'Merican Yo-kai. Hailey later obtains her Yo-kai Watch Model U2 in the same manner she did in the anime, where it was through Usapyon's machinations that she got it outside the store, as the barcode on the box was illegitimate.

Steve Jaws came to Nate's rescue after losing to Ma Injaneno. Nate got the Yo-kai Watch Dream Model and defeated him.

Mark Shachiberg later invites Nate, Hailey, and several Yo-kai to his building, where all of the Yo-kai Watch models have been gathered and put on display. At the end of the chapter, Hailey gets her own Yo-kai Watch Dream Model.

During a mission in a cowboy town, Nate temporarily lends his Watch to a local so that she can see a Yo-kai, and she returns the watch to him shortly afterwards.

Anime
The circumstances that lead Nate into obtaining the Yo-kai Watch in the anime are fairly different. In Yo-kai Are Real!, Nate returns to his house with Whisper and he finds his parents arguing. Because of that, Whisper notes that's "her" doing. After Nate wonders what is he talking about, Whisper gives him the Yo-kai Watch and instructs him to shine its light onto his parents; Nate finds Dismarelda this way.

In The New Yo-kai Watch, Whisper and Nate witness Yopple CEO Steve Jaws' conference about the new Yo-kai Watch Model Zero through Whisper's Yo-kai Pad, explaining that he was able to mass-produce it with new technology, then announcing its release on the same day of the presentation. After acquiring the new model, Nate tries to use it and learns he must use Z Medals to get it to work. Afterwards, Jibanyan gives Nate his three new medals and Nate finally uses it successfully. Accidentally, the Yo-kai Watch Model Zero ends inside Whisper's mouth, and Nate discovers he can switch between watch models by diving his hand into Whisper's mouth.

In EP077, Hailey finds a Yo-kai Watch Model U, labelled as a "Space Watch" in an anime store thanks to a "faint voice" and decides to buy it. Sometime later and believing it was a fake, she lights an unknown Yo-kai using its light during class, sparking a new interest on the watch. At home, using the watch, she finds Usapyon, who tells her about the Yo-kai Watch U and gives his Yo-kai Medal to test it.

In EP078, following the announcement of Steve Jaws' stepping down from Yopple, the newly appointed CEO Mark Shachiberg unveils the Yo-kai Watch Model U and describes some of its features before ending his exposition saying it was just a prototype and it was handed to notable people in the Yo-kai World only, which distraughts Whisper, who set himself into going to purchase it. However, Hidabat emerges from Nate's closet with one of the prototypes, which it got thanks to it's friendship with Shachiberg, as evidenced by a photo taken on Nate's room, and offers it to Nate, as the bat Yo-kai cannot use it. Nate tests his new watch with Jibanyan's old medal successfully, but expresses some lack of interests about its other features due to Cornfused possessing him.

In EP098, the two Watches get upgraded. Nate's watch becomes the light-blue Yo-kai Watch Model U1 while Hailey's watch becomes the yellow Yo-kai Watch Model U2.

In EP130, Tomnyan informs Nate, Whisper and Jibanyan of the Yo-kai Watch Dream Model, and the four of them, along with Hidabat went to Dream Land and attempted to get it via the Roulette Machine; however, Jibanyan and Tomnyan are unsuccessful as well as Whisper, who now is missing his head swirl, his tail, the black strip between his eyes and his lips, as he had to barter parts of his body in lieu of not having a Yo-kai Medal. Whisper ended up getting the Yo-kai Watch Dream Model from Walkappa, via trading with other Yo-kai that were there.

In Real Life
Following their appearances in the anime, real-life replicas of the various models of the Yo-kai Watch are being released in Japan, each with two Yo-kai Medal replicas. More medals can be obtained by buying them in packs or by the Gashapon.

Trivia

 * The Yo-kai Watch Model U is the sole Yo-kai Watch model that had multiple versions, with six: the U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, and the Version E. However, only the U1, U2, and Version E models were made into toys. The unused Yo-kai Watch Model U models are the green U3, the violet purple U4, and the pink U5.