Yo-kai Watch (item)



The is the titular device which the series revolves around. 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 user to summon Yo-kai they have 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) won't 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
The Yo-kai Watch, in its Model Zero incarnation, was first conceived by Nathaniel or Kenny (depending on the player's character choice) 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 or 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 them to use its light to uncover Buhu in order to begin 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.

Yo-kai Watch 2
One night, Kin and Gin (with Bronzlow appearing as well in Psychic Specters) arrive over Nate or Katie's house while they were sleeping and caused the Yo-kai Watch along with its owner's memories to vanish. The next day, the protagonist finds the Yo-kai Watch in the Memory Shop. The shop owner offers them to sell the Watch for just $1.00 (¥100 in Japan), then to use it at the Crank-a-kai outside. They buy one of the capsules and drops it aside, revealing Whisper. The Yo-kai Watch restores the memories of both the protagonist and Whisper, including memories of Jibanyan. When the protagonist and Whisper reunite with Jibanyan, the Yo-kai Watch restores Jibanyan's memories as well.

After traveling 60 years into the past, the protagonist learns from Hovernyan about the Yo-kai Watch Model Zero. Whisper then explains the normal model was created by Steve Jaws. Sometime later, the protagonist gives Nathaniel/Kenny the main piece needed to finish the Yo-kai Watch Model Zero. Nathaniel/Kenny then entrusts the protagonist 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 operate in BBQ. Moping at the failure in his room, Whisper soon gives him the Yo-kai Watch Model U, which he traded in the Medallium to get to replace the Yo-kai Watch, allowing Nate to see 'Merican Yo-kai. Hailey Anne Thomas 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.

When Steve Jaws came to Nate's rescue after losing to The EXecutor, he gave Nate the Yo-kai Watch Dream in order to defeat him.

Mark Orckerberg later invites Nate, Hailey Anne, 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 Anne gets her own Yo-kai Watch Dream.

During a mission in Dukesville, 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. Similarly, Hailey Anne lends her watch to Professor Hughley in order to allow him to see Usapyon.

Yo-kai Watch
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 Yo-kai Nosirs, Nate attempts to summon Jibanyan against the Nosirs, but he puts the medal in the wrong way, and doesn't figure out the problem until it is pointed out to him by the enemies. Nate thanking the Nosirs puts them in shock, as they don't usually get complimented, so they show their gratitude by having the leader fuse with the Yo-kai Watch, now alerting Nate whenever he inserts a medal the wrong 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 Usapyon Is Here!, Hailey Anne Thomas finds a Yo-kai Watch Model U Prototype, labelled as a "Space Watch" in a hobby shop and decides to buy it after she finds out that it can communicate with aliens. Sometime later and believing it was a fake, she finds 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 Model U and gives his Yo-kai Medal to test it.

In A New Watch!, following the announcement of Steve Jaws' stepping down from Yopple, the newly appointed CEO Mark Orckerberg unveils the Yo-kai Watch Model U and describes some of its features before ending his exposition claiming it was actually a prototype and handed to notable people in the Yo-kai World only, which makes Whisper feel angered, who set himself into going to purchase it. However, Hidabat emerges from Nate's closet with one of the prototypes, which it got to it's friendship with Orckerberg, 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 U while Hailey Anne's watch becomes the yellow Yo-kai Watch Model U2.

In EP130, Tomnyan informs Nate, Whisper and Jibanyan of the Yo-kai Watch Dream, 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 ended up betting all of body parts except for his eyes and arms in lieu of not having a Yo-kai Medal. Whisper ended up getting the Yo-kai Watch Dream from Walkappa, via trading with other Yo-kai that were participating.

Yo-kai Watch Shadowside
It was revealed that every Yo-kai Watch model was destroyed since the events of the original series, under orders from the new Yo-kai ruler Jaou Kaira. However, in the wake of the approaching Onimaro invasion, Enma and Mitsue Arihoshi reveal that an ancient object similar to a Yo-kai Watch, created by the Genyou Tribe, originally known as the Elda Magic Mirror and repurposed into the Yo-kai Watch Elda, was kept hidden and awaiting to accept n user in order to serve as a means to counter the Onimaro menace. After a series of failed 443 attempts in order for the Yo-kai Watch Elda to accept a human user, Natsume Amano receives it from Whisper and becomes the first person to hold a Yo-kai Watch after 30 years.

After Natsume succeds on removing the darkness on Touma Tsukinami's heart in order to save him from death by the rejection of the Kigan Gear, this artifact becomes the Ogre Seal Orb Mirror, which Enma renames as the Yo-kai Watch Ogre, and Touma is allowed to carry it in order to counter the effects of the Onimaro Possession and fight Oniou Rasen.

In SS001, the Yo-kai Watch Elda accepts another user in addition to Natsume, namely her younger brother, Keisuke Amano.

In SS013, for having proved his value to the Genjuu, Akinori Arihoshi receives the Animas Heaven-Bearing Mirror from Suzaku, and renames it as the Yo-kai Watch Animas.

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.

Yo-kai Watch Model U
The Model U updates via an SD Card slot on the side of the watch. The downloads to the updates can be found in the Yo-tunes page.

Yo-kai Watch Dream
Straying away from the regular sized SD Card, the DX Yo-kai Watch Dream updates using MicroSD. This can be found by the small slot found on the front of the toy. The downloads to the updates can be found in the Yo-tunes page.

Yo-kai Watch Elder and Yo-kai Watch Elder Ver. K
Just like the DX Yo-kai Watch Dream, the DX Yo-kai Watch Elder and the DX Yo-kai Watch Elder updates via MicroSD.

Trivia

 * The Yo-kai Watch Model U is the sole Yo-kai Watch model to have 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.
 * All Yo-kai Watches (with the exception of the Yo-kai Watch Elder (because it was completed) and Ogre) were stated to be destroyed 30 years after the original anime series, prior to the events of the Yo-kai Watch Shadowside movie.
 * A good example of this exception can be seen in the third anime series: Yo-kai Watch!, where it was revealed that the Yo-kai Watch Elder Model K is actually the prototype version before it was upgraded into the final version for Natsume Amano. This explains that Nate used the Yo-kai Watch Elder Model K before finishing the final version for his daughter and successor, Natsume. Though in the 4th movie, the ancient Genyou Tribe created it.
 * A prototype of the DX Yo-kai Watch Animas was shown, but was never released.

In Other Languages

 * Italian: Yo-kai Watch/Yo-kai Watch Model Zero/Yo-kai Watch Modello U/Yo-kai Watch Modello U-2/Yo-kai Watch Modello Sogno