r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Jul 06 '25

Episode Game Center Shoujo to Ibunka Kouryuu • Cultural Exchange with a Game Centre Girl - Episode 1 discussion

Game Center Shoujo to Ibunka Kouryuu, episode 1

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u/aetkas001 Jul 15 '25

Not in Japan they aren't.

UFO catchers as shown in the anime are actually games of skill. There are people who legitimately go and win new releases in bulk and then resell them. If it wasn't consistently possible to win within a certain amount of tries, this wouldn't be possible. Typically there's a pity system of the staff coming over and making it easier for you by moving the prize closer to the edge and showing you how to win.

That being said, I still suck at them.

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u/StormSenSays Jul 15 '25 edited Jul 15 '25

Part of the con is making people believe that they aren't rigged. That's why anime always shows some 'pro' instantly winning with 'skill'. And obviously, you can't believe 'youtube pro' videos either -- operator just sets the machine to easy mode and let the 'pro' win easily.

Now as I understand there are some truth in advertising laws that apply, and that there are some payout laws that apply. But that doesn't stop the rigging, it just sets a limit on the level of rigging allowed.

Basic business: If someone is able to consistently beat the system, then they can just play the game and resell the prizes. That person could then make a living doing that. That doesn't happen, therefore the games aren't really skill based.

Setting demo: Side by Side with Different Settings.

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u/aetkas001 Jul 16 '25

Im not talking about youtube pros, I'm literally talking about your second example. There are people in Japan that do just that. It's why the 2nd hand stores are full of the prizes day 1.

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u/StormSenSays Jul 17 '25

I've already direct linked to videos showing the claw machine settings that control grip weight, drop chance, etc. You can find more with web searches.

So are you claiming that such setting don't exist in Japan? I.e. that they have special claw machines without those settings? Or that they exist, but that Japan claw machines don't use them? (I.e. set claw to max strength, set the drop probability to zero?)

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u/aetkas001 Jul 17 '25

Most machines in Japan are UFO type, not claw. And most involve pushing the prize of a ledge instead of grabbing it and carrying it to a chute as in the US/other countries.

I am simply telling you that since it's an observed phenomenon that people in Japan are able to consistently win enough to profit, UFO catchers are games of skill. Heck I can tell while playing that the claw strength is constant meaning there's no set payout.

Instead of that, staff comes over and moves the prize so that it's easier for you (and they'll tell you exactly where to aim to win) once you've spent enough tries on your own. (Or you can gaijin smash and proactively ask for help after just 2-3 tries and win that way at certain arcades in Akiba, ask how I know :>)

At arcades that aren't as nice they won't move the prize immediately, they'll instead come over and tell you the strategy to win. (Though inevitably when you still fail cuz you truly suck at cranes, they'll do the above and put it in a position that is within 1-2 tries of winning, again ask how I know xD)

At no point do they change the settings to make it easier.

The point is that it doesn't work the same way as US/other counties claw games. I'm not relying on youtube pros/anime, I constantly see the claw pros in Japan whenever theres a big new release with like 20-30 wins in the prize shaft and the following day the 2nd hand shops are full of the new plushies.

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u/StormSenSays Jul 17 '25 edited Jul 17 '25

Okay, thanks that clarifies. I had to look up UFO vs Claw machines to understand the difference. And they are definitely more skill/trick based. I also could not find any videos on settings for such machines. (Which does not prove that there are no settings. Perhaps there are, but are protected by copyright or NDA. Perhaps.)

Still basic business indicates that you can't have customers consistently one-shotting prizes. That would be a money loser. (Vs the anime episode where are hero one shots the prize. And similar in Aharen-san where Aharen manages multiple one shots in a row.)

Vs reality(?) this video: Professionals can easily get 100 figures!!!!! (Claw Machine). Where (despite its title) there are no one-shots. For the UFO catchers in the one, it looks like most of the settings are in plain-view -- it's the arrangement of the bars over the drops chutes - The operator can change the location of the bars in order to set the likelihood of the prize passing through.

BTW, the crane machines shown in both this and in Aharen, despite being UFO types, work by grabbing, lifting and dropping, all of which is subject to the same control settings as for the three prong claw machines that I've linked to before.

So, 1) you're right about UFO machines being more skill/trick based than 3-prong claw machines; 2) but that depends on how they're setup/used -- if they work by grab/lift/drop, then they're just as subject to hidden setting manipulation. 3) The 'one shot by skilled person' shown in these animes is a lie (but of course, animes are fiction). 4) Basic business always applies - the machines must be profitable - and thus operators will always find some way to limit payout in order to maintain a profit.

...

PS: Psychology: Purely random win machines are not as interesting. Making players think that it's skill (and it is partially skill) gets them interested, and then they get hooked to prove themselves (and avoid the shame of walking away losing). Then the idea of 'you almost got it!' keeps them playing (especially with the risk of another player coming along and finishing it off in one shot). Anime showing 'skill based one shots' - that's not an accident. There are all sorts of way of underhanded way to suggest to the general public that the games are more skill based than they actually are.

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u/teddyburges Jul 21 '25

You basically talked past that person. You argued that the machines are prone to manipulation even if they're UFO based and that "basic business is you can't have people one shotting the toys". Whereas they were telling you, that THAT is what actually happens in Japan.

That they have seen people one shot toys every day and then sell them at the other shops.

Regardless of whether you believe iit or not and you arguing the fiction vs reality of it all. That person was saying that in their experience that is a daily occurance to them.

Reality vs fiction. They're going by lived experience while your sticking to a text book.

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u/StormSenSays Jul 21 '25

Offering counterarguments, and providing evidence via videos is not "arguing past". It's arguing. In contrast, "trust me, I've seen it" is not a very strong argument. I have noted that the skill/tricks are more important in some of the games -- but the examples that I've seen on video are clearly heavily chance determined (even for pros). And specifically the type of UFO shown in the anime episode (that we're commenting on) is clearly completely prone to the type of settings manipulation (claw strength, drop probability) that we've seen clearly documented in claw machines.

Here's an obvious marketing ploy: If you're running a claw machine shop, then you want some resell shops operating -- because it suggests to potential players that 'skill' will guarantee a profitable win. So... easy enough for the operator to sell prizes directly to the resale shop. Or tweak the settings for a 'shop pro' to 'win' and sell to the resale shops if they want to obscure it more. I'm not saying that this necessarily happens, but I am saying that the presence of resale shops doesn't really prove 'pros who make a profit'.

Again, the one thing that you can absolutely guarantee is that one way or another, the machines will be rigged to guarantee that the operator makes a profit. That alone guarantees that the games will not rely simply on skill.