Moflin: the furry companion robot Casio took twelve years to launch

From an internal project to crowdfunding

Moflin is a companion robot that Casio began as an internal project in 2012. A prototype was ready in June 2017, but another company brought it to the public before Casio sold it itself. In 2020 Vanguard Industries, under licence from Casio, developed and manufactured a version for Kickstarter and Indiegogo and raised about 30 times its goal. Casio launched Moflin under its own name in Japan on 7 November 2024 at ¥59,400 including tax. It measures about 130×180×90 mm and weighs about 260 g.

20,000 units a year and a half after the Japan launch

Moflin is shaped like a small furry animal. It came with the MofLife app and Club Moflin, a membership service at ¥6,600 a year. Sales began in the US and UK on 17 September 2025 at $429 and £369. In May 2026 cumulative sales in Japan and abroad were reported to have passed 20,000, and a new colour followed in September.

Cute, but expensive

Reviewers mostly liked how it looks and responds. Tom’s Guide wrote, “It’s undeniably cute,” but listed the price and its limited appeal in homes that already have pets as drawbacks. Fast Company called the price too high and noted that only the neck moves, that the app is essentially mandatory and that data goes to a server. OST in Switzerland tested Moflin in three care homes from 2024 to 2025. Staff used it to calm residents and to start conversations.

What a companion robot from a calculator maker depends on

Moflin puts its weight on a small body and the feel of its fur rather than on large movements. Like Qoobo, it does few things, and it sold 20,000 units in a year and a half. The weaknesses reviewers named are price and dependence on the app. Because the app is effectively required and data goes to a server, long-term use depends on how long the maker keeps the service running.

Where is the relationship a user builds with this product stored, and how long does it last?

What we haven’t confirmed

• How the 20,000 units split between Japan and overseas
• What Moflin can still do if the app or server stops
• How many crowdfunding units shipped in 2020, and whether they are still supported
• Quantitative results from the care-home trial