Design Master Denshi Mangajuku

Lore & Background

The Design Master Denshi Mangajuku was released by Bandai on March 3, 1995, as a portable gaming console aimed at children. It featured a touchscreen interface, a first for handheld gaming hardware. The system used a Hitachi H8/3334 CPU running at 7.63 MHz and a 160 x 150 pixel monochrome LCD screen.

Nine cartridges were produced for the system, though only eight were released to retail. Among these, four are games—Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon SS Illustration Club, Dragon Ball Z Taisen-gata Search Battle, Dungeon Diver, and Rockman X3 Buster Battle—while the remaining cartridges are design cartridges containing sprites of licensed characters. These design cartridges connect to an additional port on a game cartridge, allowing players to use the sprites within compatible games. The games themselves are basic, consisting of either RPG battle games or simple drawing programs.

In August 2020, the video game preservation group Gaming Alexandria made dumps and scans of the system and all nine of its available cartridges, including the unreleased Weekly Shonen Jump Special cartridge.

Reader's Guide

The Design Master Denshi Mangajuku holds significance as the first touchscreen handheld game console, predating later touch-based portable systems by several years. Its release in 1995 during the fifth generation of video game consoles placed it alongside more powerful home consoles, but its niche appeal to children and focus on drawing and character-based design sets it apart. The system's library of only nine cartridges—four of which are games and the rest design tools—reflects its specialized purpose as a creative device rather than a general gaming platform. The inclusion of licensed characters from popular franchises such as Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Rockman X3, and Super Street Fighter II X leveraged existing media properties to attract young users. The unreleased Weekly Shonen Jump Special cartridge adds an element of incompleteness to the library. The preservation efforts by Gaming Alexandria in 2020 ensured that the system's software and documentation were archived, highlighting its historical value as a rare and early experiment in touchscreen gaming. Its legacy is primarily as a curiosity and a milestone in handheld hardware innovation, rather than as a commercial success or influential platform.

Did You Know?

• The Design Master Denshi Mangajuku is the first touchscreen handheld console ever created.
• Only eight of the nine cartridges made for the system were released to retail.
• Four of the cartridges are games; the rest are design cartridges containing licensed character sprites.