Plush Fin Fin virtual pet toy needed by distraught Boing Boing reader's grandson

Edwin's grandson fell in love with Fin Fin, a defunct plush virtual pet last offered by Fujitsu in 1996. Now Fin Fin has disappeared and he's desperate to replace Fin Fin for Christmas. If you've got one, he wants to buy it from you. Read his note after the jump.

Ordinarily, I would never consider asking the Boing hivemind for assistance of this sort, but I have a great crisis on my hands, and I have tried everything else I can think of.

Years ago, back in 1996 Fujisu released a virtual pet, called Fin Fin. Fin Fin was somewhat beloved around or house, but, as virtual pets do, eventually he was out grown and put away, along with the adorable plush representation of Fin Fin that came with the games - a picture of which is at the link above.

Flash forward 13 years and my now grown daughter's son came across this Fin Fin Plush and fell in love. For the last three years he has been his constant companion, friend, and confidant.

Three weeks ago while moving between his various homes Fin Fin vanished. Extensive searches, looking in every cabinet and drawer, looking in the fridge because, you know, he's not outside the fridge, have turned up nothing,

I've searched on line for a Fin Fin plush to purchase, with no luck. The only place I could thing to turn was Boing Boing. Fin Fin is exactly the find of guy that some happy mutant would have around the house still after all these years.

So, this is my plea - if anyone has a Fin Fin Plush they are willing to part with with, please, please contact me at [e-mail] and let's work out a price. Help make this budding young happy mutant whole again,

• [Henry Pootel]

  Have they contacted this seller to see if it comes with the plushy?

  http://www.ebay.com/itm/fin-fin-Virtual-Pet-Fujitsu-Computer-Creature-PC-NIB-/260671893663?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item3cb141709f

  **edit** ah never mind that’s not the deluxe/fun pack version …

  • [Stephen Schenck]

    It doesn’t. They need the “Fin Fin Fun Pak” as pictured above.

    http://www.elisoftware.org/index.php?title=Fin_Fin_Fun_Pak_%28PC,_CD-ROM%29_Fujitsu_Interactive_-_1997_USA,_Canada_Release

• [gsilas]

  http://www.bookmice.net/fleur/othervpets.html
  This guy has one.

  edit: page clearly last updated 2007, despite what it looks like.

  • [foobar]

    And they’re still in 1996, so it should be easy to get one.

  • [gsilas]

    Same person, tracked to Flickr.  Fin Fin spotted unboxed as of Nov 6th, 2011.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctrymaus/6317998919/

• [edgore]

  Thanks so much for the help Cory!

  I’ve already attempted contacting everyone I could find related in any way to Fin Fin on the interwebs – people with fan pages (including the one mentioned above), German Fin Fin forums, flickr users users with Fin Fin pictures – it’s actually kinda creepy.

  All of the ones listed on ebay are software only or software with microphone, not the version with the doll.

  Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

  (also, that’s the last time I type something as long as that original message on my iPad, late at night, without glasses on – jeez typos!)

  • [cjporkchop]

    Have you considered hiring someone to custom-make a replica Fin Fin? I bet someone on Etsy could make a pretty good approximation.

    Good luck!

    • [edgore]

      I thought of that, but there’s not a lot of good photo reference, and four year olds are *smart* when you lie to them you have to make it pretty convincing.

• [a1penguin]

  Check inside pillow cases.  My son lost his Plopper the Dog plushy and several days after failing to locate a replacement on the internet I found it stuffed all the way inside his pillow case.

  • [edgore]

    My assumption is that after I buy one for $6,000 dollars from an Australian collector I will notice the he’s sitting right on the couch.

    Honest though, over the last few weeks I’ve torn the house apart, unmade and remade beds, looked under things with flashlights, questioned the dog, everything.

• [edgore]

  Thank you Boing Boing! A kind soul has contacted me with an offer of squeaking-plush-dolphin-bird-thing. Yay internet!

• [Andrew Pam]

  Heh – I’m an Australian collector who sadly only has the software-with-microphone edition.  I would totally have bought the one with the plush if I had seen one at the time!

• [mborus]

  @edgore – glad you found a finfin.

  I was tempted to offer mine – but I’d much rather keep it :)

• [Tom]

  How about posting a photo of the reunion?  Now I need closure :-)

• [TokyoSpark]

  I live in Japan and… work for Fujitsu, so I’ll give it my best shot tracking one down for you.