The quirky ‘Panapet’, produced by Panasonic in 1970 to commemorate the World Expo in Osaka, was a ball-shaped radio that hung on a chain. Two chrome-plated dials on the surface controlled tuning and volume, and the tuning display itself was set into the ball. Initially released as an AM-only radio, customers could choose from red, yellow, white, blue and avocado green versions.

First exhibited at the World Expo in Osaka, the Panapet perfectly captured the playful pop spirit of the early 1970s. With its boldly futuristic spherical design and space age styling, it was an instant hit with the young and youthful-at-heart when it burst onto the scene.