In Dragon Ball lore, when the Saiyans would dispatch their warriors to  conquer or destroy distant planets, they would send them in spherical pod-like spaceships called Attack Balls. These vessels were built to keep their occupant safe across light years of intergalactic travel, and durable enough to withstand impact upon arrival. In short, they were the ultimate personal protective device.

What does this have to do with anything? Japanese auto parts manufacturer, Pond, has developed a disaster shelter called Life Armour that looks almost exactly like the Attack Balls from Dragon Ball.

And we bet you’ll never guess how much it costs…

About US$5000.

What, were you expecting a higher figure?

Life Armour was created by the folks at Pond who, after seeing the devastating damage and loss in human life caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami last year, believe Japan needs a personal disaster shelter that is both practical and affordable.

The vessel is designed to protect up to four people and can withstand up to 9.3 tons of pressure on its body and falls from up to 25 meters.

The exterior is made from reinforced plastic and can be customized in several color schemes. The interior is cushioned with urethane foam. Altogether it measures 1.2 meters in diameter and weighs about 80 kg.

Pond also offers a number of optional items to customize your order with, such as a  GPS tracker, a waterproof megaphone, emergency rations, and a solar panel that attaches to the interior of the window.

You can purchase Life Armour online from Seikoh, though you’ll have to contact Pond directly if you want one shipped overseas.

While we’re not sure if Pond drew inspiration from Dragon Ball‘s Attack Pods, you have to admit the resemblance is uncanny. If we didn’t know any better, we’d accuse Pond of ripping off alien technology after discovering an abandoned Saiyan pod in the ocean…


Hey, just Sayin it could happen…

Source: Pond