What's going on kendama family!
It has been some time since our last blog post about the shapes that we've made and since then the game has evolved so much that we thought it would be time to take stock of the different shapes Cereal Kendama has produced since. Enjoy!
Trinity (Jan 2026)
Introducing Trinity - a new shape from Cereal Kendama in 2026.
Trinity is all about balance, with an attempt to design a kendama that could perform for all kinds of tricks. This meant keeping the sarado as thick as a Hybrid 204 to help with lunars, while upgrading the cups to allow for gunslingers.
On the hilt, we slimmed the space between the ringstall and handlestall to optimise for taps - creating a nice groove that would bite the tama should you attempt to tap. This new dimension also allows players to lace those handlestall tricks.
We hope that this shape is one that can allow players of various playstyles to perform their best. (and yes, this isn't a very tall shape because bigger isn't always better)
Rethink (July 2025)
This was our first attempt at designing an all new ken that traditionally did not follow Cereal Kendama's design principles. We made a sword that tapered slimmer from spike to ringstall to allow for a better grip.
You'd notice this when flipping the ken, that it would spin a lot loftier and faster, allowing you to do more turns with less effort. That being said, we kept the base cup wide, making it friendly for taps and having a good base to catch your lighthouses.
While this was being done to the sword, we enlarged the sarado slightly to allow for better gunslingers and weight for lunar balance.
Hybrid 2O4 (November 2024)
The Hybrid 2O4 is Cereal Kendama’s flagship ken shape for 2025, evolving directly from the popular Hybrid 2. By increasing the overall size by just under 2% while preserving the original proportions
We created this to deliver improved trick consistency, smoother lunars, and more forgiving stalls. The slightly larger scale also pairs naturally with modern 62 mm tamas, offering better control and comfort—especially for players with larger hands.
Compared to larger, more specialised shapes like the Ascent 2, the Hybrid 2O4 is designed to stay balanced and versatile. It keeps more moderate cup sizes and avoids extreme sarado length or heavy gunslinger supports, making it ideal for those who want a well-rounded kendama.
Ascent 2 (October 2023)
Ascent 2 was our take on a taller, competition-oriented shape, evolving from the original Ascent released in 2022. With recent rule changes allowing longer sarados, we used the opportunity to subtly rework proportions and contact points, focusing on performance gains without radically changing the feel that players already trusted.
Updates to the Ascent 2 include slightly larger cups for improved tama contact, a redesigned ringstall with clearer touchpoints, and a new small-cup sling support to make gunslinger tricks more consistent. The base cup and base cup hole were also scaled up to improve stability during lighthouse and kenflip variations, while maintaining reliable lunar balance.
This shape is perfect for those with bigger hands who like a heavier ken with more weight control.
