Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2013

Even though recent doomsday scenarios may not have come to pass this time, you really never know when a societal meltdown will occur. When all hell breaks loose, and it will if TV has taught us anything, thank your lucky stars you have Marudai’s 1-inch Bullet Proof Case (¥52,500, http://meturl.com/bulletcase) for your iPhone. These heavy-duty made-in-Japan cases promise to stop speeding projectiles from ruining your high score board on Angry Birds. The company claims its 40mm-plate armor finish can ward off a .50 caliber (12.7mm) bullet. It requires screws and a toolkit to mount and clocks in at a shirt-stretching 2.1kg—which means the denizens of the dark will have trouble hauling it away. It also means you can use it as a bludgeon, since we’ll all be primitive after the EMP anyway.