CES Best Mouse Keychron Nape Pro nets ¥100M, Japan pre-sale Feb 13

Keychron’s compact modular trackball, the Nape Pro, has risen from an editorial idea to an award-winning product and is heading into a final Japan pre-order window on Feb 13 at 21:00 JST. The timing matters because the device already proved strong market demand during its GIZMART debut crowdfunding, and the second campaign will bundle new hardware and accessories aimed at keyboard-focused buyers.

The Nape Pro started as the personal development project of Koichiro Amito in Gizmodo Japan’s editorial department and became a co-development between Gizmodo Japan and Keychron. GIZMART launched the first crowdfunding campaign around Nov 20, 2025 with a live stream on Gizmodo Japan’s YouTube channel that drew over 1,800 concurrent viewers. PR Newswire headlined the early success by saying, “TNL Mediagene Announces GIZMART’s Debut Project Keychron Nape Pro Hits ¥100 million in GMV in 12 Hours, Validating New Digital Media-Commerce Strategy.” The same release noted purchases “currently having reached ¥160 million in GMV (over $1,000,000).” Mediagene’s own copy also reports that “last year, the Nape Pro project garnered over 300 million yen in pledges,” a separate figure that the companies have not reconciled publicly.

Product-wise, Tom’s Hardware selected the Nape Pro as its “Best Mouse” at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, praising its “completeness as a product that combines ease of use, design philosophy, and aesthetics.” Tom’s Hardware described the Nape Pro as a compact modular trackball that “nestles right up against any of the best gaming keyboards to give you instant access to a scrolling trackball and six programmable buttons without moving your hands.” Yanko Design details picked up by Tom’s Hardware indicate OctaShift software that detects device orientation and adjusts accordingly, a Realtek chip delivering a 1 kHz polling rate, a PixArt PAW3222 optical sensor, Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless plus USB-C connectivity, and ZMK firmware. Keychron also reportedly plans to publish 3D files for stands, caps, and other accessories, opening the door for community mods.

Mediagene announced on Feb 6 that the second crowdfunding wave will be a Japan pre-sale described as “the last opportunity to pre-order in Japan.” New items include a K6 Ultra ZMK Special Edition keyboard, a shell palm rest developed based on customer requests, a replacement 25mm trackball, and a Keychron Nape Pro Starter Kit bundling the Nape Pro, K6 Ultra ZMK Special Edition, and the shell palm rest. Mediagene said it will “give away an original Nape Pro T-shirt to the first 200 people who purchase a Keychron Nape Pro Starter Kit during this second crowdfunding campaign.”

Despite the buzz and award recognition, Tom’s Hardware notes that Keychron “hasn’t shared any official information about pricing or release date for the Nape Pro.” For buyers in Japan this pre-sale is the immediate window to secure bundles and accessories; for modders and designers the promise of 3D files and ZMK firmware points to customization opportunities. Watch for follow-up announcements from Keychron and Mediagene about pricing, shipping, and how the various GMV and pledge totals reconcile as the Nape Pro moves from crowdfunding to a global release.