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Aug 30, 2019
Jubi x Unbox Industries — Unbox & Friends Giant Crab Special Edition (8.31)
Jubi's Giant Crab mini from the popular Unbox & Friends mini series is breaking out on his own with a special violet, standalone edition. First released at Beijing Toy Show a few weeks back, the Giant Crab Special Edition will be available worldwide with Saturday's online drop (8.31) at 8 AM PDT from Unbox for $26.00.
Beyond the fun character design, the real joy here are the articulated eyes for changeable expressions. From menacing to cute, Jubi does crabs like nobody else.
Aug 29, 2019
Fakir x Kidrobot — Tako's Revenge 5" Dunny (8.31)
Sushi lovers, beware! Your raw seafood delicacy had it with menus, restaurants, chopsticks — all of it. The new Tako's Revenge 5" Dunnys from French artist Fakir and Kidrobot turns the tables with a fun design. Known primarily for his pristine, hand-painted customs, Fakir's very first Dunny is an excellent translation of his signature style that we'd describe as hard-edged cartoony. Want to know more about the artist and the new Dunny? Check out Kidrobot's official interview.
Tako's Revenge starts his payback tour this Friday (8.30) in two editions for $29.99 each. The standard red edition (500 pcs) will be available from select retailers including myplasticheart, I Am Retro and more. Kidrobot will also release both their Exclusive green edition (300 pcs) as well as the standard red at 9 AM PDT on Friday (8.30) from Kidrobot.com.
Aug 28, 2019
Whatshisname x Mighty Jaxx — Woodworked POPek (8.31)
First shown in an early proto form at Toy Soul 2018, Mighty Jaxx is about to drop a deluxe wood version of Whatshisname's POPek. The Woodworked POPek—the first in the brand's new all-wood Woodworked line—is crafted from beech wood. At 8" tall, the wood edition is the same size and scale as the original vinyl editions making it a perfect statement addition to an existing collection.
Limited to just 88 pieces—quite the auspicious number—Woodworked POPek will be available for pre-order on Saturday (8.31) at 6 AM PDT from Mighty Jaxx for $699 each and is slated to ship in Q4 2019.
Aug 27, 2019
MINDstyle — Street Fighter x Ron English Guile Grin (8.31)
Sonic Boom! The wait for the online releases for the Street Fighter x Ron English art toys is quickly coming to an end. MINDstyle released the Ryu Grin figure last Saturday and now is set to drop the Guile Grin (15") vinyl art toy this Saturday (8.31) at 9 AM PDT for $250 each from MINDstyle.com.
While everyone has their own favorite Street Fighter, Guile is one of the more popular choices, with many considering the Air Force Major their first choice. Ron English's Grin interpretation suits the character's swagger from his Flat-Hawk hair to his arsenal of powerful moves. Guile's Grin reads as part war cry and part mockery of his woeful foes.
Marsham Toy Hour S4 Ep 21: BTS and Ko-Re Ko-Re
I recently had the pleasure of joining Blair Marshall (Ko-Re Ko-Re) as a guest (again!) on the Marsham Toy Hour podcast. For the first half or so, Blair and I talked with host Gary Ham and Theresa Hawkins about the Beijing Toy Show which Vinyl Pulse attended for the second time this year. If you're curious about what the show is like, it's definitely worth a listen. Doubly so if you're curious about art toy specialty retailer Ko-Re Ko-Re ('Wanted Wanted' in Japanese) which was the 2nd half focus of the episode. Props to Marsham Toy Hour for keeping the only weekly art toy podcast humming along.
Emergency Toys Reveals Apple Knife: The Vegan Vampire
French toy designer Emergency Toys is coming out of the chute hot with a half dozen or so striking designs including the just revealed Apple Knife: The Vegan Vampire. The well-sculpted figure features a vampire resting on the apple he's snacking on. The teeth marks on the partially eaten slice and the two seeds on the apple itself all tie nicely back to the theme. Apple Knife is slated for production in vinyl, with the wax molding underway.
Aug 26, 2019
PirateQ-47 TEQ63 Exclusives from Mindzai and Rotofugi (8.30)
This week brings not one, but two Artist Series TEQ63 exclusive figures from Serg And Destroy (Sergio Andujar II). The new PIRATEQ-47 collaborative editions with Quiccs and Martian Toys bring a standout street style with a stylized eye patch, the artist's Pirate Skeleton logo on the back, and a light saber design on the left leg.
The Serg and Destroy TEQ63's will drop this Friday in two colorways. Mindzai's Exclusive PIRATEQ-47 Neo-Tokyo version features an electric CMYK explosion of bright yellow, neon pink, baby blue and black. Limited to 100 pieces, the Neo-Tokyo edition will drop on Friday (8.30) at 9 AM PDT from Mindzai.com for $85 and will also be available at their Markham and Toronto stores (15 pieces each).
Rotofugi's Exclusive PIRATEQ-47 GG edition proudly rocks 'Fugi blue with yellow and black. Long-time Rotofugi fans will note the pirate synergy with the store's eye-patch wearin' Lincoln mascot. Roto will release their Exclusive GG edition (100 pcs, $80) on Friday (8.30) at 11 AM PDT rotofugi.com as well as their Chicago store.
Aug 23, 2019
Andy Chen x Pop Life Global — Hungry Burger Tiger SFBI (8.24)
Known for his Ice Kirin ice cream toys, Andy Chen has turned his attention to a fast food classic for his next food-based SFBI toy from Pop Life Global. The adorable Hungry Burger Tiger features a clever design that seamlessly blends tiger and burger. With a wide-mouth and rows of razor-sharp teeth, Hungry Burger Tiger has quite the appetite. Adding to the fun is the unexpected touch of being able to open the burger by separating the top and bottom to reveal a slice of tomato (top) and cheese (bottom). A to-go style burger carton completes the food toy concept.
In addition to the standard bread color edition, there's also a randomly inserted metallic gold chase. Hungry Burger Tiger (4") will be available in extremely limited quantities on Saturday (8.24) at 9 AM PDT from Mindstyle.com for $75 each.
Planet 3 Toys — Kappa No Kami (8.24)
The creator of Bozu, David Dick, is set to launch his brand-new Kappa No Kami ('God of Kappa') from Planet 3 Toys. His interpretation of the classic Kappa Yokai comes adorned with bells, leaves, and at least one newt. The river spirit diety was brought to life by sculptor Yohei Kaneko (Mirock Toy), toy artisan Dennis Hamann (Shirahama Toy) who cast each figure, and Lulubell Toys who produced the figure.
The Kappa No Kami sofubi figure stands 7.5" tall and is set to debut in an unpainted grey edition on Saturday (8.24) at 10 AM PDT from the Planet 3 web shop for $120 each.
Aug 22, 2019
MINDstyle — Street Fighter x Ron English Ryu Grin (8.24)
The wait is almost over for the anticipated Street Fighter x Ron English vinyl art toys. The Grin versions of Blanka, Guile and Ryu were first shown at ComplexCon '18 and then released last month at San Diego Comic-Con. For collectors wondering when/if there were would be an online drop, the answer is yes with Ryu Grin starting off the weekly drops this Saturday(8.24) with the others following in the next two weeks.
While everyone has their own favorite Street Fighter character, Ryu is more or less the iconic face of the legendary fighting franchise. Standing an imposing 15" tall, Ryu Grin features a muscular frame, in-action pose, and a grin that is both fierce and dismissive of the enemy. Ryu Grin drops this Saturday (8.24) at 9 AM PDT from MINDstyle.com for $250.
Louis De Guzman — Elevate in Blue (8.23)
Elevate from Louis De Guzman returns in a new light blue edition. The 8" vinyl figure features De Guzman's take on the iconic troublemaker's skating misadventures. From the artist's stylized geometric deconstruction to the dynamic pose, Elevate is electric, flowing with motion and energy. Limited to 500 pieces, the new Elevate edition will be released on Friday (8.23) at 10 AM CDT from the artist's web shop. While pricing has yet to be announced, the OG ComplexCon exclusive and the recently released Pink edition (May 2019) were both priced at $275 each.
Add Fuel x Superplastic — Fragil Superjanky
Add Fuel's new Fragil Superjanky from Superplastic builds on his forthcoming 3" design for the Janky 2.0 blindbox series. Awash in brilliant white and blues with a super glossy finish, the 8" Fragil with mini tile accessory echoes the artist's tile-based practice. Speaking of tiles, one Fragil purchaser will find a tile hand-painted from the artist in the box.
Limited to 600 pieces, the Fragil Superjanky is available for pre-order now for $65 from Superplastic and is slated to ship in September.
Aug 21, 2019
'Let's Eat!' Group Show at Giant Robot 2 (8.24)
If you love food and art, the Let's Eat! group show opening at Giant Robot 2 on Saturday (8.24, 5 to 10 PM) is a 'must see' if you're around LA. Curated by Luke Chueh and Sarah Jo Marks of DKE, the show features original work focused on food from a smorgasbord of a lineup including Dustin Benzing, Buff Monster, Scott C., Colin Christian, Luke Chueh, Tristan Eaton, Seonna Hong, Jim McKenzie, Tiffany Liu, Sugar Fueled, Woes, Jesse Yu (J*Ryu), and so many more (see the flier in the photo gallery).
The menu includes paintings, drawings, sculptures and more. Of the work previewed so far, while much of it is fun and lighthearted, several artists have explored more nuanced relationships and views of food. Let's Eat is a show with something for nearly every taste.
Let's Eat!
Opening: Saturday, August 24th (5 to 10 PM)
Giant Robot 2
2062 Sawtelle Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Aug 16, 2019
Lam Toys at Beijing Toy Show
Lam Toys returns to Beijing Toy Show with a striking new booth [A07] anchored by a sweet installation featuring Wazzup Family's signature Chameleon Baby taking a hover cruise. Several new Chameleon Babys are available at the show including a fun space exploration design. Chaosfactory 11 is also debuting their big Zeus in a colorful edition. While primarily available in Asia at the moment, Lam Toys is looking to bring its fun, stylish minis to collectors worldwide. Be sure to check out the full photo gallery.
Aug 13, 2019
J.T Studio at Beijing Toy Show (8.16 - 8.18)
J.T Studio will have three new releases for Beijing Toy Show: Wang — Work Day, Monkey King W Flocked, and Yoru & Yoku Ice and Fire Editions. Starting with the 1/6 scale drop, the new Wang - Work Day edition from the Street Masks line transforms Wang from fierce Kendama pro into a workman complete with black jumpsuit and bat. The figure is available in a deluxe edition (complete with matching mini Jians lion) for 1790 RMB (50 pcs, $254) as well as a single edition (50 pcs, 1550 RMB/$220).
Moving over to the vinyl side, J.T studio is releasing the final versions of two of his figures. The new Monkey King W Flocked (100 pieces, 790 RMB/$112) is the golden-fur counterpart to the white-flocked edition released in May at Thailand Toy Expo. He comes with staff, golden crown, banana and fabric cape. Finally, we have Yoru and Yoku in the Ice and Fire editions (100 pieces, 790 RMB/$112) featuring light blue + black and orange + black designs, complete with fox mask, money gun, and matching mini Yox figures.
Find all of the J.T Studio releases at Beijing Studio in Booth A61. See you there!
Aug 12, 2019
Coolrain — OG Series Exhibition at Beijing Toy Show (8.16 - 8.18)
Coolrain will unveil the first exhibition of his OG 1/6 series at Beijing Toy Show (8.16 - 8.18). The series showcases his meticulously handmade replicas of iconic sneakers. The prototypes of the Nike x Off White Air Jordan 1 (above) showcase the high fidelity we've come to expect from him. In addition to the AJ1's, Coolrain has shown work on 'Lil Jerry', a 1/6th version of designer Jerry Lorenzo, with mini versions of his Fear of God kicks. If you're going to BTS, be sure to drop by the CoolrainLABO booth [A50] to check out the OG series and several new production releases. Coolrain will also be on stage on Saturday (8.17) talking about 'Making Nike Shoes Pla-kit' from 1 to 2 PM.
Aug 11, 2019
IamRetro Exclusive Teal Balloon 8" Dunny (8.16)
IamRetro has a special release floating your way. Their new Exclusive Teal Balloon 8" Dunny aims skyward, anchored to mother earth by a sturdy weight. Designed by Andrew Martin (Wendigo Toys) and produced by Kidrobot, the new exclusive features a 4.5" Dunny in a soothing blue-green hue—handpicked by IamRetro—with a shiny, metallic finish. Limited to just 200 pieces, this is the rarest of the Balloon Dunnys including the OG Red and the KR Exclusive Gold (300 pieces). IamRetro will release their whimsical, gravity-defying Dunny on Friday (8.16) at 9 AM PDT from their online store for $59.95. As quickly as the larger Gold edition sold out, we expect the Teal Balloon Dunny to disappear into the distance shortly after the drop.
The Teal Balloon Dunny design brings us back to carefree, childhood days when the simple pleasure of watching a 'lost' helium balloon soaring ever higher inspired us to wonder what was waiting just beyond the horizon. The joyful sculpt cleverly transforms the beloved Dunny into a helium balloon with the subtle seam lines, wrinkles, and gathered areas of the metallic material creating the uplifting illusion. Designed to be enjoyed from multiple angles, the strategically-placed fill valve with humorous 'blow here' sign on the Balloon Dunny's butt completes this fun design.
Aug 08, 2019
Coarse — Years Adrift in Vinyl (8.14)
Coarse continues to do the unexpected, pushing the technical limits and conceptual boundaries of Art Toys. Each solo show or exhibition brings the debut of new resin Originals [editions of 3 or 5], some seemingly bound for translation to vinyl, others seemingly, firmly, not. Stylistically and subject wise, some pieces have a certain character-based toy appeal while others read as fine art sculpture.
That is until Coarse announced that Years Adrift, its striking resin fine art multiple, was coming to vinyl in two 18" art toy editions. If you've followed Coarse for awhile, you might recognize the piece featuring Fever with out stretched-arms, a tired bird with large spread wings, on his back, both perched precariously over a ledge. It was released as an extremely limited handmade resin edition at their Cold Ways exhibition (Rotofugi, August 2016). Without Coarse's Art Toy pedigree, Years Adrift would have little to no connection with toys. Wrapped in iconic imagery, It is a sculptural exploration of the pivotal nature of precarious points in life.
And yet, here we are as Coarse readies two 18" 'Vinyl Replica' versions of the larger original resin sculptures. Both the subtly colorful Ephemera and monochromatic Pain editions translate the emotional imagery of the piece, complete with the included thin pedestal (wall mount capable). To say that Years Adrift is one of the years best art toys, is to state the obvious, but it bears mentioning nonetheless.
Years Adrift — Ephemera (Edition of 345) and Years Adrift — Pain (Edition of 175) will be available for pre-order on Wednesday, August 14th 2019 at 8:59 AM PDT from the Coarse Shop for $298 each and are scheduled to ship to collectors in early 2020.
Enamel Market Anniversary Show in Pasadena (8.10)
Enamel Market is celebrating its one-year anniversary in style with its largest show yet on Saturday (8.10, 10 AM - 5 PM) at the Pasadena Convention Center (Hall C). With 60+ vendors, Enamel Market is the perfect place to find that perfect pin (or two, or three…). How Much ? Free! Thanks to DesignerCon's sponsorship, Enamel Market is free. And… the first 200 registered collectors to attend (for free), will receive a Steve Caballero Cab Dragon pin for … free! Be sure to register online and show up early for the free prin.
Come for the pin shopping and stay for the live spray painting sessions sponsored by Lead The Change featuring Ninobuni (Juan Muniz) and others. See you all there.
Enamel Market One Year Anniversary Show
Saturday, August 10th 2019 (10 AM - 5 PM)
Pasadena Convention Center (Hall C)
300 E Green St.
Pasadena, CA 91101
WanChaFu x Jim Dreams x Paradise — The Chunk Combo Part II (8.10)
Oh to be in Taiwan. Taiwanese burger spot WanChaFu (旺茶福) will be serving up the Chunk Combo Part II (NT1700/$54.34) on Saturday (8.10) at 10 AM—note the new time caused by the impending Typhoon. The combo features Mono versions of Baby Ronald Chunk and Baby Thief Chunk by Jim Dreams x Unbox Industries as well as a flavored tea.
Jim Dreams will be signing (3-4 PM) at the event—coordinated by Paradise—which will also feature the first release of the larger mono Ronald Chunk as part of the Ronald Chunk Combo featuring the toy, a WanChaFu burger and drink for NT3000 ($97). To add to the fun, the restaurant is prominently featuring the Chunk Combo II on their store front for this special drop. Please note that the restaurant only accepts cash.
Chunk Combo II Release
Saturday, August 10th at 10 AM
WanChaFu
No. 27號, Zhongxing North Street
Sanchong District
New Taipei City, Taiwan 241
Aug 06, 2019
Tobey — 'You Will Not Certainly Die' for Beijing Toy Show
Korean artist tObey will debut his new You Will Not Certainly Die resin toy at Beijing Toy Show in a nearly monochromatic edition. Inspired by the biblical passage that describes the temptation of the forbidden fruit, the piece features a rather large snake encircling a woman about to take another bite. The visually striking piece carries tObey's signature aesthetic and continues his efforts to push the technical limits of the medium. No word yet on pricing/booth info.
Toy Zero+ x AAAZ — Robber Baby for BTS (8.16 - 8.18)
For Beijing Toy Show, Toy Zero+ will release Robber Baby by AAAZ. As his 'wanted' poster states, this new edition of PP Baby may be cute, but he's also 'extremely dangerous'. Robber Baby features a monochromatic design—all the better to blend into the shadows—and comes with an axe accessory. The black smudges on his cheeks and nose add nicely to the concept.
Robber Baby will be available from Toy Zero+'s BTS booth [A78], as will all of their other forthcoming releases.
Mighty Jaxx x Whatshisname — HUMPek Rose Gold (8.10)
The amorous HUMPek returns in a high-class Rose Gold edition from Whatshisname and Mighty Jaxx. This third edition follows the OG (red) and the Ebony and Ivory editions. Rose Gold drops this Saturday (8.10) at 6 AM PDT —no pricing as of yet.
Aug 05, 2019
Sank Toys for Beijing Toy Show (8.16 - 8.18)
So far, Sank Toys has made two Beijing Toy Show (8.16 - 8.18) announcements featuring four new production editions as well as several custom collaborations. On the production side there are three new Little Sank versions. Starting on the soft vinyl side, Sank Toys will release both the Little Sank Obsidian (99 pcs, 9.5", 580 RMB/$84) and Little Sank Radiation (88 pcs,9.5", 680 RMB/$99) editions. The Obsidian edition features a distressed gray and gold design while the deluxe yellow + red Radiation includes the yellow fire/hazmat jacket and baseball bat accessories, for a bit of the 1/6 vibe. BTS will also see the release of the 3.5" Little Sank Rainbow In The Sky resin edition (99 pcs, 348 RMB/$50) will have specific lineups (8.16 and 8.17 at 11 AM), in anticipation of high demand. All three Little Sank editions will be offered via Wechat lottery as well.
Finally, Sank Toys is taking pre-orders for its Sank The Child: Gone With the Wind — Bronze Age resin (99 pieces,15.75", 1398 rmb/$204) featuring a dynamic inverted pose with the artist's original diver character swept up by a powerful wind. These breathtaking, deluxe figures will ship after the show.
If you're going to the show, you can find Sank Toys at booth A59. If you can't make it to BTS, many (all?) will be available online from Sank's retail partners including myplasticheart.
Tomenosuke x Junko Mizuno — JunkonoTomo Melon Edition
Tomenosuke is taking pre-orders for the JunkonoTomo Melon Edition sofubi minis (2.75 - 3.15") from Junko Mizuno. Sold as a set of five, the Melon Edition features several of her signatures characters including Egg Lady, Meatie, Octobat, Poopy and Tooth Guy. Each is cast in light orange (melon) vinyl with light green spray and features the artist's sculpted-in bunny logo on the back. As fans of fun packaging, the included clear plastic gift bag is a nice touch.
Limited to50 sets, the JunkonoTomo Melon sofubi minis are available for pre-order for ¥12,960 ($120) from Tomenosuke for customers within Japan and overseas (form-based). These are slated to ship between September and October 2019.