Before Labubu: Meet Tiemi, the East German Monchhichi – DW – 07/29/2025
Berlin's new Pop Mart store drew massive crowds following its opening weekend. The mania has been fueled by celebrities such as Blackpink's Lisa, Rihanna, Dua Lipa and David Beckham.
At the heels of the viral Labubu craze, influencers have also been hyping another collectible furry toy that could be seen as the "ancestor" of the trendy plush monster: The Monchhichi.
Popular worldwide in the 1980s, the plastic-faced monkey doll was created by Japanese designer Yoshiharu Washino for the Sekiguchi Corporation.
Released in 1974, the doll's first exposure to the international market came a year later at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, allowing the Japanese company to launch the toys in German-speaking countries.
They were a huge success in Europe. By the late 1970s, more Monchhichi dolls were sold in Germany than in Japan.
Global fame followed when US toy company Mattel started marketing the fluffy dolls in 1980. A cartoon series called "Monchhichis," produced by Hanna-Barbera, was released worldwide to promote them. But five years later, Mattel felt the sales weren't strong enough, and dropped the line.
Still, the Monchhichis were relaunched in the US in 2004 to mark the 30th anniversary of the toy.
With the dolls now sold in stores like Urban Outfitters, Monchhichi marketers are no longer targeting children, but rather young adults drawn to quirky-nostalgic trends.
Labubu collectors who search for rare models online need to figure out if they are about to buy an authentic toy monster elf, created by Hong Kong-Dutch designer Kasing Lung, or rather a fake "Lafufu" — as the counterfeit dolls are colloquially referred to.
The internet is filled with tips allowing fans to spot the differences between the two. The copycats are obviously less refined than the designer models. Kids are being teased by their friends if they show up with a figure that has 10 or eight teeth instead of nine — the ultimate sign that it's not the real thing.
Similarly, copies of the Monchhichi can be found all over the world.
But the version of the doll sold in former East Germany,or the German Democratic Republic (GDR), bypassed the authenticity issue by taking on a different name: the Tiemi.
While the Monchhichi's popularity boomed in West Germany, it was not available in the communist East, which banned the import and the sale of capitalist consumer items.
The Tiemi, whose namesak was toy designer Susanne Tieme, was produced in the small town of Sonneberg that was already a toy-producing hub at the beginning of 20th century.
When Sonneberg landed in the Soviet-controlled eastern part of Germany after World War II, the region's numerous family businesses were nationalized into so-called people-owned enterprises.
One such state business in Sonnerberg manufactured the Tiemi, which became very popular and was exported throughout Eastern Bloc countries.
But following German reunifcation in 1990, the plant was sold and privatized and production ceased
Today, plush figures made in Sonneberg have become collectors' items. An internet search for "Sonni DDR" toys leads to a wide variety of dolls that some might find even creepier than Labubus.
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DW
a day ago
- DW
Before Labubu: Meet Tiemi, the East German Monchhichi – DW – 07/29/2025
The fury Labubu toy craze was predated by the cuddly Monchhichi decades before, a time when communist East Germany created its own version of the popular figure — the Tiemi. Berlin's new Pop Mart store drew massive crowds following its opening weekend. The mania has been fueled by celebrities such as Blackpink's Lisa, Rihanna, Dua Lipa and David Beckham. At the heels of the viral Labubu craze, influencers have also been hyping another collectible furry toy that could be seen as the "ancestor" of the trendy plush monster: The Monchhichi. Popular worldwide in the 1980s, the plastic-faced monkey doll was created by Japanese designer Yoshiharu Washino for the Sekiguchi Corporation. Released in 1974, the doll's first exposure to the international market came a year later at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, allowing the Japanese company to launch the toys in German-speaking countries. They were a huge success in Europe. By the late 1970s, more Monchhichi dolls were sold in Germany than in Japan. Global fame followed when US toy company Mattel started marketing the fluffy dolls in 1980. A cartoon series called "Monchhichis," produced by Hanna-Barbera, was released worldwide to promote them. But five years later, Mattel felt the sales weren't strong enough, and dropped the line. Still, the Monchhichis were relaunched in the US in 2004 to mark the 30th anniversary of the toy. With the dolls now sold in stores like Urban Outfitters, Monchhichi marketers are no longer targeting children, but rather young adults drawn to quirky-nostalgic trends. Labubu collectors who search for rare models online need to figure out if they are about to buy an authentic toy monster elf, created by Hong Kong-Dutch designer Kasing Lung, or rather a fake "Lafufu" — as the counterfeit dolls are colloquially referred to. The internet is filled with tips allowing fans to spot the differences between the two. The copycats are obviously less refined than the designer models. Kids are being teased by their friends if they show up with a figure that has 10 or eight teeth instead of nine — the ultimate sign that it's not the real thing. Similarly, copies of the Monchhichi can be found all over the world. But the version of the doll sold in former East Germany,or the German Democratic Republic (GDR), bypassed the authenticity issue by taking on a different name: the Tiemi. While the Monchhichi's popularity boomed in West Germany, it was not available in the communist East, which banned the import and the sale of capitalist consumer items. The Tiemi, whose namesak was toy designer Susanne Tieme, was produced in the small town of Sonneberg that was already a toy-producing hub at the beginning of 20th century. When Sonneberg landed in the Soviet-controlled eastern part of Germany after World War II, the region's numerous family businesses were nationalized into so-called people-owned enterprises. One such state business in Sonnerberg manufactured the Tiemi, which became very popular and was exported throughout Eastern Bloc countries. But following German reunifcation in 1990, the plant was sold and privatized and production ceased Today, plush figures made in Sonneberg have become collectors' items. An internet search for "Sonni DDR" toys leads to a wide variety of dolls that some might find even creepier than Labubus.
Int'l Business Times
3 days ago
- Int'l Business Times
Godzilla Fans Fete The Monster As It Turns 70
Godzilla has morphed over the years, but one constant is the devotion of its fans, who celebrated the Japanese monster's 70th anniversary at the pop culture convention Comic-Con. The Japanese studio Toho, which created Godzilla, maintains a calendar of events to celebrate the beast often called the king of monsters, and Comic-Con is on the agenda. Godzilla was born on November 3, 1954 with the launch of the first movie about it, directed by Ishiro Honda. "I am a very big fan of Godzilla," said Angela Hill, a teacher who traveled from Arizona to take part in Comic-Con, which this year featured events and displays celebrating Godzilla. One of the world's largest celebrations of pop culture, Comic-Con brings together 130,000 people, many of whom come dressed as wizards, princesses or characters from movies, games or TV series. As the story of Godzilla goes, a prehistoric amphibious beast is awakened and mutated by nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific. It emerges from the sea and attacks Japan in a rage, symbolizing the deadly power of nukes. "I think because he came from such a historic event -- like, a lot of other monsters are just interesting creatures, but they don't hold the grief of a nation," Hill said, referring to the US nuclear bomb attacks against Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. At the pop culture watering hole in San Diego, people lined up to shoot pictures and video with an image of Godzilla, which was also the theme of a panel discussion on Friday that featured Shinji Higuchi, who co-directed a reboot in 2016 called "Shin Godzilla." The movie franchise includes nearly 40 films and has spawned hundreds of animated productions about the monster as well as TV series and graphic work. On Saturday the writers Ed Godziszewski and Steve Ryfle signed autographs of their book "Godzilla: The First 70 Years," which sold out at Comic-Con. "It's a rich history," Ryfle told AFP. "This is the longest running feature film franchise in cinematic history that's focused on a single, continuous character. It's been around longer than James Bond." He said the key to its longevity is that Godzilla has evolved over time but stayed faithful to its origins. "Godzilla has been serious, it's been scary, it's been heroic, it's been funny. But at the same time this is a movie character that's rooted in something that's very real," Ryfle said. "And that's the trauma that Japan experienced, both during World War II, and also the trauma of the aftermath of World War II, the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki," he added. He said Honda, who directed the first Godzilla movie, was a veteran who used the film to send a message against war and in particular against nuclear weapons. Michelle Pena, a Godzilla fan who waited in line to get the autograph of the two writers, said part of the monster's charm is how it has changed over the years. "Good, bad, hero, anti-hero, you know. And I like that," she said. "He's not, like, lovable," she added. "He's a big dinosaur-looking thing, you know. He's scary. But, like, you really, really find yourself rooting for him." Authors Steve Ryfle (L) and Ed Godziszewski pose with a copy of their book about the first 70 years of the "Godzilla" franchise AFP People throng a "Godzilla" display at Comic-Con AFP
DW
5 days ago
- DW
Berlin: Germany's first Labubu toy store opens doors to fans – DW – 07/25/2025
The Labubu craze has found a new home, as hundreds of people lined up to get the eerie ugly dolls at Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's first store in Berlin. The fluffy toy with the toothy grin and pointed ears, called Labubu, arrived in Germany on Friday with Chinese toymaker Pop Mart opening its first physical store in the country. The eerie plush doll that has swept the internet appeared to be at home, as China's Pop Mart opened its first store in Berlin, a city known for its edgy and energetic style. Hundreds of people waited in line, including with camping chairs, with one even working on her computer, according to DW's business reporter, Marie Sina. "I'll wait till I get one," said one person waiting in line who spoke with Sina. She had a fake version of the toy, Lafufu, at home, and she wanted an original doll. Lafufus gained popularity because of a shortage of original toys. China last month warned that the counterfeit Lafufu toys could pose a choking hazard for children. A big reason for the popularity of the eerie little monster toys is that they are packaged inside boxes and people buying them only learn about their character when they open the boxes. The surprise element adds to the mystery and creates more hype, and people are willing to put more money to get the doll they want. By now, there are more than 2.4 million #Labubu TikTok posts and counting. Even Brad Pitt and the cast of "F1 The Movie" filmed a TikTok unwrapping the boxes. DW's Sina says many people waiting in line in Berlin earlier today were influencers and journalists, the with Gen Z and millennial age groups present at the opening. Labubu, by artist and illustrator Kasing Lung, first appeared a decade ago in three picture books inspired by Nordic mythology in 2015. In 2019, Lung struck a deal with Pop Mart, a Beijing-based company that caters to toy connoisseurs, to sell Labubu figurines. In 2023, Pop Mart began selling the plush toys on key rings and the phenomenon blew up overseas. K-pop singer Lisa of Blackpink talked about her love for the toy on Instagram where she has more than 100 million followers, fueling the hype. Celebrities like Rihanna and Dua Lipa have been spotted with the toys attached to their handbags. Pop Mart's revenue more than doubled in 2024 to 13.04 billion yuan ($1.81 billion, €1.55 billion), thanks in part to the wild explosion in popularity of Labubus. Revenue from Pop Marts' plush toys soared more than 1,200% in 2024, nearly 22% of its overall revenue, according to the company's annual report. The Chinese toymaker said earlier this month it expects at least a 350% profit and about a 200% jump in revenue for the first six months of the year. Even though the vast majority of Pop Mart's revenue comes from Asia, global demand for Labubus has turned Pop Mart into a $40 billion company, according to Bloomberg.
