Latest news with #toys
Bloomberg
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
Delulu Over Labubu? The Market Has Its Say
Save This is Bloomberg Opinion Today, a dramaturgical dollhouse of Bloomberg Opinion's opinions. Sign up here. I've avoided the global Labubu phenomenon for months, even since I saw the ugly creatures pop up on the social media feeds of addled influencers. But now the ever-astute Shuli Ren has taken note of the toy's enormous popularity and profitability— and how that very success betrays a weakness in the business plan of its Beijing-based manufacturer Pop Mart International Group Ltd. Before it's here, it's on the Bloomberg Terminal
New York Times
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Their Labubus Are Fake, and They Don't Care
If your Labubu doll has more than nine teeth, or if it came in a box with a shiny bright finish, it may not be a Labubu at all. It may be a 'Lafufu.' Knockoffs of the wildly popular elflike doll, which are collectively called 'the Monsters' and are sold exclusively by the Chinese toy retailer Pop Mart, have become almost as popular as the real thing — and they are much easier to find. Many of the real Labubus come in blind boxes with limited availability, so you don't know which one you're going to get until you open it, fueling a sense of scarcity and surprise that adds to the appeal — and a growing resale market, where the dolls can go for much more than their $20 to $30 retail price range. As key chains, the dolls have been wholeheartedly adopted by the fashion set; it's not uncommon to see a $20 Labubu hanging from a $20,000 Birkin. The hype is real: A life-size version of one of the dolls recently sold for more than $170,000 at auction, and Pop Marts in Britain briefly halted sales of the dolls in May after reports of chaotic crowd surges and fights among customers hoping to snag new releases. Yet 'Lafufus,' as the fake figures are affectionately called, are also trending. Sold both in person (been to Canal Street recently?) and online at cheaper prices than their brethren's, they're much easier to find, even if they look a little … off. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Forbes
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Classic Gundam's Design Fixed In New ‘GQuuuuuuX' Toy
The upcoming Metal Robot Damashii toy of the classic Gundam from 'GQuuuuuuX'. In the final episode of Gundam GQuuuuuuX, the original RX-78-2 Gundam appears, and its latest toy has a lot more to it than it first appears. To back up quite a bit, the original design of the classic Gundam by Kunio Okawara is surprisingly curvaceous, and that has always caused issues when it gets translated into model kit or toy form. Back in 1999, Bandai did a solid stab at getting the original Gundam 'right' with their Kado Senshi chogokin release. I have it, and for its time, it's very nicely done. More recently, though, the design has been forcibly modernized for model kits and especially toys. The latter being an issue with the Robot Damashii spin-off series Ver. ANIME. The point of these Ver. ANIME toys were to accurately replicate mecha designs from the various host anime, and all of them were wonderfully done. All except one. The classic Gundam still had a modernized sculpt and proportions, which naturally irritated the fans in Japan. Every toy variant of the classic Gundam in this Ver. ANIME toyline had the same issue, and most had given up on ever getting a proper version of the design. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder That was until it was featured in GQuuuuuuX, and in its original Okawara proportions. Following the other Metal Robot Damashii releases from GQuuuuuuX, which feature die-cast in their construction, the original Gundam has been added to that lineup. While we only get a beam saber and shield with this release, so no beam rifle or hyper bazooka, the fact that this toy finally fixes this issue of being faithful to Okawara's design is definitely welcomed. Pre-orders start today in Japan via Premium Bandai, and the price tag is also pretty decent. Coming in at 16,500 yen (or around $114 at the current exchange rate), you will also likely be able to use the hands and weapons from prior Robot Damashii releases to get the full load-out. Gundam GQuuuuuuX is now streaming worldwide via Amazon Prime Video. Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
All the middle of Lidl toy bargains landing on shelves within days with prices starting at £1.99
LIDL is selling a range of toys that are sure to entertain your youngsters for hours with prices starting at £1.99. The budget supermarket's middle aisle will be brimming with new toy bargains in just days. From Sunday, June 29, shoppers will be able to make some great summer savings for keeping your kids entertained. For just £1.99 you can get your hands on the '5 Minute Dinosaur Stories' book. Containing six original stories, each is designed to be read in five minutes. It's perfect for snuggling up for story time and slotting it into busy routines. Beautifully illustrated and with a dazzling foil cover it will look great on your bookshelf too. What's more is there are two other books available, the '5 Minute I Love You Stories' and '5 Minute Unicorn Stories'. Parents can also get of the 'Paw Patrol Pink Adventure Set' for £12.99 per pack. The cool five-piece ensemble includes binoculars, a torch and a compass. With batteries included, it also comes with walkie talkies with a range of up to 50 metres outdoors and a runtime of 14 hours. But don't worry, this set of gadgets also comes in blue too. If your kids love to get creative, there's also the 'Peppa Pig Mini Colouring Case' for £4.99. The set includes eight mini coloured pencils, eight markers and four water colour paints. But it doesn't end there as an eraser, brush, pencil, two paper clips and a colouring case are all included too. And if they're not a fan of Peppa Pig, Lidl also do colouring sets with a Paw Patrol, Frozen and Stitch theme available. If your kid is a super Spidey fan, then they will love this stainless steel bottle for those hot days this summer. With a 500ml capacity, the 'Spidey Stainless Steel Bottle' is available for just £3.99. As with the colouring sets, there are also Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and Stitch bottles available. The 'Stitch Undercover Sticker Set' can also be yours for as little as £2.99. If they loved the new movie, they'll love this upcoming set with more than 500 fun stickers to choose from. As always, Lidl have got you covered too with the Frozen, Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol stickers all available from June 29. And if these toy bargains aren't for you, Lidl will have plenty more for you to choose from. The supermarket will have a range of soft toys of all their favourite characters starting from £6.99. They'll also be selling swish scooters with LED wheels for just £19.99 as well as play sets, games, slushy makers and more. And if you're jetting off this summer, you can also get your hands on a kids suitcase or even a pair of crocs.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
The sinister side of the adorable Jellycat toys that have stolen the heart of Meghan Markle's daughter
The calls come in daily from desperate shoppers - sometimes from states away - flooding the aging phones at Denver boutique toy store Talulah Jones. Each caller asks for the same coveted item: Jellycat.
