Kidrobot x Junko Mizuno Pure Trance mini figures release date: June 4

We just placed our order for our master carton. Can't wait! These look SO AWESOME!







About Junko Mizuno (info taken from Kidrobot website):

Born in Tokyo, May 27, 1973.

In 1996, Junko Mizuno self-produced a photocopy booklet called MINA animal DX which brought her to the attention of the publishing industry in Japan. Her drawing style, which mixes childish sweetness and cuteness with blood and terror has become a sub-genre of the classic manga movement.

Mizuno’s original designs were highlighted in the BBC’s acclaimed documentary series, Japanorama, and her artwork is frequently featured in gallery shows around the world. Junko Mizuno currently resides in Tokyo where she produces new comics, illustrations, paintings and design products ranging from toys to clothing.

Websites:

www.MIZUNO-JUNKO.com

http://jmnews.exblog.jp/

9" DUD BUDs & NADEs from Jamungo: $25 shipped!

I think this is sorta rad: Jamungo recently got a batch of GID BUDs and NADEs in from their factory that were supposed to glow, but didn't.

So instead of trashing the figures, they sprayed a stenciled "DUD" onto the face of each one and they're selling each for $25 incl shipping!

Not only is that brilliant, but it saves the planet a little and also allows us collectors to pick up some rare pieces of vinyl cheap! These can be considered customs since they are all stenciled with spray paint and all will come out a little different...

Jamungo's paypal ID is sellmethat@jamungo.com and all ya gotta do is send them $25 and specify DUD NADE or DUD BUD.

How cool is that?

FREE Series 4 Dunny with every order till June 5th

This week, till the end of the day on June 5th, we are including a free Kidrobot Series 4 Dunny with every order!

Choose one of the following open-box Dunnys:

-JLED

-Baseman

-MIST

-Michael Motorcycle

-12 Car Pileup

-David Flores

Subject to availability, of course. All of the S.4 Dunnys we have left are open-box (foil and all accessories intact, labeled & resealed boxes). Email us after your order to tell us which one you want.

See pics of all 6 Dunnys together on our homepage. You can also sign up for our emailed newsletter there if you haven't already.

Introducing Toys Vanvett from Spain!

Some really interesting new full-size vinyl is coming from Toys Vanvett in Spain:

From left to right, above toys are called Tenguri II, Kapami, Kapari, and Tenguri.

Retail will be around $45 to $50 per piece and each is a full 10 inches tall! Not sure how big the production run is. I suppose we'll find out more soon from them! FYI I did try to use Babelfish to translate the descriptions of the toys from Spanish to English for you, but the english translation was hysterically garbled so I trashed that idea. Will post up more info on these toys as it becomes available.

Please do email us if you fancy these pieces. I am into the Tenguri figures in particular.

FREE 4" King Ken figure with any purchase till May 29th!

From now till the end of the day on May 29th, we are including a free 4-inch Amos x Strangeco King Ken figure by James Jarvis with every order, no matter how small! This is a great way to get a colorful ape into your toy collection, so head on over to Tenacious Toys this week to place your order...

New in stock: Soto Qee, Horvath Toys, Spider Baby Boom & more

Jeff Soto 8" Terrarium Keeper Minnesota Edition Qee

Sun Min Spider Baby Boom mini figures

Frank Kozik 1.5" mini bombs

David Horvath 3.5" Turtle

David Horvath 5" Bossy Bear (we have 3 difft version with eyes pointing in difft directions- your choice!)

Preorder Brandt peters Serv-o-Matics by MINDstyle

Preorder David Horvath 7.5" Crown Turtle

Preorder David Horvath 5" Crocadoca

Designer Toy people in mainstream media

I was both amused and a little unnerved this morning when I flipped open this month’s issue of Fast Company magazine and poked through their “100 Most Creative People in Business” article… A big full-page pic of a giant red KAWS figure was on page 95! WTF?!
On further investigation, I found that 3 of the 100 people Fast Company chose are in the designer toy industry!

Here they are:
#54: Masamichi Katayama, Principal at Wonderwall
#56: Charles Rivkin, President & CEO of W!ldbrain (FYI Wildbrain owns part or all of Kidrobot)
#70: Brian Donnelly (KAWS): Artist/designer/owner of OriginalFake

This mainstream media coverage of players in our little designer toy industry is exciting, to be sure, but does this mean that our industry is now considered “legitimate”? And if art toys are now legit, is that good or bad? I mean, as a store owner, I can only be happy that more and more people are getting turned on to designer toys. More people buying toys means more customers for the shops. But, when a subversive idea hits the mainstream, does it continue to be subversive?

And what will happen to our subversive “toys” once the general population gets their hooks in? Will our toys become “Disney-fied”? Will a sufficient number of artists and companies continue to push the envelope of subversion, and continue to test the limits of people’s comfort zones? Or will many of our beloved manufacturers embrace the growing mass interest in their products by developing more cartoony, less offensive, less explicit art toys so that they can make bigger profits?

I mean, profit is good. Me and Stephanie were collectors first, before we started Tenacious Toys, but without generating some sort of profit, we’d go out of business fast. So profit is a good thing. But would increased profits be worth the price we’d pay once the art toy community starts catering to the masses?

Travis Lampe Tear Drips blind box toys coming next week

Thanks to one of our best customers for turning us on to the Tear Drips by Travis Lampe!

Tear Drips are a new art toy project produced by a collaboration between Chicago-based product development specialists Squibbles Ink, designer toy store Rotofugi and artist Travis Lampe.

Tear Drips arrive next week. There are 12 designs and they come packed 12 to a case- one of each per case to make collecting a full set easy...