You know that something is about to become a pop culture icon when NPR actually covers said object’s meteoric rise seemingly from nowhere.
I mean, I’ve lived through the Cabbage Patch, Beanie Baby, Funko Pop, Pokémon trading cards, and American Girl doll crazes already.
Honestly, the only reason I still have any Beanie Babies of my own is that they double as seasonal and holiday decorations.
So, basically, they’re still display only items that gather dust.
But, I didn’t waste any money on tag protectors or little boxes for my Beanie Babies.
And yes, I do have a small collection of Funko Pop vinyl toys,
too.
However, I’m not hoarding or spending more than bare market value on any of them – roughly $14 each depending on what type of figure you’re aiming to collect.
Then prices go up from there!
When it comes to Labubus, you don’t actually know which specific plush you’re getting.
You basically choose a type of Labubu that’s featured in a blind box series and try your hand at unwrapping something you really wanted or something you’ll hate.
My math skills won’t even let me attempt giving you possible ratios or probability percentages – just assume it’s a terrible chance for every box you grab.
And you’ll definitely have to snatch them up as soon as you spot them because parents are already flooding social media asking about the fluffy dolls.
At a $27.99 starting price, that’s a tank of gas for my car that’s being spent on a gamble for a keychain trinket.
But, the question I see most of all is people asking where did the so-called “creepy-cute” Labubu character come from?
Apparently, Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung created a series of stories influenced by the Nordic folklore he enjoyed growing up in the Netherlands - “The Monsters” – that featured the Labubu creatures.
In 2019, Lung partnered with Pop Mart to roll out the blind box imps that garnered popularity in Asia before making their way stateside and becoming the latest fad for kids and adults.
I mean, they’ve also debuted limited edition collaborations with Coca Cola and are on board to roll out character designs based on One Piece anime and manga.
The weirdest thing I learned in this rabbit-hole exploration is that these little plushies are even sold at the Louvre in Paris.
Also, I do have to tell you that there are several famous musicians, actors and actresses and athletes that have either collaborated with or unboxed their own Labubu figures for the sake of social media and trying to stay relevant.
Unfortunately, a lot of these videos have shown up on my Facebook feed due to the algorithms and I’m still unimpressed.
I can’t get into the craze, but I have a few friends that are and watching them fawn over the 300-something released toys while trying to find their favorites.
I have yet to fork over my money to start hoarding something with such limited use – I’ll stick with my books, Funko Pops, and Beanie Babies!
As far as I know those fads have waned to the point where I can stock my favorites at a discount rather than paying full price.
And that’s really something that people should keep in mind – where do Labubu go when the trend dies off?
