I’m in a convention hall in the midst of a scorching Hong Kong summer day. Children have been waiting for hours on end to meet their favourite Japanese artists. Although you would expect to see this sort of response from musicians or sports stars but they’re actually eager to purchase toys or get signatures from a collection of Japanese creators who, outside of the world, most people haven’t ever heard of. In the age of the internet, which is where everything is available without any difficulty There are only certain items like sneakers designed by celebritieswhich are in such high demand that people queue for hours. But, this is not the norm for Sofubi UK which is a kind of limited-edition art piece, produced in small quantities by skilled craftsmen who create each item by hand.
Sofubi 101
Sofubi is a term that refers to sofubi is an amalgamation of “soft” as well as” vinyl” and is a reference to figures made of PVC. They seem surprisingly durable, despite their malleable appearance , which implies they’re almost squishy. They frequently reference Japanese themes like the kaiju monsters as well as traditional folklore characters, but are rendered using colours that are psychedelic and wild, with glitter, gradations and tones that vary from intense fluorescent shades and soft pastels.
In the United States, they are produced by skilled craftsmen, many of whom have a long history in their field. This increases their status and attraction. Teresa Chiba, a popular sofubi artist, whose designs typically draw inspiration from traditional Japanese traditional toys like inuhariko and akabeko, states that the main difference between mass-produced gacha gacha (capsule) toys and handmade sofubi is that the latter is a product, while sofubi are more like handcrafted art works. Chiba says that the aesthetics are very similar to traditional toys in that they possess an elongated shape, as well as they have a “looseness that you can tell the hand of a person who made them.”
Sofubi are made from PVC or polyvinyl chloride an ingredient that was developed by Germany in 1872. It was later made into a plastic by mixing it with different materials in 1926. The traditional manufacturing process that is common in Japan utilizes a wax prototype which melts during the process of making the mold from metal. Each step is completed by hand. Experienced craftsmen use their expertise to spread the materials across the mold’s crevices. This allows the final product to display stunning detail and an airy, hollow body.
Sofubi are becoming more mass-produced in China Manabu Takeo, the manager and producer of sofubi of a number of popular artists, states that Japanese creators use local artisans. He says “The method they create sofubi in Japan is completely different. In China they place all the materials into a black box and then through an opening, they emerge in a matter of seconds. In Japan, craftsmen make each one individually and can create stunning clear sofubi using this method.”
Aren’t there Toys meant for Kids?
Sofubi’s appeal to collectors is diverse. They have an under-the-radar, subversive look. In comparison to characters employed as promotional tools for commercial use or toys for children Sofubi are mascots of Japan’s underground. Hideyuki Katsumata, an artist from Osaka who creates characters-driven art that are characterized by vibrant colors and bold lines. Although he was initially influenced by art that was lowbrow, such as the graffiti artist Barry McGee and Osgemeos, his work incorporates elements from the world of folk toys like kokeshi and the shunga (erotic wooden prints) in his works. Sofubi has been produced for about 10 years, the most recent one features an enormous phallus on its head.
Similar to Izumonster’s popular models sport an erotic look that is grotesque. He is among the most prolific artists of sofubi in the world, with a huge studio in Nagoya where he works on designing, prototyping as well as spray-painting, Izumonster also gained his first clientele as tattooist and is employed at Nagoya’s 8 Ball Tattoo shop. His tattoos and sofubi employ vibrant colors, featuring motifs like creatures, kaiju, bizarre space creatures, and naked and explicit figures that are dipped in full body ink called irezumi. The two characters are created to resemble male and female genitals , in vibrant colors.
Although Katsumata insists, while laughing, that the artist has not received any art school education, so his work is obviously “low and rudimentary” without consciously trying to appeal to the masses, this ease of access is an important aspect of what makes his work appealing. Chiba says, “Things like high culture and fashion are great, but only for a small portion of the population. When you reach a certain amount of money, it is difficult to find it. This is what I love about Kabuki, too. It is subcultural, an alternative to entertainment similar to TV, in contrast to Noh.”
Social Media Connections
Another major aspect of sofubi’s fandom is its relationship to social media. A lot of fans utilize their social media platforms to show off their latest toys. Izumonster says that they are inextricably linked. “Social media is a huge factor to the world of toys. If it wasn’t for Instagram it wouldn’t have exploded in this way.” He says, “Collectors love to show their pictures on their Instagram feedsand they even take them out and snap photos of them. If you’re interested in knowing what you can do to purchase the items, be sure to follow all accounts because that’s the place you can find out about when they will be sold.”
A different aspect that is prominent in contemporary sofubi culture is its massive female fan base, which has swooped into an previously not tapped segment of customers. The most adored sofubi artists in the moment is the artist Konatsu. Konatsu is averaging 67,000 fans on her primary Instagram account, and her adorable Kaiju toys — the most well-known of which is a cat-themed character known as Negora is a hit with not just the typical fandom of designer toys, which can be described as to date, male geeks however, there is also a huge number of females. Her popularity, along with other female artists who emerged at the same period, such as Chiba as well as Kaori Hinata, has created an overwhelmingly female-oriented clientele most of whom were initially fascinated by dolls. it’s not unusual to meet as many females than men at events.
The Soft Vinyl Legacy
Sofubi are in fashion in the present however they have a long tradition and gained popularity after World War II. A large portion of these were made for shipping to US. The rise of kaiju saw soft vinyl toys explode in popularity during the 1960s, and was followed by other trends like robots, superheroes and characters. Takeo aged 58, old, belongs to the generation that was raised playing with Ultraman as well as Godzilla as well as his love for sofubi is fueled by nostalgia. Takeo says “Up to the junior year of high school my classmates purchased these toys and played with them. I didn’t think about them when I was in high school, but once I was an adult, people in the same age began to make sofubi in the 80s , with sensibilities that brought me back by my youth.”
The popularity of designer sofubi began in the 90s , sparked by street fashion brands for men that were centered around Ura-Harajuku. Brands such as Bounty Hunter sold astronomical amounts of toys, and introduced new meanings to these characters and transformed them into items that were designed to be lifestyle, paired with street style and sneakers, targeted at adults. Takeo was also aware of the street culture trend and believed that this model had potential. He began to create these with female indie artists.
Other current makers like Katsumata, who began making sofubi about 10 years ago, also recall this boom. “When when I reached my 20s,, sofubi became popular again, and fashion brand Beams was creating Ultraman and Kaiju remakes,” Katsumata says “I was aware of them at this time , but it was more popular back when I was younger, and even more so than it is now. In my time, designer sofubi became fashionable, which I realized even when you’re not a big manufacturer, you can still create small quantities. As a design and art piece the quality of the product itself is much better.”
Consumer Craze
One thing that the world of sofubi shares with the essentials of street culture like T-shirts and sneakers like the ones made by Supreme The reason is that their release dates are typically limited. This makes them less accessible and adds to their appeal. Makers are adept at knowing consumer behavior and market. Chiba states that in the past , independent sofubi makers were usually people who were just doing it as an interest and may have created them for sentimental reasons but hers is the generation who “wants to create art and run a business too.”
Manabu says, “With collectors, if they can purchase them from anywhere and they’re not interested in it any more. They are looking for things that are difficult to find, and we must control what is put on the market. However, it shouldn’t be too numerous. If the item is difficult to obtain, people won’t purchase them, and, for them, it’s boring as well. There are also sellers who sell them online at times for more than 10 times the cost and some who buy the items for investment purposes. However they bring value to the product and also in a way. Instead of selling them for a couple of years in a whirlwind We are seeking long-term stability and control of the market in that way.”
The author admits that this tactic can make certain consumers completely insane and he says “Fans are extremely excited and energized, we’re a little nervous. They may get upset when they don’t get what they want , and could be angry and come after us. The people who purchase stationery do not behave like this!”
It’s not enough to claim that the passion is a bit religious.
Chiba states, “The cultural background in Japan is a major influence on this kind of culture due to animism. We are taught to believe that a variety of things have souls from an early age. Every thing has a god, therefore, I believe it’s an era where it is easy to create characters.”
Katsumata adds “Japan is considered to be a yaoyorozu (literally eight million gods that is the Shinto belief that everything is gods] country, so there is the idea that if you have an appearance, there must be a soul.”
It’s the last day of Expo at the end of this year’s Expo in Hong Kong and punters are departing with their new collection. In spite of everything that could be stated about this trend in Japan it’s clear that the idea of playing with toys is a common theme across all cultures. Chiba is in agreement. “When I attend conventions in other countries, everybody is doing exactly the same thing: they play with their toys, we have dinner together, take pictures together and comment on what a cute. Although it’s essentially adult children playing together with their toys it is an enjoyable experience!”
