Toys on Tap

Space Rabbit Studio joins Toys on Tap to talk about turning a creative escape into their full-time life.

They started Space Rabbit with no business plan, just two creatives who wanted somewhere to make their own work. Then a logo became a character. The character became a resin toy. And eventually they quit their jobs and went all in.

We talk about:

• Growing up with Care Bears and giant robots in Taiwan

• How Space Rabbit started as a website logo

• Teaching themselves resin casting

• The VERY rough first Sp...

Tattoo artist and toy maker Chris Reed of Creeder Toys joins Toys on Tap to talk about what happens when decades of tattoos, horror movies, Japanese art, vintage toys, and monster obsession all collide.

Chris started apprenticing as a teenager and has spent nearly 30 years tattooing—but eventually collecting turned into sculpting, mask making, resin casting, monster banks, and finally sofubi.

We talk about:

• Tattooing at 17

• Punk, skateboarding, and horror movies

• Falling into vintage toy collecting

• Japanese tattoo history and yokai

• Making latex masks from scratch

Bob Johnson of Bay Area Film Events joins Toys on Tap to talk about the wild evolution of Godzilla Fest, from a seven-day movie marathon to a full-blown convention.

Bob has spent decades turning the movies he loves into experiences people remember.

We talk about:

• Discovering Godzilla and Ultraman as a kid

• The first Godzilla Fest in 2004

• Hosting legendary actors, directors, and suit performers

• Turning a film festival into a convention

• Growing from one hotel floor to two

• Vendors, Artist Alley, cosplay, card tournaments...

Bullmart founders Jerry and Shiti join Toys on Tap to talk about building a collectible that doesn’t really fit into any existing category.

It’s leather. It’s weighted. It uses magnets. It comes with premium packaging and a handwritten letter, and it was created by a team new to toys.

We talk about:

• Why Jerry wanted to make a bull

• Designing for adult male collectors

• Turning ambition into a physical character

• Choosing leather over traditional toy materials

• Going from TWO handmade bulls a day to a real bu...

Kaiju Go co-founder Chaz joins Toys on Tap to break down how two friends turned a love of kaiju films and toys into one of the most talked-about small toy events around.

And the philosophy is simple: throw a great party and take care of the artists.

We talk about:

• Growing up obsessed with dinosaurs and monsters

• Starting Kaiju Go in 2023

• Combining designer toys with classic kaiju films

• Why artists table for FREE

• Keeping the event intentionally small

• Curating sofubi, resin, and kaiju artists

WhiskeyJack Toys founder joins Toys on Tap to talk about the brutal, expensive, and incredibly rewarding reality of making 3.75-inch action figures.

Darren wanted to make toys since discovering G.I. Joe as a kid, but getting there included lost molds, failed production runs, a $100,000 factory disaster, and one very expensive education.

We talk about:

• Falling in love with G.I. Joe

• Buying his first toy company

• Losing $100K in overseas production

• Starting over with Whiskey Jack Toys

• Building Hidden Force

• Why action figure tooli...

Photographer, collector, and first-time toy maker Robert of Manic joins Toys on Tap for a deep dive into the obsession behind the collection.

From Godzilla, horror movies, skateboarding, and photography to spending $320 on designer vinyl on day one, Robert’s path into toys went from zero to full rabbit hole FAST.

We talk about:

• Discovering Kidrobot and blind boxes

• Falling hard for sofubi

• Owning 57 Cinema Monsters and 83 Obake Dogs

• Turning toy photography into Manic Images

• Working alongside Amy at Lulubell

• Learning toy production...

Egyptian artist Marwan Shahin joins Toys on Tap to tell the wild story of how one piece of street art completely changed his life.

During the Egyptian Revolution, Marwan created the Anonymous Pharaoh, a stencil that became a symbol of the uprising, landed in museums, and eventually helped launch an international art career.

We talk about:

• Growing up and collecting toys in Egypt

• Creating the Anonymous Pharaoh

• Art during the Egyptian Revolution

• Moving to the United States

• Meeting artists he once looked up to

• Turnin...

Fixed Temple Toys joins Toys on Tap to talk nostalgia, street art, resin casting, and the strange little creatures taking over his world: the Glorbles.

What started as stickers and woodcuts grew into resin toys, sofubi, costumes, videos, secret codes, and a full sci-fi universe packed with agents, cults, robots, and soul-sucking blobs.

We talk about:

• Dragon Ball Z, Spawn, and Jurassic Park

• Skateboarding, Nirvana, and street art

• Learning mold making and resin casting

• Discovering the designer toy community

• Building the Glorble universe

• Wearing a gi...

Blake Wright, publisher and editor-in-chief of Toy Collector magazine, joins Toys on Tap to talk Star Wars, lost toy history, and keeping print alive.

Blake shares how a childhood love of action figures grew into a journalism career, the Toys That Time Forgot book trilogy, and a magazine built to sit proudly beside the toys on your shelf.

We talk about:

• Growing up with the original Star Wars toys • Hunting figures in the early internet era

• Uncovering unreleased toy lines and prototypes

• Creating Toys That Time Forgot

• Funding th...

Illustrator, toy designer, filmmaker, and lifelong storyteller Chogrin joins Toys on Tap to trace a creative journey shaped by two cultures and an unstoppable love of characters.

Growing up in Ecuador, Chogrin absorbed everything from Super Sentai and Japanese heroes to Ghostbusters, Ninja Turtles, and classic rubber-hose animation. After moving to the United States and starting over, he turned that mix of influences into a career that led from Cartoon Network to Adventure Time, gallery shows, designer toys, filmmaking, and Magic: The Gathering.

We talk about:

• Rebuilding his childhood toy collection

• Work...

Steven Nunes, aka Steve Beef the “Sofubi Shy Guy", joins Toys on Tap to talk horror, collecting, and the creation of M.U.D. Toys.

Steven traces his obsession from Ninja Turtles, Goosebumps, vintage masks, and early sofubi discoveries in New York to partnering with longtime friend and turning their monster ideas into Japanese vinyl.

We talk about:

• Discovering sofubi at the Mishka store • Collecting NAG, Super7, masks, VHS, and sneakers • Photography, tattoo shops, and creative influence • Living with anxiety and agoraphobia • Launching M.U.D. Toys • Creating Barfy, Grim Bones, and Grim Oni • Hand scu...

In this episode, Andrew, also known as Spaceboi, returns to Toys on Tap to talk about the evolution of Space Boi and the growing universe around the character.

Since his last appearance, Spaceboi has expanded far beyond one figure. What started as different versions of Space Boi has grown into Space Girl, Space God, plushies, resin toys, sofubi, vehicles, mechs, blind bags, and large-scale booth displays that feel like their own world.

We also dive into the realities of being an artist in a changing economy. He talks about shifting toward plushies, keychains, small resin...

In part two of this conversation, Quang Le shares the story behind the creation and evolution of Creature Bazaar.

After years spent collecting toys, building relationships, and learning the industry from the inside, Quang and Brandon turned an idea into one of the most recognizable names in the sofubi community. Quang discusses traveling throughout Japan to meet artists where they lived, launching Creature Bazaar, navigating the challenges of the pandemic, transforming into a web store almost overnight, and eventually helping grow events like SummerSlime into community staples.

More than anything, this episode explores what it...

Quang Le joins the show for part one of a two-part conversation about collecting, creativity, and the foundation that eventually led to Creature Bazaar.

Before Creature Bazaar and SummerSlime, Quang was a lifelong toy collector shaped by Ninja Turtles, Transformers, Japanese robot cartoons, Asian market imports, punk shows, D&D, photography, fashion, and underground art culture.

We talk about his early connection to toys, touring with The Aquabats, working in photography and fashion, discovering Japanese soft vinyl through Giant Robot and Super7, and eventually finding himself surrounded by artists, collectors, and makers who would help...

Mike Die joins the show to share the journey that led him from New York graffiti artist to creator of the Rock Protectors toy line.

Growing up surrounded by He-Man, Battle Beasts, Transformers, and Ninja Turtles, Mike always dreamed of making toys. After years spent in graffiti, custom Dunnys, street art, and enamel pins, he eventually found his way back to action figures through 3D printing and character design.

Today, the Rock Protectors have become one of the most recognizable independent toy lines online, blending fantasy storytelling, retro toy influences, and modern creator culture into...

Tony Coppolillo (SioPio) joins the show to share his incredible creative journey from architecture student to Hollywood movie poster artist, visual effects professional, and independent toy creator.

Over the course of his career, Tony has contributed to major film campaigns, worked in visual effects, taught 3D design, and eventually discovered a passion for bringing his own characters and ideas into the physical world through 3D printing and toy design.

We talk about:

Brandon of Motley Miscreations joins the show to discuss his journey from childhood toy collector to professional sculptor, resin caster, and independent toy maker.

Growing up with Battle Beasts, TMNT, Batman, comics, and video games, Brandon always had a passion for art and creativity. After studying fine art, working in illustration and video games, and eventually discovering the designer toy scene, he began creating his own original toys and building the brand now known as Motley Miscreations.

In this episode we discuss:

Mimor Toys steps on the stage to talk about handmade soft vinyl toys, learning sofubi production from scratch, and building an entirely analog toy-making process out of a garage in Southern California.

Inspired by Kidrobot, Dunnys, Webkinz, Club Penguin, and DIY maker culture, Mimor grew up obsessed with toys as art objects before eventually teaching themself mold making, welding, electroplating, and vinyl production.

In this episode, they talk through:

Toy designer and illustrator Zander Miner joins the show to talk about turning original characters into collectible toys.

Inspired by cartoons like Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, Teen Titans, and Regular Show, Zander grew up wanting to become an animator and artist. After studying illustration at RISD, he eventually discovered toy design and began sculpting his own original figures, including Orion, Bleb, and Carl the Crab.

In this episode, we discuss:

Toy maker and sculptor Ehimo joins the show to talk about his journey from vintage toy collector to internationally recognized independent creator.

Growing up in Spain surrounded by TMNT, Street Sharks, Warhammer, and role-playing games, Ehimo developed an obsession with toys and miniature painting early on. That passion eventually evolved into custom figures, bootlegs, sculpting, and fully original toy designs.

In this episode, we discuss:

Danny and Esther join the show to share the story behind their original toy line and upcoming Kickstarter.

Danny, a longtime artist who has worked on major animated films, opens up about a difficult moment in his career that led him back to creating for himself. What started as a personal reset quickly turned into a full lineup of original characters, world-building, and eventually physical toy prototypes.

Esther shares her role as both creative partner and driving force behind the project, balancing family, career, and helping bring the vision to life.

Together, they...

Jeff from Kaleo Legends joins the show to talk about creating a new kind of action figure line rooted in biblical inspiration, mythology, and storytelling.

We dive into his journey from youth ministry to working at Mezco, and eventually taking the leap to build his own toy company. Jeff shares the challenges of entering a niche that barely exists, navigating production costs, and preparing for a Kickstarter launch.

We also explore how theology, ancient narratives, and creative design come together to form something entirely new in the collectible space.

This episode is about...

Sergey Safonov joins the show to share a completely different path into the world of character design and art toys.

Growing up in the Soviet Union with limited access to toys and pop culture, Sergey developed a unique creative voice rooted in storytelling and original character creation. From early internet art collectives to building his own toy line, he walks through how his work evolved into deeply narrative-driven design.

We talk about his approach to world-building, creating original IP without nostalgia, and the challenges of producing toys while being disconnected from the global scene.

Chris and Alex from Seismic Toys join the show to talk about building a licensed toy company from the ground up.

From meeting at G-Fest to producing officially licensed Ultraman and Astro Boy figures, they break down what it actually takes to move from collector to creator. We dive into their first toy launch, the challenges of working with factories, and the reality of scaling a toy business.

They also share the story behind their Kickstarter for The Last Dinosaur, including an 8-month hunt to track down the licensing rights and why blind box toys...

Hakon Collectibles is doing something most people wouldn’t even attempt, building a designer toy scene in Scotland where there is much of one.

In this episode, we talk about his journey from growing up on Ghostbusters and Ninja Turtles to spending 12 years teaching kids how to rollerblade… all while slowly developing his path into graphic design, streetwear, and eventually resin toys.

We get into the realities of making toys, the mistakes artists make when starting out, and what it actually takes to open a shop that supports over 30 independent creators.

This episode is a...

In this episode, we sit down with South African toy maker Ali Bates, a creator pushing the boundaries of what toys can be in a place where the scene is still just beginning. From rediscovering art during lockdown to building characters like his iconic bag-head figures and emotional devil sculptures, Ali walks us through his journey of experimentation, identity, and making without limits. We talk about creating in isolation, building a toy culture from the ground up, navigating production challenges, and why staying flexible as a “maker” matters more than fitting into one lane. This is a story about star...

In the final episode of our three-part series with Rich of Mutant Vinyl Hardcore, we zoom out and reflect on the long game. Rich opens up about what decades in the sofubi scene have taught him about creativity, discipline, community, and what actually matters over time. We talk about the importance of isolation for creativity, how stepping away from noise (especially during his recent time in Japan) reshaped his perspective, and why being “genuine” is the foundation for a lasting career.

On Instagram: @mutantvinylhardcore

This Episode is Sponsored by: Empire Blisters – Your go-to source for bliste...

In episode two with Rich of Mutant Vinyl Hardcore, we move from origin story into real growth. Rich breaks down what happened after the first Sludge Demon run, how he learned to stretch inventory, price work fairly, and slowly build MVH without pretending success came overnight. We talk about the tension between art and business, why lotteries became necessary, how hate mail accidentally helped inspire Sludge Demon DX, and the hard lessons that came from scaling too fast or making the wrong creative call. This episode is about patience, consistency, surviving mistakes, and what it actually takes to turn...

We sit down with Rich of Mutant Vinyl Hardcore to dig into the roots before the legend. This episode stays in the origin story: growing up around small-business hustle, early encouragement from a Marvel Comics artist, and a childhood shaped by He-Man, G.I. Joe, fantasy films, graffiti, anime bootlegs, and lowbrow art. Rich talks about leaving high school, working in the family gym, trying art school, driving trucks, and slowly finding his way toward toys through Kidrobot, Toy Tokyo, Skullbrain, and Japanese sofubi. We get into early customs, learning hard lessons about respect for makers, discovering sculpting, and...

We sit down with Michael, aka Draculazor, to trace a path from childhood weird-toy obsession to becoming a mainstay in the sofubi world. He talks hand-me-down Transformers and Marvel, buying his first Japanese soft vinyl in 2005, and the brutal college house-party flood that forced him to sell almost his entire collection. From printmaking school to touring the world as the drummer for Wild Nothing, Michael breaks down how freelance illustration and drawing toys he couldn’t afford eventually became making toys for real. We dig into Japan’s slow timelines vs faster factories, Five Points, Creature Bazaar/Summer Slime, and...

We sit down with Ron of Buya Toys to trace a wild pivot from gaming industry 3D artist to full-time music-inspired toy maker in Thailand. Growing up in the Middle East, art became survival, identity, and escape. After losing his job, Ron found clarity through music, The Artist’s Way, and sculpting musicians like Doechii, Tyler, JID, and SZA into bold, stylized figures. We unpack launching Buya just seven months ago, shutting down a Kickstarter mid-run, pivoting to preorders, and selling out. This episode is about trusting your gut, building from heartbreak, and turning fandom into form.

On...

We sit down with M+W to trace the rise of Beefy Boy, from sketchbook idea to milk-carton-packaged art toy. A Singapore-based maker with global experience, Merick shares how American cartoons, gym culture, and He-Man proportions collided into a cow-themed character that actually moves units at shows. We talk first convention lessons, why larger figures outsold blind boxes, and what it takes to build confidence in a growing Southeast Asian toy scene. From packaging assembly with friends to future soft vinyl plans, international conventions, and 100-design ambitions, this episode is about betting on one strong character and building a...

We sit down with ELWA to talk about choosing creative freedom over turning passion into pressure. While holding a 9-to-5, ELWA builds toys on the side, by design and using that distance to protect experimentation and joy. We trace his path from drawing and video games to UX/UI, 3D modeling, and printing toys inspired by Astro Boy, music, and everyday objects. We dig into painting with intention, designing toys with real utility, and blending culture into cohesive characters. ELWA shares plans for his Lil Vamp line, limited-run art toys, coffin packaging, and a 2026 launch. This episode is about...

We sit down with John of Canary Customs to talk about finding art through action figures, resin, and doing things the hard way on purpose. From growing up on Star Wars toys with his dad to discovering custom figures during the pandemic, John shares how fine art, kitbashing, and analog mold-making collided into a new creative path. We dig into bootlegs, card backs, resin casting, and the tension between one-off art and scalable production. This episode gets honest about art school realities, privilege, affordability, and why DIY approaches still matter as mass-produced figures get more expensive. It’s a co...

We sit down with Christopher (Janky Toys) for a wide-ranging, deeply honest conversation about making art, surviving the market, and staying human in the process. We talk DesignerCon, orbiting the toy scene without chasing the spotlight, and why working with artists, not just collectors, changes everything. We get personal about job loss, burnout, therapy, and the cost of caring too much at work. From bootleg toys and parody art to AI’s impact on creativity, shrinking runs, and the shift toward smaller, affordable collectibles, this episode wrestles with what it means to keep creating when the ground keeps moving. We...

We sit down with Josh of Gong Kong Studios to trace a path that runs from childhood anime obsessions to tattooing, and eventually into soft vinyl toy making. We talk Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, obscure robot cartoons, and how discovering sofubi at a hardcore show flipped a creative switch. Josh walks us through the real learning curve of toy production; failed airbrushes, resculpting after tough feedback, scaling figures down to what actually sells, and navigating factories with help from the right people. We also dig into convention strategy, booth design, glow-in-the-dark variants, and why collaboration matters more than doing it a...

We sit down with Dan to explore how a life spent in Hong Kong, at the crossroads of Eastern and Western pop culture, shaped his path into toy design. From growing up surrounded by kaiju, Ultraman, and untranslated toys, to building a career in commercial design, this episode traces how creativity evolves without ever disappearing. We talk soft vinyl, 3D printing, factory precision, and why limited, in-house production matters when you want control over your work. Dan shares the story behind his first sofubi release, Goldie, selling out without online hype, and how market realities in Asia influence scale...

We’re diving deep into kaiju culture, business reality, and what it really takes to last in the indie toy world. From childhood obsessions with Pokemon to turning collection into creation, we sit down with Dave to trace a decade-long path of trial, failure, and hard-earned clarity. We talk DesignerCon strategy, why business discipline matters more than pure creativity, and how failed Kickstarters don’t have to define you. Dave opens up about gatekeeping, trusting your instincts, and building toys that are weird, wearable, and fun. This episode is about originality over trends, relationships over hype, and staying grounded whil...

We’re breaking down the real indie toy grind, fresh off DesignerCon and IndyToy Show, talking vendor culture, why pre-show connection matters, and what separates good shows from great ones. Then we go deep with Spumoni Toys. From growing up in connection with a family-run toy factory producing iconic figures, to falling in love with kaiju, Power Rangers, and animation, to teaching himself 3D sculpting during lockdown, this is a raw look at building toys from obsession and grit. We unpack Kickstarter wins and scars, shipping delays, clear-neon experiments, Wonder Festival acceptance, and why smaller figures at smarter price po...