MEDICOM TOY
WHEN WAS MEDICOM TOY ESTABLISHED?
1996
HEADQUARTERS
Tokyo, Japan
WHO IS MEDICOM TOY'S FOUNDER
Tatsuhiko Akashi
CEO
Tatsuhiko Akashi
WHAT IS MEDICOM TOY?
Japanese MediCom Toy has since its humble beginnings in 1996, then sharing premises with a tonkatsu-spot in Tokyo’s Ebisu district, turned into a global phenomenon. The cult-declared toy manufacturer’s insanely coveted collectables/design objects tap into anime and mainstream pop culture, and are sold in very limited quantities. Their most famous lines of toys are the Kubrick and BE@RBRICK series, the latter a bear-shaped figure in different sizes, which has turned into a cultural icon on its own and spawned a devout following, including high-profile personalities like Pharrell Williams, Grace Coddington and DJ Khaled.
By using the technique of blind box packaging collectors are influenced to trade, buy and sell figures in order to complete their collections.
MediCom Toy (with its beloved BE@RBRICK) counts a long list of collaborations, including KAWS, BAPE, Star Wars, Undercover, Disney, Chanel, Supreme, Fendi, Futura, fragment design and Comme des Garçons, and the list continues to grow specifically in the streetwear/fashion arenas.
Every year MediCom throws a highly-anticipated exhibition to the delight of hardcore collectors and laymen alike. The off-shoot label F@BRICK is MediCom’s fabric division housing original designs by notable artists and designers.
WHY ARE MEDICOM TOYS EXPENSIVE
For most of the designs, only a certain amount of figures have been licensed to ‘wear’ that design and it’s very rare for Medicom Toy to re release a specific Bearbrick. With a limited number of Bearbrick releases available, the item becomes popular for collectors to obtain.
Their Bearbrick toys, are certainly a good investment.
WHERE TO BUY MEDICOM TOYS
You can find a great selection on their main website and on our very own Highsnobiety Shop.
WHICH BEARBRICK IS RARE
One of the most sought-after Bearbrick x Karimoku collabs is their very first 1000% wooden Bearbrick. This figure was completely constructed of walnut wood, handcrafted in Japan, and was made to order. Due to the craftsmanship required for each of these Bearbricks, they are pricey.
1996
MediCom Toy Corporation is launched in Ebisu by Tatsuhiko Akashi.
2000
Akashi has his first hit with the Lego man-like figure called the Kubrick (named after the psycho-thriller filmmaker), which he designs together with an ex LEGO employee. Films, comics and popular culture inspire the designs, including The Nightmare Before Christmas, Amélie, Marvel and Kellogg’s cereal.
With the success of British electronica outfit UNKLE’s album (its sleeve designed by Futura featuring his most iconic Pointman motif) MediCom produces Pointman toys, in collaboration with A Bathing Ape, Nike, and Levi’s.
2001
A new figure named BE@RBRICK, a variation of the Kubrick figure with cute bear-like features, sees the light of day. The white anthropomorphized figure is in effect a blank canvas for collaborations to come and is by far MediCom’s most popular figure.
2004
The Stussy x Medicom Toy “Peace and Prosperity” vinyl figures are released.
2006
MediComs dips into streetwear in the shape of the now defunct clothing line OriginalFake, founded together with Brian Donnelly, AKA KAWS.
2008
Medicom joins forces with Supreme for a much-hyped Kermit Kubrick release, which has New Yorkers lining up at Supreme’s Soho store to cop the Supreme x Kermit T-shirts and skateboard decks.
2009
Hiroshi Fujiwara opts for a Winnie the Pooh for the resulting, fragment design x Disney x Medicom Toy “Winnie the Pooh” collab.
2014
A Bathing Ape and the Star Wars team up for an exclusive Medicom Toy collaboration featuring Boba Fett and a Stormtrooper.
2016
The Supreme x UNDERCOVER x Medicom Toy GILAPPLE is released.
2017
Brandalism and Medicom Toy releases a collectible figure inspired by Banksy’s ’Monkey Sign’ artwork. They also release the 300mm-tall Pharrell Williams replica action figure.
2018
LA-based Rokit and MediCom Toy F@BRICK team up for the ROKIT x Medicom Bag.
2020
MediCom Toy releases a special edition Michael Jordan Dream Team figure.
2021
MediCom Toy collaborates with Nike SB for a new Blazer Low sneaker.
Medicom Toy Reworks 1950 Vintage ‘Peanuts’ Figures, featuring NASA Snoopy and Charlie Brown.
Medicom Toy’s Latest ‘Star Wars’ collaboration sees C-3PO and TC-14 cecome BE@RBRICKs.
2022
MEDICOM dropped a bearbrick with Korean artist GRAFFLEX
TAKAHIROMIYASHITATheSoloist joins BE@RBRICK for the first time.
Medicom Toy and Hajime Sorayama Unveil Die-Cast ‘Iron Man’ Figure, dubbed the “Metropolis Variant.”
2023
Medicom Toy Celebrates Nujabes with ‘Modal Soul’ and ‘2ND COLLECTION’ BE@RBRICKS.
As part of the BE@RBRICK WORLD WIDE TOUR 3 in Hong Kong, Medicom Toy Taps Ralph Lauren for Polo Bear BE@RBRICK.
