‘Art toys’ a hit with China’s Gen ZーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS
as China deals with a slowing economy and sluggish consumption vacant stores are becoming more noticeable even in commercial facilities in Shanghai But some toy makers are aren’t just surviving they’re thriving And HQ’s Mishawatu has more Customers packed this mall in Shanghai at its reopening last December About 30 stores here specialize in anime manga related goods and pop culture Most people came to buy so-called art toys Their cute designs have captured the hearts of generation Z born between the mid 1990s and early 2010s especially women Store shelves are lined with figurines made in collaboration with popular anime characters What’s behind their popularity is their attractive design and price of about $7 That’s a big plus when people are trying to save more money Nimbo lives in Sichuan Province She runs a small bar and she says her toys help her unwind from her busy daily life My room is full of dolls Just carrying them around and having them in front of me makes me feel happy The items are sold in blind boxes You don’t know what’s inside until you open it I always buy blind boxes because they’re exciting What’s inside may not be what I was looking for but it’s fun to open them It’s estimated that the market for art toys last year was about 2.5 times that of 2020 and the market is expected to grow more This Japanese company which has been selling plastic models in China is also trying to cash in on the craze Japanese character mobile suit Gandam is popular in China So the company created an art toy version Today people from the company are checking this finished prototype with Chinese stuff The part where the water comes out its expression is really interesting The company plans to further expand their business in China and overseas We see these toys as a trend unique to China On the other hand it’s spreading outside the country too So we want to first succeed in China and then look beyond that to going global with our business As people shy away from pricey items many are thankful for the small pleasures they get from the affordable trendy toys and HK World
Vacant stores are more noticeable in China as its economic blues persist. Generation Z, especially women, is snapping up cute, cheap versions of anime and manga figures for comfort. #china #economy #culture #anime #manga #culture
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