Will collectible toys really heal your inner child?
DAVAO CITY(MindaNews/8 July 2026)–The concept of a kidult (portmanteau of kid and adult) is not new. In a 2024 report, the BBC notes that this term goes back to the late 1950s to describe a TV show that was a hit to both kids and adults. The toy industry likewise identifies a kidult as someone over the age 12 who buys toys and games for their own pleasure.
The kidult market segment is important to know when discussing toys because their behavior is telling of a special consumer-product dynamic: one where there is a “continuing emotional relationships with cultural narratives.” Forbes refers to this as the belonging economy where people are being engaged by brands through identity throughout a lifetime.
“Consumers are maintaining relationships with stories, symbols and characters that form part of their personal narrative,” a Forbes Communication Council feature points out.
Instead of just tapping into an experience for nostalgia (me, a 30-ish adult buying a Bikini Bottom Buddies blind box, for example), the belonging economy points out that identity is no longer locked in specific life stages; instead, interests and passions continue across decades. Case in point: me, a 30-ish adult who grew up with Spongebob Squarepants buying a Bikini Bottom Buddies blind box!
The belonging economy further emphasizes a shift from consumption to participation. What this simply means is that “Products are no longer the end of the journey; they are entry points into a relationship.”
Toy company Pop Mart has a vice-like grip on this idea as it navigates the kidult market. Pop Mart Philippines Marketing Head Michen Samonte said their consumers are connecting with their products beyond the purchase.
“They relate to the stories of the characters,” she said on the sidelines of the opening of the first Pop Mart pop-up store in Mindanao in Ayala Malls Abreeza, Davao City last July 2. This emotional connection with their toys propelled several eccentric figures by independent artists to pop-culture fame. These include Hirono by Lang, The Monsters (Labubu) by Kasing Lung, Molly by Kenny Wong, Skullpanda by Xiong Miao, and Crybaby by Nisa Srikumdee. Pop Mart also works with other entertainment companies to produce licensed collaboration series like Disney, Spongebob Squarepants, Sanrio, Naruto, Garfield, Crayon Shinchan, Snoopy and many more.
Pop Mart’s entry into Mindanao is heralded by Crybaby with a retail pop-up and installation titled Cry Me An Ocean, based on the blind box series of the same name.
Surprises make up the bulk of Pop Mart’s operations globally. Apart from high value collectibles, the brand is known to peddle blind boxes of their toys. The thrill of the surprise fuels the shopping experience; there is no way to know what exact toy from a series you’re going to get until your box is opened. With this retail concept, Pop Mart turns collectible purchases into “a gamified and exciting experience.”
“This expansion in the Philippines reflects broader momentum across Southeast Asia, where collectibles cultures continue to grow through active fan communities, social media engagement and strong demand for limited-edition products,” the brand said in its press release.
Online forums and social media feeds continue to be filled with conversations about Pop Mart trinkets and the buzz has so far peaked in 2025 with Labubus taking centerstage. People were obsessed with them! Snaking queues and people fighting over them were all over the news. Unboxing videos easily went viral, inspiring more shoppers and collectors to check out boxes and boxes of the toys.
In another small corner of the internet, sustainability advocates were clear in the efforts to address the elephant (or Labubu!) in the room. The obsession of some over blindboxes were a manifestation of overconsumption; the rarity of the items are an illusion; the value inscribed in each toy is fleeting and all of them are going to end up in landfill at some point. The discussion is lengthy.
For now, we can take comfort in knowing that the fuzzy figures bring a little sweet sunshine to any adult. This retail experience makes it clear that shopping toys is no longer just about “healing” an inner child but also nurturing that identity for a lifetime. Exhibit A would still be me and the many other kidults who bought a tiny Pop Mart treat or two this week.
(Jesse Pizarro Boga/MindaNews)
(Pop Mart’s Crybaby Cry Me An Ocean runs in the Ground Floor of Ayala Malls Abreeza until the end of the year. Tag the author in your unboxing videos @thegamejay on Instagram.)
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