Medicom Toy BE@RBRICKS: Explained
With new BE@RBRICKS landing at Shelflife and more on the way, here's a quick breakdown of Medicom's popular range, their beginnings and some iconic releases.
Tatsuhiko “Ryu” Akashi first fell in love with toys while working a desk job in manufacturing in Japan. Akashi was on his way home one night in Tokyo’s Shibuya neighbourhood, feeling bored with work, when he walked past a US toy shop. Instantly falling in love with Hollywood characters like Batman, he knew he had to create his own. Starting in 1996 with Medicom Toy's first store, Akashi had a running start with his background in manufacturing and design. His first hit was the Kubrick, the younger brother to the BE@RBRICK. The first Kubricks were a selection of characters from manga and anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, designed by Akashi and a former LEGO employee.
Since its creation, Medicom has released thousands and thousands of collectible toys from a massive amount of cultural and entertainment entities - really letting his team build out their imagination and passions in the real world. They are also the team behind KAWS' famous companions and UNDERCOVER GILAPPLES. Following the Kubrick's success, Medicom dropped the first Bearbricks in 2001. The new figure, named BE@RBRICK with an @, was a variation of the Kubrick figure with bear-like features. The BE@RBRICK received instant recognition from existing Medicom customers while recruiting new consumers due to its undeniably cute design.
“When [my staff] asks me, ‘Akashi-san, I want to make this.’ I respond with, ‘Well if you want to make it that badly, then please go ahead.’ Frankly, there are things I don’t know about within those media and if a staff member wants to seriously pursue it, then I think it’s my job to let them.”
The first BE@RBRICK, dubbed the 100%, established a system of sizing specifications for future releases. BE@RBRICKS range between 50% to 1000% (35mm to 700mm, respectively). The most classic style of BE@RBRICK, the 100%, is usually released in blind boxes or in a set of 1 x 400% and 1 x 100%.
The endless variety of BE@RBRICKS doesn’t stop with size. All BE@RBRICK releases are organized into “SERIES” and “TYPES.” There are two major drops each year in the form of blind boxes, during the summer and winter, where each new SERIES is unveiled. Basic TYPES consist of nine different designs with each figure featuring a letter that spells out “BE@RBRICK.” Standard TYPES feature BE@RBRICKS in various “THEMES.”
"THEMES" make-up the various offerings within the Standard blind box series. The most common themes include: Jellybean, a candy-coloured translucent figure; Pattern, a figure boasting a pattern; Flag, a figure painted as a nation’s flag; Horror, a figure bearing likeness to a character or concept from the horror film genre; SF (Science Fiction), a figure featuring a science fiction theme or character; Cute, figures that are objectively “cute”; Animal, a figure made to look like another animal; Hero, a new THEME introduced in SERIES 21 consisting of superheroes and villains from DC Comics. Each Blindbox has a list of the series printed on the back, as well as the rarity in %. A lesser known fact, there are actually rare variations that aren't even printed on the back of these blind boxes.
The rarest BE@RBRICKS, however, were either never intended for public sale or exclusive collaborations. Contemporary artists from around the world make up some of the most sought-after BE@RBRICKS. Collaborators include visual artists H.R. Giger, Jackson Pollock and KAWS, graffiti artists Stash and Pushhead, as well as fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Vivienne Westwood, Coco Chanel and Ivana Helsinki. Lifestyle brands such as Casio and Nike have produced limited product alongside the BE@RBRICK such as variations of the G-Shock DW-6900MT-7JR watch and special colorways for the Nike Lunar Force, Air Force 1 and SB Dunk, respectively.
In the realm of streetwear, Medicom's most notable contribution is its now-defunct clothing line OriginalFake. Founded in collaboration with Brian Donnelly, AKA KAWS, in 2006, OriginalFake launched during the midst of the streetwear boom. This was a time when logoflips and edgy graphics seemed inescapable and labels like BAPE, Stüssy, FUCT and aNYthing were at peak popularity. Check out some more notable ones below like the READY MADE Mickey Mouse set, Daniel Arsham, Hebru Brantley and more!
