what is sofubi?

The term 'Sofubi' is a Japanese word of English origin. It is the Japanese pronunciation of 'soft vinyl', which refers to a PVC plastic material. In a more specific context, 'Sofubi' refers to a Japanese-made soft plastic toy, that is, a toy made of PVC plastic material. The first sofubi toy was launched in 1966 by Maruzan, a prominent Japanese toy manufacturer. It was a Godzilla toy, and it is widely regarded as the originator of sofubi.

Sofubi can be divided into two categories: special character sofubi and designer sofubi. Special character sofubi refers to custom sofubi based on special film and television characters, such as Godzilla, Ultraman, and other soft plastic monster toys produced and distributed by Maruzan. In addition to Maruzan, other prominent players in the sofubi toy field include toy companies and independent toy brands such as Bullmark and M1. Their influence on sofubi designers and collectors remains significant to this day. Similarly, Sofubi collectors are primarily driven by sentimental value, with many purchasing items based on their childhood memories of specific characters. For many, the appeal of Sofubi is tied to their nostalgic attachment to particular films and characters, such as Ultraman or Godzilla, which they enjoyed during their formative years and continue to hold in high regard as adults. The defeat of monsters and the maintenance of universal peace is a dream that every boy has had, and the exquisitely crafted special effects character Sofubi is a tangible reminder of this dream. Once financial freedom is achieved, it is possible to turn this childhood dream into reality.

Types and Characteristics of Sofubi

Designer Sofubi are new characters created by designers, illustrators, sculptors or toy collectors on the basis of traditional toys. They are combined with archetypal images of mythological stories, cult films, paintings and art, and even political figures. There are also some deconstructions and reconstructions of classic characters from the history of feature photography. The artistic value of Sofubi characters created by designers independently is often higher than that of characters with special effects. Designer Sofubi's images are more grotesque and humorous, satirising the political situation from a toy's perspective with a certain degree of cultural critique. Additionally, there are some limited edition works available. In essence, Designer Sofubi can be considered a premium toy product, designed with a niche market in mind and offering a unique blend of play value and cultural appeal. While they are not particularly suited to play, they are highly collectable as they convey the designer's personal aesthetic concepts or have cultural value derived from social attitudes.

The price of a Sofubi is determined by a combination of factors, including the number of parts and the size. The number of parts in a Sofubi product affects the price. The more parts, the higher the price. The size of the product also affects the price. Larger products cost more. The primary reason for the higher price point of sofubi compared to vinyl toys is the intricacy of the production process and the challenging purchasing channels. Demeng toy has considerable experience in the field of customised sofubi toys, having produced many for numerous studios and art toy brands.In this article, we will learn how to make sofubi.

How to Make Sofubi

The production process for sofubi, also known as the oil furnace process, is entirely handmade. The production process begins with the creation of an image, followed by the development of 3D models(3D printing prototype) or clay prototypes. Molds are then produced through prototyping. Once the molds are ready, PVC powder and PVC oil are mixed and poured into them. The molds are then placed in centrifuges or vacuums to remove air bubbles. The moulds with air bubbles are placed into high-temperature oil pots to be heated (this does not involve frying). Once cooled, the moulds are set into shape. The glue is then removed and washed, after which the spout is split. The water gap is the joint between the parts, which forms the final assembly.

Furthermore, special painting Sofubi requires a professional air pump and spray gun for spray painting. This series of complex production processes cannot be replaced by machinery; it must be done manually. The socially necessary labour time determines the value of the goods, so the price of Sofubi is naturally not low.

The complex process and need for full manual participation make it difficult for imitations to be produced, as the designer output of each Sofubi is their own separate model. Without the original model, it is not possible to reproduce a high degree of accuracy, as there will be details of the processing, the size will be smaller than the genuine version, and other issues will arise.

Highly valuable due rarity . Extremely high labour costs are one of the reasons why designers are unable to mass produce Sofubi. Plus, in order to maintain the uniqueness of their art, designers are naturally pursuing fewer but more precise, and the number of a Sofubi on sale will be strictly controlled, usually at 5 to 10, usually not more than 20. Some models will have their paintwork updated based on the prototype and painted by specialised painters, making them a rare limited edition. Because they are all handmade, and because there are almost no replicas, they are simply hard to find. This mode of release has always stimulated the good will of Sofubi players, which is why Sofubi's price in the second-hand market is higher than the launch price, and we can understand that players are not buying a toy, but an investment.