It is 2025 and of all the things that could break the internet, a toy did. Not a Barbie, not a plushie but a strange, bug-eyed creature with jagged teeth and messy hair called Labubu. If you have been on TikTok, you'd have seen it: grown adults unboxing Labubu figures with the excitement of kids at Christmas, collectors crying because they finally found “the pirate edition” and resellers flipping them for millions. At first glance, Labubu looks like something you'd think your little cousin drew in boredom. But don’t say that out loud, a lover of it might just come for you online. Because of its global cult following, Labubu is more than plastic. It’s personality.
The craze started in Asia, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore where fans queued overnight outside Pop Mart stores. Then it spread like wildfire to the rest of the world.
By the time Lagos and London caught the fever, Labubu had gone from collectible to cultural currency.There are now Labubu collectors who treat these figures the way sneakerheads treat limited-edition Nikes. One woman fainted while waiting in line for a rare drop,another offered 800,000 naira for a single piece. A few Nigerian influencers even flexed their Labubu shelves like they were showing off jewelry. It is wild that every box is a blind pick. You never know which character you’re getting. So people are literally gambling with emotion and cash for a chance at their dream Labubu. Lol.
Why would anyone spend that much money or time on a tiny monster with a creepy smile? Maybe for them Labubu isn’t about the toy. It’s about the feeling. We live in an age where everything is digital:likes, filters, attention spans that expire in 10 seconds but collecting something physical, limited and real gives people a rush. Labubu is nostalgia as it reminds people of childhood when joy was simple and play was sacred. So people are not just buying toys. They’re buying meaning, individuality and connection. I guess we all do this. From vintage t&shirts to concert wristbands, there’s always that one item we keep because it makes us feel.
Pop Mart, the company behind Labubu, knows what they’re doing. They turned mystery and scarcity into a marketing weapon. Every new release is a global event. Fans trade, swap and build online communities around each drop. There are even meet-ups in cities like Seoul, Bangkok and Dubai,and yes, Lagos is catching up. Collecting Labubu has become a lifestyle. It’s about aesthetic shelves, shared obsession and the quiet pride of owning something rare. Even celebrities aren’t left out. Asian pop stars and Western influencers alike have been spotted with Labubu figurines. At this point, the toy has crossed from “weird little collectible” to a full-blown status symbol.
In Nigeria, it’s only a matter of time before Labubu gets its own local remix. We’ve already seen TikTok creators turning the toy into skits, memes and even fashion inspo. One designer in Lagos recently dropped a “Labubu streetwear” line and someone else made a cake shaped like the toy. Give it a few months and you’ll probably see “Labubu Lagos PopUp” on your explore page.
Labubu may look odd but that’s the point. It’s proof that people crave what’s different, something imperfect, raw and real in a world obsessed with polish. It’s not just a trend; it’s a mirror because at the end of the day, we’re all chasing that feeling of owning something that feels like us.
