# Bearbrick
**Bearbrick** (officially stylized **BE@RBRICK**) is a collectible bear-shaped art toy figure produced since 2001 by the Japanese company Medicom Toy, sold as a fixed nine-part silhouette that artists, brands, and entertainment properties decorate through limited-edition collaborations.[1](https://stockx.com/news/the-buyers-guide-bearbrick/) • [2](https://originalbearbrick.com/bearbrick-vs-other-designer-toys/) The name is a compound of "bear" and "brick", and the figure descends from Medicom's earlier blocky Kubrick line, which replaced the human head with a bear's.[3](https://originalbearbrick.com/what-is-a-bearbrick-guide/) Medicom states that more than 10,000 BE@RBRICK items have been released to date.[4](https://medicomtoy-cojp.myshopify.com/en/pages/company)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Creator and launch | Conceived in 2001 by Tatsuhiko Akashi, CEO of Tokyo-based Medicom Toy; first figures given away at the World Character Convention in Tokyo[1](https://stockx.com/news/the-buyers-guide-bearbrick/) • [5](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-02/singapore-money-laundering-case-bearbricks/102794012) |
| Design | One fixed bear silhouette, nine parts with eight points of articulation, unchanged since 2001; expression happens entirely through surface decoration[2](https://originalbearbrick.com/bearbrick-vs-other-designer-toys/) |
| Standard sizes | 100% about 70 mm tall, 400% about 280 mm, 1000% about 700 mm; a 50% size also exists[6](https://store.medicomtoy.co.jp/en/products/bearbrick-series-26) • [7](https://www.medicomtoystore.com/copy-of-collections) • [8](https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/bearbrick-toys-price-history-collectible-auction-368626) |
| Output | Over 10,000 items released since 2001, per Medicom Toy[4](https://medicomtoy-cojp.myshopify.com/en/pages/company) |
| Secondary market | Most models sell between $100 and $1,000 on StockX; Yue Minjun's "Qiu tu" 1000% reportedly auctioned for US$157,000, making it one of the most expensive Bearbricks[1](https://stockx.com/news/the-buyers-guide-bearbrick/) • [2](https://originalbearbrick.com/bearbrick-vs-other-designer-toys/) • [8](https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/bearbrick-toys-price-history-collectible-auction-368626) |
| Market position | About 15.0% of the global art toy market in 2024, estimated at 14.3% for 2025, second to Pop Mart[9](https://docs.yayanews.ai/report/en/global_art_toy_report_demo.pdf) |
| Screen adaptation | A 13-episode CG animated comedy series premiered on Apple TV+ on March 21, 2025, produced by DreamWorks Animation and Dentsu[10](https://www.medicomtoy.tv/blog/?p=92986) |
## Origin
Medicom Toy was registered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, in 1996, and released its original block-type figure Kubrick in 2000, described by the company as a move toward stylization in reaction to the supremacy of detail.[4](https://medicomtoy-cojp.myshopify.com/en/pages/company) In 2001, Medicom was commissioned to furnish the World Character Convention in Tokyo with giveaways; because Kubricks comprised too many parts, Akashi improvised a simpler bear-shaped figure, and attendees found the first Bearbrick in their swag bags on May 21, 2001.[8](https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/bearbrick-toys-price-history-collectible-auction-368626) The first numbered figure, B@-000B, carries a release date of June 10, 2001, in Medicom's own archive.[11](https://bearbrick.com/448.html)
Akashi's stated mission was to create a readily identifiable canvas for brands, artists, characters, and pop culture icons.[1](https://stockx.com/news/the-buyers-guide-bearbrick/) This is the structural feature that separates Bearbrick from most designer toy lines: unlike character-led figures such as KAWS's Companion or [Pop Mart](https://www.edgepedia.org/pop-mart)'s Labubu and Molly, the bear has no face, story, or franchise of its own, so a couture house and a graffiti writer can both put work on it without either looking like a guest.[2](https://originalbearbrick.com/bearbrick-vs-other-designer-toys/) • [12](https://mooncourtclub.com/en/blog/medicom-toy-bearbrick-history)
## Sizes and construction
Bearbricks are sold in a standardized size ladder expressed as percentages. The Medicom store lists the 100% figure at approximately 70 mm tall, 32 to 35 mm wide, and 23 to 25 mm deep; the 400% stands about 280 mm and the 1000% about 700 mm.[6](https://store.medicomtoy.co.jp/en/products/bearbrick-series-26) • [7](https://www.medicomtoystore.com/copy-of-collections) A 50% size is also produced.[8](https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/bearbrick-toys-price-history-collectible-auction-368626) The same design therefore works as a pocket object or a room centerpiece, and collectors can buy according to budget and space.[13](https://originalbearbrick.com/2026/08/)
Most figures are made of hard plastic, though some series have used metal and wood.[14](https://www.collectors-inc.com/features/bearbrick-basics)
## Series and collaborations
The core product is the numbered blind-box series, in which buyers do not know which figure they get until opening. Each series is organized into themes such as basic, cute, animal, pattern, flag, horror, sci-fi, and artist; Series 33, for example, paired in-house basics with licensed designs from The Shining, Ghostbusters, Astro Boy, and [Pop Team Epic](https://www.edgepedia.org/pop-team-epic).[5](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-02/singapore-money-laundering-case-bearbricks/102794012) • [15](https://bearbrick.com/archive/s33/s33body.html) Series 52, released in 2026 for Medicom Toy's 30th anniversary, contains 15 official models.[16](https://www.mybearbrick.co.uk/blogs/news/bearbrick-series-52)
Alongside the series, Medicom runs a collaboration program that has reached into art, fashion, design, music, and film, with partners including KAWS, Keith Haring, Basquiat, Chanel, BAPE, Nike, and Disney.[1](https://stockx.com/news/the-buyers-guide-bearbrick/) • [17](https://gauntlet.gallery/blogs/editorial/kaws-bearbrick-designer-toys-art-collectible-or-both) The artist KAWS, the professional name of Brooklyn-based Brian Donnelly, has produced several Bearbrick editions.[1](https://stockx.com/news/the-buyers-guide-bearbrick/) Releases are made in limited batches with almost no reruns, which supports the secondary market.[8](https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/bearbrick-toys-price-history-collectible-auction-368626)
## Market and value
Value is driven mainly by the collaboration partner and the production quantity; the same bear body decorated by KAWS versus a mid-tier streetwear brand can differ by a factor of ten in value.[1](https://stockx.com/news/the-buyers-guide-bearbrick/) • [18](https://gauntlet.gallery/blogs/editorial/bebrick-vs-kaws-figures-which-holds-value-better) Most models sell between $100 and $1,000 on StockX, with some limited editions reaching five, six, or seven figures; the most expensive Bearbrick sold on StockX was a [Readymade](https://www.edgepedia.org/readymade) x BAPE 1000% at $20,799.[1](https://stockx.com/news/the-buyers-guide-bearbrick/) The top ten sales are all limited 1000% collaborations.[2](https://originalbearbrick.com/bearbrick-vs-other-designer-toys/)
The auction record for a one-off Bearbrick is reported inconsistently. CNA Lifestyle states that the "Qiu tu" 1000% from 2008, a one-off design by the Chinese contemporary artist Yue Minjun, auctioned for US$157,000; ABC News reports about $250,000 for the same piece; and StockX reports that it fetched $6 million at auction.[8](https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/bearbrick-toys-price-history-collectible-auction-368626) • [5](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-02/singapore-money-laundering-case-bearbricks/102794012) • [1](https://stockx.com/news/the-buyers-guide-bearbrick/)
In market-share terms, a 2025 industry report places BE@RBRICK at 15.0% of the global art toy market in 2024, declining an estimated 0.7 percentage points to 14.3% in 2025, while Pop Mart rose from 28.5% to 31.2%.[9](https://docs.yayanews.ai/report/en/global_art_toy_report_demo.pdf) Gauntlet Gallery, a gallery dealing in street art and contemporary collectibles, describes the Japanese secondary market, led by Yahoo Japan Auctions, as the primary global price-discovery venue for BE@RBRICK, and notes that the line's floor is supported by a deep Asian collector base.[19](https://gauntlet.gallery/blogs/editorial/bearbrick-investment-returns-data) • [20](https://gauntlet.gallery/blogs/editorial/kaws-vs-bearbrick-which-is-better-investment)
## Authentication and recent developments
Counterfeiting is a recognized problem; Gauntlet Gallery's internal sampling put counterfeit rates on open resale platforms at 45 to 60 percent.[19](https://gauntlet.gallery/blogs/editorial/bearbrick-investment-returns-data) Genuine figures carry the Medicom Toy logo stamped on the feet, and boxes include a hologram.[21](https://gauntlet.gallery/pages/bearbrick-buyers-guide) September 2022 saw Medicom Toy and Hakuhodo Product's launch du-al.io, a system for authenticating products that relies on NFC tags and on cloud services provided by [Toppan](https://www.edgepedia.org/toppan).[12](https://mooncourtclub.com/en/blog/medicom-toy-bearbrick-history)
The brand has expanded beyond physical figures. A 13-episode CG animated comedy series, BE@RBRICK, produced by [DreamWorks Animation](https://www.edgepedia.org/dreamworks-animation) and Dentsu, premiered worldwide on Apple TV+ on March 21, 2025; development began around 2016 and took about seven years before production.[10](https://www.medicomtoy.tv/blog/?p=92986) • [22](https://www.dentsu.co.jp/en/showcase/bearbrick.html) In 2026, Medicom launched the BE@RBRICK HEROES adventure MMORPG and opened a gallery store and cafe called BE@RBRICK CONNECT in Paju, Korea.[4](https://medicomtoy-cojp.myshopify.com/en/pages/company)
## References
1. [The Buyer's Guide: Bearbrick, StockX News (Ian Semivan, October 17, 2022)](https://stockx.com/news/the-buyers-guide-bearbrick/)
2. [Bearbrick vs Other Designer Toys: What Makes It Different, Original Bearbrick (Tim Hamon)](https://originalbearbrick.com/bearbrick-vs-other-designer-toys/)
3. [What Is a Bearbrick? Complete Guide to Medicom BE@RBRICK, Original Bearbrick](https://originalbearbrick.com/what-is-a-bearbrick-guide/)
4. [About Medicom Toy Corporation, company history and profile](https://medicomtoy-cojp.myshopify.com/en/pages/company)
5. [Bearbricks are 'the sweet spot' for crooks seeking to launder money, ABC News (September 2, 2023)](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-02/singapore-money-laundering-case-bearbricks/102794012)
6. [BE@RBRICK SERIES 26, Medicom Toy Official Store (size specifications)](https://store.medicomtoy.co.jp/en/products/bearbrick-series-26)
7. [Bearbrick collections and size scale, Medicom Toy Store](https://www.medicomtoystore.com/copy-of-collections)
8. [5 things to know about Bearbrick, CNA Lifestyle (Joyce Yang, August 18, 2023)](https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/bearbrick-toys-price-history-collectible-auction-368626)
9. [2025 Global Art Toy Market Insight Report](https://docs.yayanews.ai/report/en/global_art_toy_report_demo.pdf)
10. [BE@RBRICK Apple TV+ series announcement, Medicom Toy Official Blog (February 19, 2025)](https://www.medicomtoy.tv/blog/?p=92986)
11. [BE@RBRICK SERIES 51 archive: B@-000B, bearbrick.com](https://bearbrick.com/448.html)
12. [Medicom Toy and Be@rbrick explained: history, sizes, collabs, Mooncourt](https://mooncourtclub.com/en/blog/medicom-toy-bearbrick-history)
13. [August 2026 archive, Original Bearbrick](https://originalbearbrick.com/2026/08/)
14. [Collector's Inc, Bearbrick Basics](https://www.collectors-inc.com/features/bearbrick-basics)
15. [BE@RBRICK SERIES 33 product archive, bearbrick.com](https://bearbrick.com/archive/s33/s33body.html)
16. [BE@RBRICK Series 52: 30 Years of Medicom Toy, MyBearBrick (June 28, 2026)](https://www.mybearbrick.co.uk/blogs/news/bearbrick-series-52)
17. [KAWS, BE@RBRICK, and Designer Toys: Art, Collectible, or Both?, Gauntlet Gallery (June 19, 2026)](https://gauntlet.gallery/blogs/editorial/kaws-bearbrick-designer-toys-art-collectible-or-both)
18. [BE@RBRICK vs KAWS Figures: Which Holds Value Better?, Gauntlet Gallery (April 6, 2026)](https://gauntlet.gallery/blogs/editorial/bebrick-vs-kaws-figures-which-holds-value-better)
19. [BE@RBRICK Investment Returns: What the Data Shows, Gauntlet Gallery](https://gauntlet.gallery/blogs/editorial/bearbrick-investment-returns-data)
20. [KAWS vs BE@RBRICK: Which Is the Better Investment?, Gauntlet Gallery (June 13, 2026)](https://gauntlet.gallery/blogs/editorial/kaws-vs-bearbrick-which-is-better-investment)
21. [BE@RBRICK: The Collector's Buyer's Guide, Gauntlet Gallery](https://gauntlet.gallery/pages/bearbrick-buyers-guide)
22. [BE@RBRICK was released on 3/21, Dentsu Showcase (September 1, 2025)](https://www.dentsu.co.jp/en/showcase/bearbrick.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Food, customs, and everyday culture › Clothing, textiles, and domestic crafts › Pottery, handicrafts, and collecting › Collecting and collectibles › Memorabilia and themed collecting*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license