Labubu made blind boxes visible far beyond dedicated art-toy collectors. The format is simple: buy a sealed box, reveal a random figure, then trade duplicates. This guide looks at adjacent character lines, not investments or guaranteed successors.
The interesting part of this year isn’t Labubu itself, though. It’s everything lining up behind it. Pop Mart has deliberately leaned on its other characters (Crybaby, Skullpanda, Hirono) to reduce how much it depends on one monster. And a set of newer IPs is picking up real resale momentum. If you’re buying a collectible gift in 2026, or trying to guess what your kid will be begging for by winter, these are the seven names to know.
A quick note on how blind boxes work, if you’re new: you buy a sealed box from a series and get a random figure. Most series hide one rare “secret” edition at long odds, which is what drives both the thrill and the wild secondary-market prices. If you want a specific character, buy a confirmed single from a reseller instead of gambling on sealed boxes.
1. Crybaby: the strongest challenger
Crybaby is one of Pop Mart’s most visible non-Labubu lines. The teary-eyed design is easy to recognize, and the range includes figures and plush pendants. Check Pop Mart for current series and retail prices. Secondary-market asking prices do not show that an item will hold value.
2. Skullpanda: the design-forward pick
Skullpanda is the art-school favorite: moodier, more stylized, and aimed a little older than the cute-first characters. Series like The Ink Plum Blossom start as low as $15 a box. That makes it one of the easiest ways into Pop Mart for a new collector, or a gift that doesn’t scream “toy.” Great for a teen who’s into aesthetics over cuteness.
3. Hirono: the collector’s splurge
Hirono plays in a different tier. It’s a melancholy, storybook-styled figure, and larger or rarer pieces run around $159, sitting between an everyday blind-box pull and a full mega-collectible. Not the one you buy for a casual fan, but exactly the one a serious collector wants. Buy it as the “real gift,” not the stocking stuffer.
4. Hacipupu: the rising newcomer
Hacipupu is a newer Pop Mart character with figure and plush-forward releases. It suits collectors who prefer softer, portable designs, but there is no reliable way to predict whether demand will rise. Buy the design you like at retail, not because a trend article promises future scarcity.
5. Smiski: the quiet, glow-in-the-dark cult favorite
Not a Pop Mart IP, and that’s part of the appeal. Smiski are small matte-green figures that glow in the dark and hide in odd poses: on your monitor, in a plant, peeking off a shelf. They’re cheap and endlessly collectible, with official singles around $12.25 and keychain versions near $14.75. The 2026 Café, Yoga, and Japan-exclusive Onsen series are the current chase. Perfect low-stakes entry point for a younger collector. Available at Sonny Angel USA and specialty shops.
6. Sonny Angel: the original that started it all
Before Labubu, there was Sonny Angel: the tiny cherub in a different headpiece every series (fruits, animals, sea creatures). It’s the blueprint the whole category copied, and it never actually went away. The “hanger” clip versions live on bags, and swap meets still fill up For You pages. Around $12–$16 a box from Sonny Angel USA. Buy it for someone who wants the roots of the trend, not just the latest hype.
7. Moo Deng: the internet-native wildcard
The outlier on this list. Moo Deng started as a real baby pygmy hippo who went viral, then became a plush and collectible phenomenon on pure internet affection. It’s less a designed IP than a meme that grew a merchandise line, which makes it unpredictable but undeniably of-the-moment. A fun, timely pick that lands differently than the studio-designed characters around it.
How to choose
- Broadest current range: Crybaby.
- Design-conscious teen: Skullpanda.
- Serious collector / the real gift: Hirono.
- Prefer a newer character: Hacipupu.
- Younger kid or low-budget entry: Smiski or Sonny Angel.
- Buy the meme: Moo Deng.
A word on authenticity
Popular character lines attract counterfeits. Buy from the brand or a retailer the brand identifies as authorized. Packaging details can be copied, so a hologram alone is not proof. If you want one character, compare a confirmed single with the expected cost of repeated random boxes. Set a budget before opening the first box and do not treat pulls as investments.
Related Guides
For the wearable side of the category, read the plush blind-box pendant guide and the bag-charm guide. The Jellycat fuzzy charm guide covers fixed-design alternatives with no random pull.
The bottom line
There is no objective “next Labubu.” Crybaby offers a broad current range, Skullpanda and Hirono lean more design-forward, and Smiski and Sonny Angel have established formats outside Pop Mart. For gifts, match the character and format to the recipient. A fixed single is usually the better choice when the design matters.
Sources:
👉 Keep reading: 15 Best Back-to-School Bag Charms for 2026 →
Half these collectibles double as bag charms — see how they fit into the wider back-to-school charm trend.