The other day, a customer emailed the PopNya store asking a simple question: "What's the best Labubu to get?"
I stared at the screen for a solid five minutes. Because there's no simple answer. "Best" for who? The person who loves the thrill of opening a blind box? The one who wants a giant, cuddly monster on their couch? The serious collector looking for a centerpiece for their entire display?
Kasing Lung's "The Monsters" universe has exploded. It's not just one little guy with bunny ears anymore. We're living in a world with a dozen different labubu versions, and navigating them can be a nightmare if you're new. As someone who handles these little guys every single day, packing them, stocking them, and, let's be real, keeping a few for my own shelves, I've developed some strong opinions.
So, let's break it down. No corporate fluff. Just the real talk from a collector and shop owner.
The Gateway Drug: Blind Box Series
This is where it starts for 99% of us. The classic 3-inch vinyl figure in a foil-wrapped, sealed box. You pay your $15-$18, you shake the box (even though you know it does nothing), and you pray for anything but the one you already have.
The evolution of the blind box series has been wild to watch. If you can find one of the original "The Monsters" series from years ago, hold it next to one of the labubu new ones like "Fall in Wild" or "Big into Energy." The difference is night and day. The early figures were lighter, the paint was simpler, and the sculpts were a bit less refined. Now? The vinyl has a satisfying heft, the paint jobs are complex with matte, gloss, and even translucent finishes, and the accessories are tiny works of art.
But here's a tip that a lot of new collectors fall for: the weight trick. People always ask me if they can weigh the boxes to find the secret or a specific character. The short answer? Not anymore. POP MART got wise to that years ago. The newer batches have incredibly uniform weights. They use standardized inner packaging and even vary the foil thickness to throw you off. I've seen people on YouTube with micro-scales, and it's just a waste of time. Your best bet is to buy a full case if you want to guarantee the whole set, or just embrace the chaos.
The secondary market for these is where things get crazy. Take the "Soy" figure from the Exciting Macaron Labubu series. It came in a standard box that retailed for about $17 here at PopNya. I've seen that single figure, out of the box, sell for over $120. It's all about rarity and demand. Some figures just capture the community's heart and their value skyrockets. It's a total gamble, which is part of the fun.
The Cuddly Cousin: The Monsters LABUBU Plush Doll
If the vinyl figures are for your shelves, the plushes are for your couch, your bed, or your car dashboard. But not all plushes are created equal. When someone asks for a the monsters labubu plush doll, I have to ask, "Which one?"
You have the small keychain plushes, which are perfect for hanging off a backpack. Then you have the standard-sized dolls, which are usually around 12-15 inches tall. These are the most common ones, often dressed in little outfits like the famous green hoodie. And then you have the special editions, the massive, sometimes 3-foot-tall plushes that are more like furniture than toys.
Now, for some honest truth. The quality control on the plushes can be a bit... Variable. I've unboxed hundreds of them for the shop. Some are perfect, with symmetrical ears and flawless stitching. Others arrive looking like they had a rough night. A slightly crooked ear, a loose thread on the hoodie, a bit of uneven stuffing. They're almost always charmingly imperfect, but it's something to be aware of. If you're a perfectionist, try to buy from a physical pop shop labubu where you can inspect it yourself.
The fakes are getting better, but they often mess up the tags. On a genuine, recent Labubu plush, the main cardboard tag is thick, has a satin finish, and the printing is crisp. The little fabric tag sewn into the body should also be high quality. I've seen fakes with flimsy, glossy paper tags and blurry text. It's a dead giveaway. Also, the feel of the fur is key. The classic Labubu plush has a very specific soft, low-pile fur. The "Zimomo" plushes, on the other hand, have a shaggier, wilder texture. If you know what it's supposed to feel like, you can spot a fake instantly.
The Centerpiece: Mega & Big Figures
This is where Labubu collecting crosses the line from a hobby into a serious art investment. I'm talking about the Mega Collection figures, usually in 400% (about 11 inches) or 1000% (about 27 inches) sizes. These aren't toys. They're massive, heavy, and often ridiculously expensive statement pieces.
A perfect example is the "Mega Collection 1000% Space Molly x Labubu." It was a crossover that sent the community into a frenzy. It retailed for around $900. That's a lot, right? Well, it sold out instantly. Within a week, I saw listings on StockX and other secondary markets pushing $2,000. That's not even the craziest one. Some of the rarer artist collaborations can fetch five figures at auction. This is a completely different world from the blind boxes. It's less about the monster and more about the hype, the artist, and the scarcity. The crossover with One Piece was another release that had people lining up for hours, and I wrote a whole guide on the Monsters x One Piece Labubu hype because of how insane it was.
Our Take: Are Mega Figures Even Worth It?
Okay, real talk. Do you need a two-foot-tall vinyl monster in your living room? Probably not. Is it an incredible display piece that will make any fellow collector's jaw drop? Absolutely. But here's my warning as someone who has had to ship these behemoths: they are a pain. They are heavy, they are fragile, and they are dust magnets. The boxes are enormous and a hassle to store.
I only recommend buying a Mega figure if you meet two criteria: 1. You have a dedicated, safe space to display it away from pets, children, and direct sunlight. 2. You are buying it because you genuinely love the design and want to own it for years, NOT as a quick investment flip.
The market for these is incredibly volatile. What's worth $2,000 today could be worth $800 in six months if the hype dies down. Buy it for love of the art, not for the love of money. You'll be happier, I promise.
The Funky Little Extras: Phone Figures & Accessories
Finally, we have the weird and wonderful world of Labubu accessories. This is where you'll find things like keychains, sticker packs, cable-biters, and the surprisingly popular labubu phone figure.
These are often released as their own mini-series, like the "Let's Play" collection which featured Labubu figures attached to bases that could hold your phone. They're fun, relatively inexpensive, and a great way to bring a little bit of The Monsters universe to your desk without committing to a full collection.
The labubu phone figure from that "Let's Play" series is awesome and surprisingly stable. I have the one where he's holding a little Game Boy on my own desk. But the adhesive on the bottom of the base, which is meant to keep it from sliding, is strong. My customer mentioned it left a faint, sticky residue on her lacquered wood desk after she tried to move it. It came off with a little cleaner, but it's a good heads-up. Test it on an inconspicuous spot first if you have a fancy desk surface. It's these little real-world use details that you don't get from the product page.
These accessory series are often much harder to find than the main blind box lines. They tend to be exclusive to official POP MART locations or a select few online retailers like us. They don't get the same wide distribution, which makes them kind of a fun, "if you know, you know" type of collectible.
So, back to the original question. Which of the many labubu versions is the best?
It's a cop-out, but it really does depend on you. If you love the thrill of the chase and a bit of gambling, stick with the blind box series. If you want a soft, cuddly monster to hug, you can't go wrong with the monsters labubu plush doll. If you're looking for a serious, high-impact art piece, start saving for a Mega figure. And if you just want a cute little buddy for your workspace, the labubu phone figure is a perfect choice.
For me? I'll always have a soft spot for the classic 3-inch vinyls. There's still nothing quite like the feeling of cracking open a new box and discovering which little monster is waiting inside. If you're feeling that itch and are ready to start your own monster hunt, you can always browse our full LABUBU collection and see which one calls to you. Happy hunting.
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