The Hunt for Hope LABUBU: A Collector's Guide to the Big Into Energy Secret

You open the big into energy box, your heart thumps a little faster. You tear through the foil, hoping for that tell-tale translucent blue. Is it him? Is it the one?

For anyone collecting The Monsters Big Into Energy series, this is the ritual. And the prize everyone is after is the big into energy labubu secret, a figure named Hope.

I handle these little guys every day for PopNya, and the buzz around the Hope LABUBU is on another level. It's a beautiful figure, no doubt. It's a translucent, ethereal blue, with tiny "energy sprites" floating inside its head. The design perfectly captures the "energy" theme. But the hype isn't just about looks; it's about scarcity. As the "chase" or secret figure of the set, Pop Mart officially states the production ratio is 1:144. That means, on average, you'd have to buy 144 blind boxes to find one. At about $17 a box, you do the math. It’s brutal.

Here’s something that trips up a lot of new collectors. You'll see listings for "hope labubu v3" and think it's a new version of the vinyl figure. It's not.

The "V3" refers to the LABUBU The Monsters Big Into Energy Series Vinyl Plush Pendant. It's a completely separate product line of keychain-sized plushies. Yes, there's a Hope plush pendant, and it's also a secret in its own series. It's cute, it's squishy, but it is NOT the vinyl figure from the blind box set. I've had customers get confused, thinking they found a deal on the vinyl figure when they were actually looking at the plush. The vinyl is hard, about 3 inches tall, and comes in the standard blind box. The plush is soft, has a keychain, and comes in a different box. Don't get them mixed up.

Let's get down to it. You're probably not going to pull Hope from a random box you buy at the store. It happens, but it's like winning a mini-lottery. So, what does a hope labubu for sale listing actually cost?

Right after the series launch, I saw prices spike to over $200. As of writing this, the market has settled a bit, but you're still looking at $120-$160 for a confirmed Hope figure. That's for a $17 toy. The demand is driven by completists and people who just love big into energy and its aesthetic. The blue hope labubu is undeniably the centerpiece.

My advice? If you're considering buying from a reseller, check multiple platforms. Look at recent sold listings on eBay and StockX, not just the asking prices. This gives you a real sense of the current market value. And if you're looking to complete your set without the gamble, browsing a curated LABUBU collection from a specialty store is often the safest (and sometimes cheapest) way to go.

Okay, so here's my take as someone who sees all the big into energy labubu characters come and go.

Is the Hope LABUBU overhyped? Yes. Is it also one of the best big into energy labubu designs? Also yes. The translucent big into energy blue vinyl with the floating elements is a technical and artistic win for Pop Mart. It looks incredible on a shelf, especially with light shining through it.

But I would never, ever advise a casual collector to spend $150 on it. That's just my personal feeling. The thrill of collecting, for me, is in the hunt and the community, not just owning the most expensive piece. The hype cycle for these toys is intense, and what's hot today might be less so in six months. We saw a similar frenzy with the Exciting Macaron Labubu, and while prices for the chase are still high, the initial madness has cooled.

One thing I can tell you for sure: don't bother trying to weigh or shake boxes. The days of those old tricks being effective are long gone. Pop Mart has gotten very good at making each box feel identical. You're just going to look silly shaking boxes in the middle of a store.

Ultimately, there are two ways to get a pop mart labubu hope. You either play the (very bad) odds with blind boxes, or you pay the "scarcity tax" on the secondary market. If you have the money and it brings you joy, go for it. It's a stunning piece. But if you're on the fence, maybe enjoy the other 12 awesome designs in the series first. They're fantastic, too.

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