I've had a ton of people asking me lately, "Hey, have you seen the new Naruto LABUBU blind box?" And every time, I have to take a deep breath and smile.
Look, I get it. I really do. You see a fluffy, keychain-sized creature with big ears and an adorable expression, and your brain immediately goes to LABUBU. Kasing Lung's design language is so iconic that it's become the shorthand for this entire style of toy.
But let's be crystal clear: The Naruto Beast Party Plush series is not a LABUBU.
It's made by a company called Top Toy, and while it definitely shares some aesthetic DNA with our favorite monster, it's its own thing. As someone who lives and breathes designer toys (and runs PopNya, where we're all about LABUBU), I felt like I had to get my hands on a case and do a proper deep dive. Is it a worthy addition to your collection? Or is it just riding the coattails of a popular trend?
Let's unpack this. Literally.
First Impressions: Unboxing the Beast Party Naruto
I ordered a full case of 8 boxes. The packaging is pretty standard for a licensed product, bright, colorful, with lots of Naruto branding. It feels professional. Ripping into the first foil bag, I pulled Kakashi in a little gray dog onesie.
My immediate reaction? It's undeniably cute.
The plush itself is soft, about 4-5 inches tall, and has a decent amount of squish. The "beast party" concept is basically the main cast of Naruto Shippuden dressed in animal kigurumis. Naruto is a fox (obviously), Sasuke is a black cat, Sakura is a bunny, and so on. The idea is simple but effective.
The quality of the toptoy naruto plush keychain is surprisingly solid for a mass-market licensed product. The stitching is clean, the embroidery on the faces is sharp, and the little details, like the leaf village symbol on the zipper pull of the onesie, are a nice touch. It has a little ball chain on top, making it a proper naruto plush keychain, though it's a bit chunky for a set of keys, in my opinion. It's more of a bag charm.
The full set includes Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Sakura, Gaara, and Itachi. There are also two secrets: a glow-in-the-dark version of Sasuke and the big chase, Naruto in his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode form.
So, on its own, the naruto plush blind box is a win. It's a well-made, adorable product for Naruto fans. But the real question for a collector like me is... How does it stack up against the real thing?
The Side-by-Side Showdown: Naruto Beast Party vs. LABUBU
This is where things get interesting. I grabbed one of the Naruto plushies (Sasuke the cat) and put it right next to a classic LABUBU The Monsters Exciting Macaron plush keychain.
Instantly, you can see both the similarities and the stark differences.
The Design Philosophy: This is the biggest difference. LABUBU is an original character from the mind of artist Kasing Lung. It has a story, a world, and an identity all its own. Each series is a new artistic exploration. The Naruto plush, on the other hand, is an application of an aesthetic to a pre-existing, globally massive IP. It's less about artistic expression and more about fan service. It's the difference between an original painting and a beautifully made, officially licensed print. Both have value, but they serve different purposes.
The Feel and Materials: The fur is different. The LABUBU plush uses a slightly longer, shaggier, and denser pile fur. It has that signature "scruffy" feel that we collectors love. The naruto beast party plush uses a shorter, more velvety minky fabric. It's very soft, but it doesn't have the same texture or depth. It feels more like a standard high-quality plush you'd get from a specialty store.
The "Soul" of the Face: This might sound a bit "out there," but stick with me. LABUBU's signature expression, the two big teeth, the wide eyes, the slightly mischievous grin, is hand-crafted to convey a specific personality. It's simple, but it's full of character. The Naruto plushies are trying to do two things at once: capture the essence of the Naruto character and fit it into this cute, simplified plush form. The result is adorable, but it can feel a little generic. Kakashi's face is mostly covered, and Sasuke's expression is a bit blank. They're cute, but they lack the distinct personality of a standalone designer toy.
The confusion is understandable, but when you see them together, it's clear they come from different worlds. If this whole discussion has you wanting to see the original inspiration, you can always browse our LABUBU collection to get a feel for Kasing Lung's authentic designs.
The Collector's Angle: Chases, Flips, and Box Weights
Okay, let's talk business. Is the beast party naruto series collectible?
Absolutely. The blind box format guarantees a chase, and the Naruto fanbase is massive and dedicated. The regular figures are cute, but the value is all in the secrets.
When this series first dropped, the Kurama (Nine-Tails) Naruto secret was hitting aftermarket prices of over $150, sometimes more. That's a huge jump from the ~$18 retail price per box. As of writing, that hype has cooled a bit, but it still consistently sells for $80-$100. That's a serious return for a plush keychain. The GITD Sasuke is less desirable but still fetches a premium, usually around $40-$50.
This brings up a classic blind box question: can you cheat?
I've had a few customers ask if the old "box weight trick" works for the naruto beast blind box. I can tell you definitively: no. I weighed every box in my case, and the differences were statistically insignificant. They are all plush with minor variations in embroidery and attachments. You are not going to feel or weigh your way to the secret Kurama. Don't be that person holding up the line at the store with a pocket scale; it doesn't work here. Your only path is luck or buying a full case, which guarantees you one of the two secrets (but not necessarily the one you want).
This is a different game than vinyl. With plush, it's much harder to guarantee quality control on weight, making the chase purely random, which I honestly prefer. It keeps the gamble pure.
Real Talk: My Honest Verdict
So, after all this, what's my final take as a collector and seller?
Honestly, the Top Toy Naruto Beast Party series is a brilliantly executed product. It perfectly understands its target audience: Naruto fans who also love the cute, collectible aesthetic popularized by brands like Pop Mart. The quality is there, the designs are cute, and the "chase" is exciting.
However, for a designer toy purist, it feels a little hollow. It lacks the originality and artistic intent that I look for in my personal collection. It feels like a very clever marketing collaboration, a "synergy" of trends, rather than a piece of art. It's like comparing a well-made superhero blockbuster to an indie A24 film. Both can be great, but you watch them for very different reasons.
I wouldn't add these to my personal LABUBU shelf, but I absolutely see the appeal. If you love Naruto and you think these are cute, go for it. You'll be happy with what you get. But if you're buying it because you think it's a "Naruto LABUBU," you might be missing the point of what makes LABUBU special in the first place. It's a great example of how to execute a licensed IP in the designer toy style, but it's not a designer toy in the traditional, artist-driven sense.
It also highlights the challenges of collecting keychain-style plushes. The quality can be a bit hit-or-miss compared to vinyl, and they're more susceptible to getting dirty or damaged. If you're diving into the world of plush keychains, whether it's this Naruto series or a LABUBU, it's worth reading up on what to look for. We actually put together a whole guide on buying LABUBU keychains that has tips that apply here too.
Who Should Buy the Naruto Plush Blind Box?
Let's break it down simply.
You should absolutely buy this if: * You are a massive Naruto fan. This is a no-brainer. It's high-quality, official merch that's super cute. * You love collecting plush toys and enjoy the thrill of a blind box. * You're looking for a fun, relatively affordable gift for an anime fan. * You're a reseller who is good at flipping hot, hyped items (though the peak flip window may have passed).
You should probably skip this if: * You are a designer toy purist who primarily collects for artist-driven, original creations. * You're on a tight budget and are hoping to find a LABUBU alternative. This isn't it. Just save up for the real thing. * You dislike the blind box gamble and only want one specific character. In that case, you're better off heading to the secondary market and buying the one you want directly, even if it costs a bit more.
At the end of the day, the Naruto blind box phenomenon is a fascinating case study in trends. It shows how the designer toy aesthetic has broken into the mainstream and is now being adopted by massive global brands. It's not a bad thing, it's just different. It's a fun, well-made collectible that will bring a lot of joy to Naruto fans.
Just please, don't call it a LABUBU.
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