One of the most common questions I get from new collectors browsing PopNya is some version of, "Wait, so are they all related? Is there a LABUBU family tree?"
And the simple answer is yes. But the real answer is a lot more fun and chaotic than a simple family tree diagram could ever show.
Look, you can find a dozen infographics on Pinterest or Instagram that list out the names. But that doesn't tell you the story. It doesn't tell you why a Tycoco from a blind box series will instantly sell for three times the price of a Pato from the same set. It doesn't explain the subtle drama and relationships that make collecting "The Monsters" so addictive.
I've been collecting and selling these little guys for years. I've unboxed hundreds of cases, seen the trends come and go, and spent way too much time staring at them on my shelves. This isn't a guide based on a quick Google search. This is what I've learned from being deep in the trenches of the LABUBU world.
It's a Found Family, Not a Bloodline
First things first, let's get this out of the way. The LABUBU family isn't a traditional mom-dad-kids setup. Think of them more like a mischievous gang of forest spirits from Kasing Lung's incredible imagination. They're a "found family" who cause trouble and go on adventures together. Kasing Lung's original storybooks and art paint a picture of a whimsical, sometimes dark, European fairytale world.
Pop Mart has taken that world and made it more accessible and, let's be honest, marketable. They've solidified the core cast, and each character brings a totally different energy to the group. Understanding their roles is key to understanding the entire collection.
LABUBU: The Heart of the Mischief
Obviously, we have to start with the main event. LABUBU is the curious, adventurous, slightly naughty protagonist of the whole saga. He's the one with the long ears, the toothy grin, and the insatiable curiosity that gets the whole group into trouble. He's the entry point for most collectors.
What's fascinating to me is how his design has been refined. If you look at Kasing Lung's early work, LABUBU had a slightly more feral, raw energy. The Pop Mart version is a bit rounder, a bit cuter, but that mischievous glint in his eye is still there. He's the reliable core of every series. You know you're going to get a few great LABUBU designs in any set, and they are always solid. He's the anchor of the whole universe.
ZIMOMO: The Hypebeast Big Brother
And then there's ZIMOMO. This is where things get interesting for collectors.
On the surface, Zimomo is just a bigger, slightly more grown-up LABUBU with a zipper on his mouth. In the lore, he's often portrayed as a protective, slightly more powerful figure. He's the cool older brother. That zipper isn't just a design choice; it's a character trait. He's holding something back, maybe a secret or immense power.
But in the collecting world? Zimomo is the hypebeast.
This is a real market dynamic I see every single day. A standard blind box from a new series retails for around $15-$17. If you pull a regular LABUBU, its secondary market value might hover around that price. But if you pull the Zimomo from that same series, I've seen it jump to $40, $50, even $60 overnight. People love Zimomo. His silhouette is just iconic. This is especially true for the larger figures; the Mega or Jumbo Zimomo figures are grail pieces for many collectors, often reselling for thousands. He has a swagger that the other characters don't.
TYCOCO: The Enigmatic Resale King
If Zimomo is the hypebeast, Tycoco is the enigma. And the undisputed resale king of the regular figures.
Tycoco is the one with the skull face. Or is it a mask? Nobody really knows for sure, and that's the entire point. He's got this cute, chubby little monster body but with a slightly morbid, spooky skull head. The contrast is just perfect.
In almost every series, Tycoco is the unofficial "chase" figure. He might not be the 1/144 secret, but he's the one regular design everyone wants to pull. I've had customers at PopNya buy an entire case of 12 boxes with the primary goal of getting the one Tycoco design. He's that popular. His designs are consistently creative, playing with the skull concept in new ways every time.
Because of this insane popularity, Tycoco is also one of the most common targets for counterfeiters. The demand is so high that fake factories pump out low-quality copies. If you're buying a Tycoco on the secondary market, you absolutely need to know what you're looking for. The paint lines, the feel of the vinyl, the box details, it all matters. I've seen too many new collectors get burned, which is why I put together a guide on spotting fake Labubus. Be careful out there.
PATO: The Sweet, Underrated Duckling
Okay, hot take time. Pato is the most underrated member of the Labubu family.
There, I said it.
Everyone's so busy chasing Zimomo and Tycoco that they sleep on this adorable little duck-billed monster. Pato is the sweet, innocent one of the group. He often looks a little worried or confused, providing a perfect emotional counterpoint to LABUBU's mischief.
From a seller's perspective, Pato is rarely the figure that flies off the shelf first. But from a collector's perspective, his designs are often the most charming and creative. The designers seem to have a lot of fun with his simple shape.
That flocking is a magnet for dust and oils from your hands. I have a Monsters' Art series Pato on my desk, and I learned the hard way that it needs to be kept in a protective case. The white flocking started looking dingy after just a few months of being out in the open. A small detail, but one that hardcore collectors will appreciate.
SPOOKY & YAYA: The Ghostly Duo
Finally, you have Spooky and Yaya. I'm grouping them because they are almost always presented as a pair. Spooky is the one-eyed, sheet-like ghost, and Yaya is his two-eyed companion, often with a little bow or accessory.
Their role in the Labubu family tree is that of the sidekicks or the little siblings. They float around the edges of the action, adding to the general atmosphere of supernatural whimsy. Are they twins? Best friends? Again, Kasing Lung and Pop Mart leave it beautifully ambiguous. Their dynamic is more about their visual pairing than a defined backstory.
In blind box series, they often get some of the most playful designs. Because their base shapes are so simple, the artists can go wild with themes. I find that collectors who appreciate the overall aesthetic of a series, rather than just hunting for the "cool" characters, have a real soft spot for Spooky and Yaya. Trying to figure out each Labubu family tree name and its specific role is part of the fun, and these two add a layer of ghostly charm.
The Extended Family & My Real Take
Beyond these core members, you'll occasionally see other monsters from Kasing Lung's universe pop up, like the pig-like Pipoco or the little mushroom creatures. These are deep cuts, and when they appear in a series, it's a real nod to the long-time fans.
So, here's my real talk as a seller and collector.
Is the Labubu family tree a rigid, defined structure? No. It's a brilliant marketing and world-building tool that gives The Monsters universe a sense of cohesion. It makes you want to collect the whole set, not just one figure. You're not just buying a toy; you're assembling a quirky little family on your shelf. The ambiguity of their relationships is a feature, not a bug. It lets us, the collectors, project our own stories onto them.
My honest advice? Don't get obsessed with the hype. Yes, Zimomo and Tycoco are cool, and their resale value reflects that. But I've seen people spend way too much money chasing a figure they think they should want, only to realize they actually prefer the design of a less-hyped character.
The real magic of The Monsters is in the artistry and the personality of each character. Find the one that speaks to you. Maybe you love Pato's sweetness, or LABUBU's goofy grin. Collect what you love. The joy of seeing the whole gang together in a series like "The Monsters Camping" or "Sweets" is seeing how their individual personalities play off each other.
If you're looking to add a new member to your monster family or just starting to explore their world, you can always browse LABUBU figures and see the incredible variety for yourself.
For me, the best part is that this family feels alive and growing. With every new series, we get another snapshot of their world, another piece of the puzzle. It's not a static family tree; it's a living, breathing, and delightfully mischievous story that we get to be a part of.
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