So, you want to know what the best labubu is.
I get this question in my DMs, in emails, and from friends at least a dozen times a week. It's the first thing new collectors ask, and it's a question seasoned collectors are constantly debating. My honest answer? It's a trick question. There is no single "best." But there are hyped ones, rare ones, beautifully designed ones, and ones that are just plain scams.
As someone who runs PopNya and stares at these little monsters all day, I've seen it all. I've seen the mania firsthand, packing orders at 2 AM to keep up with a new drop. I've also seen the collector's remorse when someone pays way too much for a hyped-up figure they don't even love.
So, instead of giving you a simple, wrong answer, let's break it down. This is my playbook for figuring out which Labubu is best for you.
The Hype Beasts: Why Are Labubus So Hard to Get?
Let's get this out of the way. If you're asking about the "best," you're probably thinking about the ones you see all over TikTok and Instagram. We're talking about The Monsters Exciting Macaron series and, to a lesser extent now, the Have a Seat series.
These are the most popular labubus by a country mile. And because of that, they are incredibly hard to find labubu at retail prices.
Why? It's a perfect storm. You had Lisa from Blackpink post a video with her collection, which was like pouring gasoline on a bonfire. Suddenly, everyone needed one. Pop Mart, the manufacturer, is also a master of controlled scarcity. They produce these in batches. When a batch sells out, it's gone. They might do a V2 or a restock months later, but that initial feeding frenzy is intentional. It's what keeps the hype alive.
As a seller, it's a nightmare and a blessing. We get an allocation for a new series, and it's often a fraction of what we ordered. The demand just completely outstrips the supply. This is why are labubus so hard to get. It's not an accident; it's a marketing strategy.
I've personally watched the Chestnut Macaron figure go from a retail blind box pull (about $17) to a secondary market price of over $120 in less than a month. It's wild. If you're chasing these hype beasts, you need to be prepared for a fight, or an empty wallet.
Real Talk: Honestly, while the Macaron series is cute, is it worth paying 5x retail? For most people, no. The hype is fleeting. I've had more than one customer buy a super-hyped figure, only to try and sell it back to me a month later because the next big thing dropped. Don't get caught up in the FOMO. If you genuinely love the design, go for it. But if you're just buying it because it's popular, you're better off saving your money. Check out The Honest Labubu Macaron Buyer's Guide if you're determined to go down that rabbit hole.
The "Cutest Labubu" Quest: It's Not What You Think
Okay, so if not the most hyped, then what about the cutest labubu? This is even more subjective. Your "cute" is different from my "cute."
Some people love the food-themed ones, like the Macarons or the older Sweet series. Others prefer the animal-themed ones, like The Monsters Animals series, where Labubu is dressed in adorable animal onesies. Then you have the crossover series, like the recent The Monsters x One Piece Labubu, which are a whole different kind of awesome for fans of both properties.
My personal vote for the cutest labubus? I'm a huge fan of the Forest Concert series. The designs are so whimsical and perfectly capture the mischievous, playful nature of Kasing Lung's characters. The Labubu playing the accordion? Perfection. It's not the most hyped series, which means you can still find them without selling a kidney.
And this brings me to an important point. The internet will try to tell you what the cutest labubus are. It'll probably be a pink Labubu or one with a particularly sweet expression. But don't let social media dictate your taste. The most rewarding part of collecting is finding the pieces that genuinely make you happy to look at on your shelf.
If you're just starting, I highly recommend browsing a wide range of figures to see what style you connect with. You might be surprised that the one you fall in love with isn't one of the "famous" ones at all. Take a look through a broad LABUBU collection and see what catches your eye.
Cracking the Code: Secrets, Rarity, and That Grey Rainbow Dude
This is where the collector brain really kicks in. For many, the "best" Labubu is the rarest one. The chase. The one you have to hunt for.
So, what are the chances of getting a secret labubu? The standard blind box case contains 12 boxes. Usually, you'll get a full set of the 12 regular designs. The "secret" or "chase" figure replaces one of the regular figures in a sealed case. The most common ratio is 1/144, meaning on average, there is one secret figure for every 144 boxes (or 12 full cases).
But here's the detail that most articles miss: not all secrets are equal.
- Some series have a "super secret" with an even lower ratio (like 1/288 or worse).
- The value of a secret is also tied to the popularity of the series and the design of the secret itself. A boring secret in an unpopular series won't be worth much. A cool-looking secret in a hyped series? That's the jackpot.
This brings us to the elephant in the room: the grey rainbow labubu. His official name is "Soy," but everyone knows him as the gray labubu with rainbow teeth. This figure is from the first "The Monsters Toys" blind box series and has become an icon. Why is he so sought after? 1. He's an OG: He was from one of the very first series, so fewer were made compared to the mass-produced runs of today. 2. The Design: It's just so good. The monochrome grey body with the shocking splash of rainbow color on the teeth is brilliant design. It's edgy and cute at the same time. 3. Hype Compounding: As he became famous, more people wanted him, which drove the price up, which made him more famous. It's a feedback loop.
Is the grey labubu rare? Yes. Incredibly. He is arguably the hardest labubu to get from a blind box series. You aren't pulling this from a box you find at the store. You're buying him on the secondary market for, at the time of writing, hundreds of dollars.
There is no official labubu rarity chart released by Pop Mart, but the community has a pretty good sense of the hierarchy. Soy is at the top. Other chase figures, like the black "Dark Knight" Zimomo (Zimomo is Labubu's spiky-headed cousin), are also highly coveted. The answer to how many secret labubu are there is... A lot. Nearly every series has at least one.
Real Talk (Collector's Tip): Don't bother shaking or weighing boxes. Seriously. I see people doing this in stores, and it's a waste of time. The manufacturers have gotten wise. They use standardized plastic inserts and vary the weights of the figures themselves. I've seen people absolutely convinced they had a secret based on the "shake sound," only to open a common figure. The only semi-reliable way is to buy a sealed case, which guarantees you won't get doubles and gives you a chance at the secret.
Thinking Bigger: The "Best" Might Not Be in a Blind Box
So far, we've only talked about the 3-inch blind box figures. But that's not the whole story. If you want a real centerpiece for your collection, you need to look at the labubu medium size and larger figures.
I'm talking about the MEGA Collection 400% (around 11 inches) and 1000% (around 27 inches) figures. These are not toys; they are art pieces. The quality is on another level. The paint application is cleaner, the materials feel more premium, and their shelf presence is undeniable.
My personal favorite is the MEGA 400% Space Molly x Labubu. The crossover is fun, but the execution is what sells it. The clear helmet, the detailed suit, it's a fantastic display piece.
These figures are an investment. They retail for several hundred dollars. But unlike blind boxes, it's not a gamble. You know exactly what you're getting. And honestly, their value holds up much better over time. Some of the rarer MEGA figures have doubled or tripled in value. If you're going to spend $300 hunting for a secret you might not get, you could instead buy a stunning MEGA figure that you're guaranteed to love.
My Verdict: The Best Labubu Series for Every Collector
So, after all that, what's my final answer? Here's my personal recommendation for the best labubu series based on what kind of collector you are.
* For the Brand-New Collector: Start with The Monsters Animals series. It's classic Labubu, the designs are universally adorable, and it's generally available and affordable. It's the perfect introduction to Kasing Lung's world without the stress of the hype machine.
* For the Hype Chaser: If you absolutely must have the "it" toy, then you're looking at The Monsters Exciting Macaron. Be prepared to pay a premium. My advice? Target one specific design you love and buy it outright from a reputable reseller instead of gambling on endless blind boxes. Or, if you want to know more about the hype, check out our guide on Exciting Macaron Labubu.
* For the Art Toy Purist: Skip the blind boxes. Go for a MEGA 400% figure. I'd recommend one of the more artistic designs like the "Toffee" or "Snowy" editions. They showcase the pure form of the character and look incredible on a shelf. This is the true "designer toy" experience.
* My Personal "Best Labubu" Pick: If I had to recommend one series that hits the sweet spot of great design, good quality, and reasonable accessibility, it's The Monsters Forest Concert. It's just pure, unfiltered joy. The theme is coherent, the character poses are dynamic, and it feels like a passion project. It might not be the most famous labubu, but it has the most heart.
At the end of the day, collecting should be fun. It's about finding these little pieces of art that spark something in you. Don't let the market or the hype tell you what to love. Find your monster, give it a good spot on your shelf, and enjoy it. That's the real "best."
And if you're ready to start your hunt, you can always browse LABUBU figures in our shop to see what speaks to you. Happy hunting!
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