Monchhichi Makes a Comeback Amid Labubu Craze
Gen Z’s obsession with fluffy key chains and stuffies for adults is breathing new life into a 51-year-old Japanese character.
Photo illustration: Ryan Haskins for Bloomberg Businessweek; photos: Monchhichi
When Australian influencer Sam Todd traveled to Tokyo earlier this year to shop the city’s famed vintage clothing scene, she had a personal sidequest—to find a fuzzy Monchhichi key chain to dangle off one of her many designer handbags. After some unsuccessful hunting, she finally “hit the Monchhichi jackpot” at a toy store in the touristy Harajuku neighborhood, capturing the gleeful discovery in a TikTok video, which has since racked up more than 300,000 views. The store had implemented a purchase limit on the popular plush accessories, but Todd managed to snag double by having her boyfriend stock up too. Sure, the characters are also for sale back home, but for more than twice the price and with far fewer options. “It was so nice to finally be able to find it,” says Todd, 30. “The popularity has just been growing and growing, and so everybody wants to get one.”