The International Tokyo Toy Show conjures up images of Asmovian defying robot, monsters (usually of the aquatic species), tooth-decayingly cute creatures and an array of insects. At least, that’s what I envisioned before braving the labyrinth train route to Tokyo Big Sight where this year’s International Tokyo Toy Show was held (July 15-18, 2010).  The show did offer its fair share of creepy crawly beetle-mania with such companies as Megahouse; the proveyors of edible, gummy insects and Hexbug; creators of nanotech bugs with realistic pinching action.

Pullip Dolls from Groove, Inc.

Lucha Libre Masks-Groove, Inc.

Although there were a few companies that caught my attention, the show sadly lacked the pop culture cornucopia that I was hoping for. The show was mainly dominated by such toy giants as Bandai and Lego. There was also steady stream of bags amongst the swarms of people bearing the logo for Hot Toys. Hot Toys sells fully articulated and extremely detailed action figures of everything from current icons such as Iron Man and Predator to generic and inexplicably nude male figures labeled by ethniticity. The figure labeled “African American Male” was easily modeled after Obama (complete with a plastic hardpack and politician death stare).

JewelPet Cycle

Duck Commanders

I did find however find a booth that stood out from the towering giants. The company is called Groove, Inc. Groove, Inc. has assimilated the defunct Jun Planning which was known for its wide-eyed collection of Pullip Dolls. Continuing the line of Pullip Dolls and with apparent knack for design sensible trends, Groove, Inc. displayed its latest line of Steampunk inspired dolls accented by the accessory craze of Alice in Wonderland.

Hello Kitty Harem

Although, the toys at the Tokyo Toy Show were more Toys ‘r Us than Kid Robot, I was grateful that Japan hadn’t given up on robots and bugs afterall.

Artist Konatsu brushes upon both the past and present of Japanese art. Creatures rendered in marshmallowly forms prance around in folkloric landscapes of spidery trees and peep outside of thatched houses.  Each print is brought to life against a backdrop of scroll-esque delicacy.

I discovered Konatsu’s work at a mind-spinning store in Shinjuku called Pop Space (be forewarned-it’s not the easiest site to navigate). I happily picked up several postcards of her art from amongst a twirling rack of design cacophony. Pop Space also has a large scale mural done by Konatsu which depicts dinosaur disguised creatures that seemed to be plucked from prehistoric times and curiously lost in an Edo period of cuteness.