Collectibles are taking over the toy box – but now the grown-ups are playing too

My Little Pony Kwistal Fwenz collectable art toys Photograph: Mighty Jaxx

At the Toy Fair in London’s Olympia last month, there were some less familiar faces alongside the Bluey plushies and Minions fart blasters. Hatsune Miku, Tanjiro Kamado and Labubu aren’t household names in the UK, but collectible figurines and merchandise based on manga, anime and video games, are some of the biggest sellers for the British toy industry.

Collectibles – ornamental toys sold with the objective of collecting a definable set – are now a £510m sector in the UK, according to research by the British Toy & Hobby Association and Circana.