Tokidoki occupies a lane nobody else quite fills. Part street art brand, part Japanese kawaii aesthetic, part Italian design studio — the result is a universe of characters that feel like graffiti came to life and decided to be adorable.
Italian artist Simone Legno launched Tokidoki as a lifestyle label in 2005. The name means “sometimes” in Japanese. The characters that followed include unicorns, cactus friends, astronaut cats and a sushi car that somehow all belong in the same world.
What Makes Tokidoki Different
Most character brands pick a lane and stay in it but Tokidoki refuses to pick. The art style mixes thick black outlines with pastel colour palettes, characters sport tattoos alongside bows and unicorns wear streetwear. The aesthetic reads as Sanrio reimagined by a tattoo artist — and that tension is what gives Tokidoki its distinct visual identity.
The Blind Box Engine
Tokidoki built its collector following through blind box figures — small vinyl figurines sealed in boxes where you don’t know which character sits inside until you open it. A typical series features 8 to 12 characters and one or two chase variants at lower pull rates. Completing a full set means opening multiple boxes and trading duplicates, but that is the loop that keeps collectors coming back.
The Crossover Appeal
Tokidoki collaborates across categories that other character brands cannot touch — past partnerships include Sanrio, Hello Kitty, Barbie, the Grateful Dead and Major League Baseball. Each collaboration brings Tokidoki characters into a new context while keeping the original art style intact. The brand pulls collectors from multiple directions simultaneously.
Popular Tokidoki Series
Tokidoki releases blind box series on a steady schedule with some becoming instant grails and others flying under the radar and gaining value slowly over time.
The Flagship Series
Cute unicorns featuring distinct themes per figure — from seasonal Halloween and Christmas Unicorno to food-themed Sushi and Donut Unicorno to pop culture riffs. Unicorno blind boxes make up the bulk of most Tokidoki collections. If you are starting a Tokidoki collection, Unicorno is the obvious entry point.
Desert Cute
Cactus shaped characters with tiny faces and prickly personalities. The series leans harder into the cute side of the Tokidoki spectrum. These figures sit particularly well on desks and shelves because the cactus theme reads as intentional decor rather than toy collection to anyone who doesn’t know the brand.
Premium Tier
Unicorns plus mermaids with pastel colour palettes and aquatic themes. Mermicorno figures tend toward the more elaborately sculpted end of the Tokidoki range with flowing tails and shell accessories. These figures command higher resale values than standard Unicorno releases — the premium tier for completionist collectors.
Collecting Tokidoki in New Zealand
Tokidoki availability in New Zealand has improved significantly with blind box series that used to require importing now appearing in local stores at competitive prices.
What to Expect From a Blind Box
Tokidoki blind boxes retail in the same range as Sonny Angel and Smiski figures. Opening one delivers the standard rush of ripping the foil, sliding out the inner bag and checking which character card you pulled before even unwrapping the figure. The card reveal hits first and the figure inspection comes second — which doubles the excitement.
Display and Storage
Tokidoki figures are designed for display with stable bases and paint applications that hold up to shelf light. Unlike some blind box brands with quality control issues, Tokidoki generally delivers consistent paint and sculpt quality. Clear acrylic risers let you display a full series in tiers — a full Unicorno series on a three tier riser looks intentional and impressive.
Duplicates happen and they always will, but the trading community across New Zealand Tokidoki groups stays active enough to move spares without much friction.
Where to Buy Tokidoki
OCARE NZ stocks Tokidoki blind box series and collectibles with the Tokidoki collection updating as new releases arrive from the brand.
Tokidoki collecting rewards patience because series sell through and restock on unpredictable schedules. The characters that seem common today become hard to find six months later. If a series catches your eye, grabbing a few boxes early saves the secondary market hunt later on.
Ready to start your Tokidoki collection? Shop the full range at OCARE NZ.
Shop Tokidoki at OCARE NZ
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