Toys on Tap

What if the monsters in your head could help you grow? In this episode, we sit down with Rick; artist, toy designer, and creator of Kaiju Coaching which helps to explore how “inner monsters” can fuel creativity instead of fear. From his early days in screen printing and co-founding a San Francisco print shop to sculpting vinyl figures, Rick’s story weaves art, anxiety, and empowerment into one wil...

This week, we sit down with Theo Kane, the former battle rapper, filmmaker, and the creative force behind Slimehouse TV . From spitting bars to sculpting toys, Theo’s story is one of relentless creativity and reinvention. He shares how growing up with an antique-dealer father sparked his obsession with toys, how 90s plastic junk became modern treasure, and why authenticity always beats algorithms....

From a farm in Gilroy to the world of animation and sofubi, David's journey is one of grit, creativity, and community. In this episode, We sit down with the artist behind Secret Handshake Toys to talk about how Saturday morning cartoons sparked a lifelong love of animation and toy collecting. David shares his path from Hallmark animator to indie toymaker, how social media reshaped the collector sc...

After 2 years away, Chance returns to Toys on Tap with a massive update. From running a 45,000 sq. ft. warehouse to streamlining his operation, Chance opens up about the grind, the downsizing, and the auctions that keep his empire alive. He’s created over 200 handcrafted figures, each sculpted, molded, and painted by hand, while balancing the late-night creative rush and the chaos of Comic Cons. W...

What happens when lifelong toy collectors turn their childhood obsessions into careers and creative ventures? In this episode of Toys on Tap , we sit down with Chris and Nick; tattoo artists, podcasters, and toy fanatics, to explore how toys have shaped every stage of their lives. From chasing the world record for Optimus Prime figures to turning nostalgia into sculpted art, they unpack the emotio...

This week on Toys on Tap , we sit down with Christian of Pope Toys for a deep dive into the wild intersections of collecting, customizing, and creating. From childhood Ninja Turtle hunts and Ghostbuster yard-sale scores to horror-inspired kitbashes and rare bootleg finds, the conversation traces how a love of toys evolved into a resin-casting practice that thrives on experimentation. Along the way...

This episode of Toys on Tap dives into the origins of legendary toy maker Paul Kaiju (Paul Copeland). From 1970s Chicago mornings watching Speed Racer , Kimba , and Son of Godzilla with his dad, to hunting Japanese die-cast treasures in Little Tokyo, Paul’s story is pure nostalgia. The path winds through skateboarding, punk shows, and even a career in aerospace, where resin casting first sparked h...

This week we sit down with illustrator and toy designer Tony Bui to dive into his creative journey from Saturday morning cartoons and Street Fighter marathons to launching his own toy lines. Tony shares how he balanced art school with military commitments, made the leap from greeting cards to resin toys, and found his footing in the indie toy scene with smash-hit dinos and mech-inspired creations....

In this episode, we sit down with artist and creator Tony Mora to unpack his remarkable journey across animation, web design, 3D modeling, and toy making. From his childhood in Bell Gardens, where anime and Godzilla shaped his imagination, to carving out a career in a turbulent creative industry, Tony shares how resilience and adaptability have guided him through uncertainty. Tony opens up about t...

Together, we trace Flaw Toys’ journey from Dutch toy-store summers to life in Thailand, exploring how an engineering career gave way to sculpting strange, resin-cast figures that embrace imperfection. Along the way, you’ll hear about early experiments, artistic flops that became fan favorites, and why “flaws” are actually the soul of handmade art. We also get into the nuts and bolts: resin casting...

From graffiti walls in Des Moines to the resin and vinyl toy scene in Japan, this week we sit down with Joseph of Unlucky Toys . At just 27, Joseph has already carved out a path through resin casting, graffiti-inspired design, and collaborations with artists across the U.S. Now, he and his wife are preparing for a huge move to Japan, where Joseph hopes to plug into the legendary soft vinyl scene a...

We sit down with Mark, a digital sculptor who stumbled into the craft during the pandemic and turned late-night experiments of “Dreams” into a thriving career. What started as tinkering with clay shifted into the world of digital sculpting, where Mark now balances family life, a full-time job as a news director, and collaborations with major companies like Bottleneck and Mondo. We get to see the a...

Step into the heart of the indie toy scene as we talk through Toys on Tap's first-ever experience at Summer Slime , a backyard gathering that’s as much about community as it is about art. From curated music and food to a unique lottery buying system, the event blends collector excitement with a laid-back, personal vibe. With careful pacing, ticketed entry, and collaborative artistry Creature Bizar...

What happens when a childhood obsession with Godzilla morphs into a full-blown art career? In this episode, We trace Raygun Wizard's creative evolution from sneaking toys past his mom’s neat-freak purges to selling out sofubi drops across the globe. Eli opens up about his early love of drawing, the influence of his grandmother , and how art became more than just expression, it became a tool for em...

This week ttep inside the vivid mind of the artist as he unpacks the wild ride of launching Mind Sponge a boundary-pushing toy brand blending 80s nostalgia, street culture, and pop absurdity. From a robotic ice cream cone to bat-inspired figures and cuckoo clocks, Mindsponge Toys pulses with bold energy and personal story. He opens up about the struggles and sparks of his creative journey how ADHD...

Ben, co-owner of ToyCon UK and Ko-Re Ko-Re , joins Toys on Tap to break down the highs and hurdles of the 2024 show. With 46 booths and 10 tables packed, the event hit full capacity, drawing global talent and even an appearance from Mutant Vinyl Hardcore. We dive into the logistical chaos of planning in London, from venue headaches to managing crowds with a queue lottery system. We also unpack the...

We are back at it again with Ron English in this fourth installment of his life. We journeyed through his toy making as he has taken on some of the most intense messaging and "propaganda". The same spirit we heard about with his billboards, we saw in his toys. From MC Supersize and Temper Tot, Ron knows no boundaries in making toys. Here how he has pushed the limits of what toys can be on this wee...

On this episode of Toys on Tap , we dive deep into the incredible career of legendary artist and toy maker Mark Nagata , a pioneer in the world of sofubi and the creative force behind Max Toy Company . From childhood days obsessing over kaiju figures to airbrushing at the Academy of Art, Mark takes us on a wild ride through freelance illustration, Goosebumps covers, magazine publishing, and buildi...

This week we're diving into the mind of Fabricio, a Brazilian-born 3D artist and toy designer whose creative path spans continents and mediums. From drawing comic book heroes in a small town to animating Pokémon films in Japan, Fabricio’s journey is packed with bold moves, artistic grit, and a love for storytelling through sculpture. Hear how a childhood obsession with G.I. Joe and a Marvel mentor...

In this episode of Toys on Tap , we dive deep with Shane, the creative force behind “Hints and Spices,” a name born from a university project that now defines his hidden-detail, genre-blending toy design ethos. From glow-in-the-dark surprises to cultural nods in resin and vinyl, Shane takes us on a journey from Adelaide’s meat pies to Japan’s Wonderfest. Hear how anime like Evangelion and Kaiju to...

Summer Slime is back and we’re diving into its roots, growth, and the community that makes it one of the most beloved events in the indie toy scene. In this episode, we sit down with Quang of Creature Bazaar to unpack the origin story of Summer Slime, originally started by legendary artist Paul Kaiju, and how it evolved into the vibrant, backyard-style toy gathering it is today. Quang shares how C...

On this episode of Toys on Tap , we dive deep with Michael Bogle , the tattoo artist-turned-toy designer behind Tolsar Toys . Based in New Orleans and inspired by dark fantasy and gothic aesthetics, Michael shares how 18 years in tattooing led him to create ambitious, large-scale kaiju figures that push the boundaries of indie toy design. We explore: How New Orleans culture and ‘90s media shaped h...

In this episode of Toys on Tap , we sit down with the multidisciplinary artist behind MumBot , founder of Ghost Club creative community, and creator of the MumBot World brand. From felt plush to vinyl toys and blockchain-based art, Mumbot takes us through her evolution as an artist and toy designer, shaped by personal experiences. We dive into: Her transition from handmade toys to Web3 and immersi...

The dynamic duo, prawn mouse and moss dolls comes on the podcast to talk about their long journey with toys! The ups and the downs, from losing sculpts in packages to not being able to make things work. After all of that, they pushed through and made some amazing work come to life! You can hear all about it this week on toys on tap! On instagram @ prawnmouse @ mossdolls Commercials brought to you...

From music to graphic design to toy making and sofubi, to future blind box making, Bleeding Edges has done so many things in art and is about to keep this party going with a potential blind box coming! Listen in to hear all about being a professional artist for a company why making your own toy dreams come to life! On instagram @ bleedingedges Commercials brought to you by Chicken Burger Disco On...