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The Japan Data Desk's avatar

Brilliant breakdown—especially loved the “Castle Grayskull-sized cash” line.

It’s wild how tariffs don’t just hit wallets but also choke creativity. The part about China’s Canton Fair cooling off really hit home.

Do you think we’ll see a surge in indie/retro toy creators filling the gap? Or will India just quietly become the new toy capital?

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Clownfish TV's avatar

I think indie/retro has already started to fill the gap for Mattel and Hasbro product. But that's collectibles, right? Not stuff for kids?

I think a bigger issue is that kids don't play with toys like they used to, and many lines are becoming collector exclusive.

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The Japan Data Desk's avatar

That’s fair—though I do think there’s still a market for kids’ toys.

It’s just buried under waves of nostalgia and collector hype.

Feels like brands chase adult wallets first, and kids second.

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