Issun Dokuro UV Black

Takeuchi Yu is a Japanese artist and the creative force behind Skull Toys, renowned for producing distinctive designer toys and sofubi (soft vinyl figures). His creations often feature skull motifs, which he incorporates primarily for their aesthetic appeal, stating, “I think just because they’re cool.”   One of Takeuchi Yu’s notable works includes the Doku-Rocks series, with the Skulletor Dokurocks figure released in 2009, standing 4.5 inches tall. Additionally, he collaborated with Unbox Industries to reinterpret Frank Hart from 2000AD’s “The Visible Man,” resulting in a 30cm tall soft vinyl figure. Self-produced art toys are designer collectibles created and manufactured independently by the artist or small teams without the backing of a large toy company or mass-market brand. These toys are often highly personal, artistic expressions and are usually made in limited runs. Key Characteristics include independent creation where the artist is in control of the entire process from concept, sculpting, and painting to production and packaging. These are usually made in small batches, often 10–100 pieces, which adds to their rarity, made using materials like resin, sofubi (Japanese soft vinyl), or 3D-printed components.