SKULLPANDA: Pop Mart’s Most Artist-Driven Series, Explained

If LABUBU is Pop Mart’s fluffy, grinning crowd-pleaser, then SKULLPANDA is the brand’s brooding alter ego — the character collectors describe as “Wednesday Addams energy in toy form,” an edgy helmet-wearing figure with sphere-shaped braids and a gaze that reads as both fashion-look and inner-world. It’s the IP that proves designer toys can be genuine art, not just cute commerce.

Created by Chinese concept artist Xiong Miao (熊喵), SKULLPANDA broke Pop Mart records on debut and remains one of the few Chinese IPs you’ll find inside a national museum collection. In 2025 it generated roughly ¥3.54 billion for Pop Mart (+170.6% year-on-year), the second-largest original IP behind THE MONSTERS (Pop Mart 2025 Annual Report). Here’s everything you need to know.

The Artist: Xiong Miao and Why She Made SKULLPANDA

Xiong Miao comes from film, architecture and gaming concept art — a technical, precise background. In 2014 she founded her own studio (LazyNorth / North Studio), and in 2018 she created SKULLPANDA as her “alter ego”: slower, louder, and without limits — a character that could shift between planets and selves, endlessly re-inventing itself (Kickomi profile, opmart-russia).

Her own words capture the intent: she wanted “a character that’s a little rebellious, not bound to ‘absolute beauty’ — an attempt without limits,” and described SKULLPANDA’s essence as “矛盾” (“contradiction / non-absoluteness”) — black and white, light and dark existing together (环球时报). Every element is deliberate: the skull helmet and two sphere-braids form a triangle — a symbol of balance built into the proportions (Kickomi).

The character debuted with Pop Mart in a record moment: the first series, Ancient Castle (密林古堡), sold 60,000 units in a single second in 2020 — the instant that turned SKULLPANDA from niche concept art into a mainstream hit (Kickomi).

Series Guide: From Dark Gothic to Impressionism

SKULLPANDA is an “art-driven” IP in practice: each series is a themed visual essay rather than a costume recolour. By the end of 2022 there were already eight blind-box series, each with its own universe (环球时报), and the lineup keeps expanding.

Notable collaborations include The Addams Family, Wednesday, Kuromi (2025), and My Little Pony (Feb 2026) (KICKOMI, opmart-russia). Each blind-box series typically holds 12 regular figures + 1 secret with odds around 1/144, sometimes rarer (opmart-russia).

The Art vs. Commerce Tension

This is where SKULLPANDA differs sharply from LABUBU. Xiong Miao has said repeatedly that “a blind box is an open-ended question” and that she builds the character as a vessel for expression rather than a template for sales (环球时报). Pop Mart’s IP team describes its job as “protecting the artist’s creativity” and acting as a “translator” between the artwork and consumers.

That stance shows up physically: SKULLPANDA was the first Pop Mart series where fine topcoat details were pressed into the vinyl rather than printed, and Xiong Miao regularly visits factories to supervise every paint gradient (Kickomi). The result is a collectible that sits closer to fine art — its “Cage-Uncage” installation was exhibited at the National Museum of Singapore, one of the rare times an art toy has entered a national museum collection (KICKOMI).

Collecting SKULLPANDA: What to Know

Pricing: A standard SKULLPANDA blind box runs ¥69–99 in China (about $10–25 retail internationally; full sets of 12 roughly $120–250). Plush pendants run about $29–44 (enjoyip, artoyz).

Secondary market: Secrets from popular series (e.g., Celestial Horse, My Little Pony) routinely resell 3–10× retail, and limited zodiac/collaboration editions carry strong premiums — which makes authentication essential (enjoyip). Verify via the QR code on the box (scan at m-gss.popmart.com) and check for the embossed logo and matte lip-gloss gradient that fakes can’t replicate (Kickomi).

Design tastes: SKULLPANDA rewards collectors who curate by mood and colour — many build monochrome or “dark-cute” shelves around a single theme. It’s a natural “edgy” alternative to the Labubu hype, and for many it’s the entry point to the broader world of Chinese designer toy brands beyond Pop Mart.

Is SKULLPANDA Right for You?

If your taste leans gothic, artistic, and emotionally ambiguous — and you’d rather own a “visual poem” than a bag charm — SKULLPANDA is probably your IP. If you want the playful, carry-it-everywhere companion, LABUBU might suit you better. Not sure where your taste sits? Read our Labubu vs. Skullpanda vs. Hirono comparison and our guide to starting a Chinese designer toy collection, plus the psychology of why blind boxes are so addictive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who created SKULLPANDA? Chinese concept artist Xiong Miao (熊喵), founder of North Studio / LazyNorth, in 2018. She came from film and game concept art.

Why does SKULLPANDA look dark / gothic? That’s the intent — “non-absoluteness.” Xiong Miao built the character around freedom, uncertainty, and exploring identity across parallel selves; the skull helmet and triangle-braids symbolize balance. It’s deliberately not pure cute.

How rare are the secrets? Most SKULLPANDA blind-box series have 12 regular + 1 secret at around 1/144 odds; some rarer pendants hit ~1/72. Odds are printed on the packaging.

Is SKULLPANDA worth more than LABUBU on resale? Both can carry strong premiums. SKULLPANDA’s limited zodiac and collaboration secrets often resell 3–10× retail, but collect for the art, not the flip.

Sources

• Pop Mart 2025 Annual Report — revenue figures
• 环球时报/环球网: 对话泡泡玛特艺术家熊喵 — artist interview
• Kickomi: SKULLPANDA — Xiong Miao — origin, museum, authentication
• KICKOMI series overview
• PopMart Russia: SKULLPANDA series & specs and The Warmth specs
• enjoyip: Skullpanda overview & collecting
• Artoyz: Skullpanda collections