Kaiyodo: Mini Artworks for the Modern Age

The FWMoA presents a rotating selection in this small display of Kaiyodo figurines, gifted by Terry R. Myers, in a case near the John S. and James L. Knight Learning Center. Featured are famous characters from anime and art, including imagery by Takashi Murakami (Superflat movement), Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy), and Enoki Tomohide (Pokémon). Kaiyodo has expanded their scope to include film, literature, animals, history, and even food, all celebrating the bright and bold nature of Japanese culture.

Since 1964, the Japanese toy manufacturing company Kaiyodo has produced tiny works of art. Known for their extreme detail and miniscule detachable parts, each figure is painstakingly designed, molded, and hand-painted. Unlike traditional art, Kaiyodo’s figures are found in a wide variety of everyday locations, from candy boxes to vending machines in stores, airports, museums, and zoos.