Felipe Noriega and Gurdeep Bains on why 2025 is shaping up to be a special year for YuMe

Guys, let’s kick off with a look back. How was 2024 for YuMe?
Felipe Noriega, VP & Regional Director EMEA, YuMe Toys: 2024 was really good. The market got past the issues we had after Covid. Our product range was about four times the size of our 2023 portfolio – and that’s reflected in the volume of sales we experienced last year.

What are your big focuses for 2025?
Gurdeep Bains, Global Creative Director, YuMe Toys: There’s plenty! We’ve got some exciting new additions to our anime ranges. These include brands like Haikyu, Attack on Titan, Oshi No Ko, My Hero Academia, Chainsaw Man and Jujitsu Kaisen. We’ll have different products at different price points for the IPs. These include figures, mini-figures, mystery capsules and DZNR plush.

Felipe: We’re also doing Dragon Ball, One Piece, Solo Leveling, Kaiju No.8… It’s a very expansive anime line!

Sounds busy! And is there something of an educational process when selling these to buyers? How do you help them navigate opportunities?
Felipe: We understand that some buyers are less acquainted with anime than others and therefore a familiarisation process may be necessary. We’re happy to help! Some retailers will jump on the bandwagon only after they’ve seen other specialist retailers embrace a line and succeed with it. That’s just part of the process. In terms of how we convince them? Statistics! And of course, by having the strongest brands and products in the market. And some IP, like One Piece, is now seen as a brand first and an anime second.

This year brings with it new Hero Box items – these are your larger 4” figures?
Gurdeep: Yes, Hero Box was huge in 2024 and will continue to be huge this year. We’ll have Stitch, Harry Potter, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jujutsu Kaisen… And Lotso – the bear from Toy Story 3.

Why do you think these have resonated?
Gurdeep: These collectible figurines have a distinctive style. Each one has a pose and facial expression that captures the essence of the character. There’s a lot of attention to detail. They’ve been designed for display and have a premium build quality. You can feel this the moment you hold one – it’s solid and satisfyingly weighty.

Felipe: We also expect our Squid Game range to continue to thrive this quarter. The third season is set to be huge and we’re hoping to ride that wave. And yet Squid Game was a risky bet in some ways. It’s an extremely violent show… Many buyers said they weren’t up for that. We took a risk and made enough to satisfy the initial demand. Then at Deauville Toy Show in France, many buyers that had said no started placing orders. This speaks to the power of compelling content and Netflix’s formidable, innovative marketing.

Before we wrap up, what other big products you expect to be a highlight of Toy Fair season?
Gurdeep: We’re beyond excited to unveil our Series 3 Stranger Things Upside Down Mystery Capsules, launching alongside the final season of the Netflix phenomenon later this year. We’re confident this collection will be a smash hit!

For this release, we’ve reimagined our iconic capsule design. Moving on from the 80s-style TV of earlier series, the new capsule takes the form of a walkie-talkie – a perfect homage to one of the show’s most iconic props. Not only is it instantly recognisable, but it also serves as a fun role-play item while concealing a collectible surprise.

The unboxing experience is more interactive than ever, inspired by key moments from the series. Before revealing the collectible figurine, fans get to crack a Morse code puzzle – just like the characters in the show. Decipher the clue to guess which character is inside! This turns the unboxing into an exciting, hands-on game that adds a layer of fun. The collection features all the fan-favourite characters, making it a must-have for any Stranger Things enthusiast. We’re truly excited about this one!

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