在我小時候，日式模型玩具當道，其中超人力霸王與怪獸們的對決，是男學生們課堂間聊天的話題，有一陣子，還風行過超人力霸王的收藏卡，卡片上詳細記載了英雄的身高、體重與必殺技等資訊，雖然不知道收藏這些卡片有甚麼意義，但我還是跟風著收集了一段時間，現在來看，那時候看起來很酷的超人力霸王，在長大後則有種說不出的尷尬，沒想到，最近，超人力霸王又重新熱門起來了，各大媒體都在炒，在高雄的冬日遊樂園活動，還大肆宣傳與超人力霸王的合作，不僅打造了巨型水上氣膜裝置，也帶來了精彩的超人力霸王見面會與夜間燈光秀，因此，今年的潮流玩具展會有很多超人力霸王的看板及打卡點，也不奇怪了。
此外，我沒想到在展場還看到《Kpop 獵魔女團》的攤位，其實不是正式攤位，像是個打卡場景，並且販售一些周邊商品，由於《Kpop 獵魔女團》在全世界的火熱，連我的朋友們也都有看過影片，還推薦我去看，此外，這部影片在各式國際舞台上也獲得了認可，如拿下金球獎最佳動畫片和最佳原創歌曲，所以，周邊商品也是炙手可熱，讓眾人追捧，從公仔、吊飾、收藏擺件，到實用生活小物，如雨傘、生活隨行杯、迷你保溫瓶等，都可以見到，雖然我看過，但我不是算是粉絲，要不然真的要大出血了。
根據一千個鐵粉理論，創作者只要能累積 1,000 名死忠粉絲，並讓他們每年自願消費等值於一天工資，創作者即可獲得穩定且自主的經濟收入，我看展場內的知名或不知名的創作者都是以建立鐵粉為目標，在攤位上，近距離的與紛絲互動，是建立關係的第一步，有的攤位老闆還裝扮為動漫要角，吸引眾人目光，有些攤位老闆，則主動地展現專業度，贏得粉絲信賴，不過，更多的老闆們，只是默默地守著自己的小攤，不管怎麼說，創作者的市場是有限的，適者生存、不適者淘汰。
When I was a kid, Japanese model toys were everywhere. Battles between Ultraman and all kinds of monsters were one of the hottest topics among the boys at school. For a while, Ultraman trading cards were also incredibly popular. Each card listed the hero's height, weight, signature attacks, and other stats. Looking back, I honestly have no idea why I felt the need to collect them, but like everyone else, I jumped on the bandwagon and spent quite some time building my collection.
These days, though, those once-cool Ultraman heroes somehow feel a little... awkward to me as an adult. Still, I was surprised to see Ultraman making such a huge comeback recently. The media has been giving it a lot of attention, and even Kaohsiung's Winter Amusement Park heavily promoted its collaboration with Ultraman. They featured a giant floating inflatable display, live Ultraman meet-and-greet events, and an impressive nighttime light show. So it wasn't surprising at all to see plenty of Ultraman displays and photo spots throughout this year's designer toy expo.
I was also surprised to find a KPop Demon Hunters booth at the event. Well, it wasn't really an official booth—it was more like a themed photo spot with some merchandise for sale. Since KPop Demon Hunters has become such a worldwide hit, even several of my friends have watched it and recommended it to me. The movie has also received international recognition, winning awards like the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. Naturally, the merchandise has become incredibly popular as well. From collectible figures, keychains, and display pieces to practical everyday items like umbrellas, travel tumblers, and mini thermos bottles, there was something for every fan. I've seen the movie, but I wouldn't call myself a hardcore fan. Otherwise, I probably would have spent a small fortune there.
There's a concept called the "1,000 True Fans" theory. It suggests that if a creator can build a loyal community of just 1,000 dedicated fans, and each fan willingly spends about one day's wages every year to support them, the creator can earn a stable and independent living. Walking around the expo, it felt like both well-known and lesser-known artists were all working toward that same goal—building a loyal fan base. Meeting fans face-to-face at their booths is the first step in creating those connections. Some creators even dressed up as anime characters to grab people's attention, while others impressed visitors by showing off their expertise and passion, earning trust from potential fans. Of course, there were also plenty of booth owners who simply stayed quietly behind their tables, hoping their work would speak for itself. At the end of the day, the market for creators is limited. It's a competitive world where only those who can adapt and stand out will survive.
