As Jackson has so eloquently stated in another article, “Whoever thought men in their 20's-30's would be collecting fucking figurines?” I doubt Brian Donnelly, professionally known as Kaws, would have ever guessed that would be the case when he started his career in street art in the early 1990’s. Primarily focusing on advertisements, bus stops, and billboards, he quickly gained exposure which lead to these ads to be sought after. In the years following, Kaws received an offer to create vinyl toys which did extremely well in the toy collecting community. Since then, he has reworked pop culture icons like Mickey Mouse, Peanuts, and Spongebob, collaborated with BAPE, Comme Des Garcons, Nike, Undercover, and more. So, what Kaws pieces are collectors and enthusiasts trying to get their hands on most?

1) Passing Through

Produced in a run of 500 per color (Grey, Brown, Black) in 2013, the Passing Through companion is the original but sitting in sorrow. Many people believe this was due to OriginalFake closing later that same year. Upon release, the figures were $260 USD and now average $1000 brand new.

2) Boba Fett Companion

One of the most detailed companions to date, Kaws teamed up with Star Wars to release a Boba Fett companion in 2013. This figure captures the armor worn by Boba Fett reproduced to perfection including the red and silver-green tones that make up his rugged appearance. Retailing for just $200, the companion now sells for over $4,000.

3) Astro Boy Companion

This time around, Kaws has reimagined the main character of Osamu Tezuka’s manga, Astro Boy. Even though this Companion is not as limited or expensive as the last, it's very sought after. Released in 2012, this figure retailed for just over $260 USD, you can now find them going for $4,200 on sites like toyqube.

4) No Future Companion

Released in 2009 as part of a collaboration with Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama, who specializes in illustrating erotic portrayals of “female” biomechanoid robots, this companion is a robotic reimagining of Kaws classic character. The No Future companions were made in a run of just 500 and retailed for $980 and now go for $7,000-$10,000.

5) Karimoku Companion

This Companion is the result of a collaboration between Kaws, Medicom, and Karimoku, a Japanese wooden furnishing company. Released in 2011 with only 100 ever produced, each being slightly varied due to the nature of the wood, they had the retail price of $3,000 USD. One of these figures, estimated at around $10,000, recently sold at Sothebys for over $25,000.

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