Making his mark in the soft vinyl toy world with his signature original character "Hosuke," Taiwanese toy designer Robin Tang has recently reinterpreted Hosuke with a wealth of new elements, creating different looks that seem to share the same soul: "Baby Hosuke," "Dino-suke," and "Hosuke Boy." Robin Tang often lets cultural essences from all directions flow through him, re-presenting them with his signature "Robin-style" creativity.
Today, we're here to chat with Robin and get a behind-the-scenes look at the origin of his collaboration with us, Toy-People, on the "Hosuke Boy Toy-People Ver."!
Toy-People: What did you study in school? And what kind of work did you do before becoming a toy designer?
Robin: I graduated from Shih Chien University with a degree in Architectural Design. Before making toys, I often worked at various firms building architectural models, and later I was responsible for licensing design at a comic book studio.
Toy-People: What was the catalyst for you to become a toy designer?
Robin: After completing my military service, I started making sculptures in my spare time. Initially, I worked with resin, then spent a lot of time making adjustments, gradually switching to the materials I use now—soft vinyl and PVC—which are more aligned with toy production.
But I think the real catalyst for becoming a designer was simply my "love for toys."
Toy-People: Please share with us your very first toy creation!
Robin: This is a clay sculpture I made when I graduated from university—Luke.
Toy-People: Besides making your own toys, what kind of toys do you like the most? Have you been particularly obsessed with any new toys recently?
Robin: I love Batman. I've collected countless Batman carded figures, from the early KENNER ones to the later DC Direct releases. Recently, I've also bought a ton of Batman figures from McFarlane—action figures, motorcycles, the Batmobile, the Batwing. The quality is great and the prices are very reasonable. I can't help it, I just love them so much.
▼ You can truly see Batman toys everywhere in Robin's studio. In addition to the various action figures and vehicles mentioned above, of course, he has to get the Batman-themed LEGO sets too!
▼ "Buh-bye, 'ello, ciao!" The Iono Pokémon card, which has recently taken Japan, Taiwan, and other places by storm, is also part of Robin's collection.
▼ The studio is also filled with a large number of toys released by his peers in the industry.
Toy-People: Your relatively new creation, "Hosuke Boy," not only features the signature Hosuke but also adds an interchangeable personal "Robin head." This is a rather unique approach. Was there any memorable part of the creative process?
Robin: A big reason for creating Hosuke Boy was the desire to use the "head-swapping" feature to collaborate with different brands and artists. On one hand, it adds to the fun of the piece, and on the other, it extends the product's lifespan.
So for the first version, I just went ahead and made myself. I'm quite narcissistic, you know, and isn't it hilarious to have a chubby otaku Robin? Haha.
Toy-People: We've noticed you've recently started creating with pottery. Has this brought any new inspiration to your soft vinyl toy designs?
Robin: I've been doing pottery recently for a small solo exhibition in June. I wanted to try out new materials and techniques myself. For the past few years, I've relied heavily on 3D modeling and printing, and pottery really feels like a return to my roots. It's making me re-examine these character designs and my own handcrafting skills, which have been dormant for years.
Toy-People: How do you usually spark your creative inspiration for toys? Do you have any special rituals?
Robin: I think my biggest source of inspiration is life itself. Recent events, the PTT Gossiping board, all sorts of posts on Instagram, new series on streaming services, and so on. A ritual... if I had to name one, it would be getting enough sleep. If I have important work the next day, I'll go to bed a little earlier the night before.
▼ Speaking of life, it's inevitably filled with tons of image macros and memes that are part of our daily experience. Robin also loves to inject these instantly recognizable and fun elements into his work.
▼ In a 2021 collaboration with Taiwanese apparel brand Plain-me for an event called "Robin Tang's Purenzi Chinese Medicine Clinic," Robin released a Hosuke designed after the bronze acupuncture models commonly seen in such clinics. We believe this is the reference material right here—it's not something you'd typically see in a designer's studio! (laughs)
Toy-People: Of all the works you've created so far, which one is your favorite and why? And which one had the most memorable creative process?
Robin: My favorites are Hosuke BOY and Dino-suke, which were released last year. I feel these two are my more mature works, with a sense of refinement—trimming the fat, so to speak!
Dino-suke was a collaboration with the great PARADISE from the East District, so the design process incorporated the love for toys from both our teams. It was a piece that was slowly adjusted and developed through different concerns and ideas, which made it very memorable.
▼ Regarding this collaboration version with Toy-People, the story goes back to 2012, to the "Toy-People RODY Creation Contest!!" co-hosted by us and In-Ink Creative. Robin participated in the event back then and even won third place. Later, in 2014, Robin also submitted his Alien series works to the Toy-People website. He says it's true that he's been reading Toy-People since he was a kid! And that became the theme for this collaboration toy.
Toy-People: What kind of environment do you like to create in? Please share with everyone what your studio looks like~
Robin: I like to work in a relaxed, slightly larger, and relatively quiet space (playing music is okay).
Toy-People: What are your interests outside of creating? Give your fans a chance to get to know you better!
Robin: I like buying toys, looking at toys, watching sports broadcasts, playing the Pokémon TCG, and young female idols from Japan and Korea.
▼ Among the many Taiwanese toy designers addicted to the Pokémon TCG, Robin has a nickname: "Professor Robin"! It's not just because he pulls a lot of cards, but also because he genuinely loves Pokémon. This is evident from the Pokémon merchandise and plushies seen everywhere in his studio. The Alolan Exeggutor placed in the doorway facing the street is particularly interesting, looking as if it's actually photosynthesizing.
▼ Of course, at Professor Robin's place, you can see piles of Pokémon cards everywhere (laughs).
Toy-People: Please write down (or draw) your answer to the question, "What are toys to you?"
Robin: "Toys are like my Pensieve. They carry my thoughts and memories from every period of my life, and they also give me different inspirations and an endless stream of creativity."
Toy-People × Robin Tang Hosuke Boy Toy-People Ver. lottery information has been announced. Robin fans and Toy-People readers, be sure to act fast!
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