Do you have a friend who is absolutely crazy about a single series or character? In Taiwan, there's a toy designer who is so obsessed with Batman that he even named his own brand after Batman's sidekick, "Robin". This time, we at the Toy-People editorial team have partnered with "Yahoo! Auctions", Taiwan's NO.1 auction platform with a vast array of items, to introduce you to "Robin Tang" from a toy collector's perspective. We also invited him to share his experiences of treasure hunting for great finds and other interesting stories on Yahoo! Auctions.
About Robin Tang
The mastermind behind the brand Robin Tang Antics, Robin Tang is one of Taiwan's most popular front-line toy designers. Besides capturing the hearts of many toy collectors with his signature original character, the three-eyed alien "Hosuke", he has recently infused rich new elements to reinterpret Hosuke, creating works like "Baby Hosuke", "Dinosuke", and "Hosuke Boy"—different in appearance but sharing the same soul. 2023 also marks the 10th anniversary of his toy brand, Robin Tang Antics. Not just a designer, Robin Tang is also a toy collector, a Batman fanatic, and a Pokémon card enthusiast. In the world of Pokémon cards, he's even known by the nickname "Dr. Daluo".
As a toy designer, Robin Tang frequently travels to Japan, Hong Kong, and Thailand for various toy conventions. Besides showcasing his own work, the most important item on his to-do list is undoubtedly visiting local toy stores. Due to scheduling, he often has more time in Japan, allowing him to embark on one treasure-hunting adventure after another. However, compared to Japanese-style toy shops, Robin Tang has a stronger preference for American-style ones, often bringing back Batman toys he has loved since childhood. His absolute favorites are the vintage carded figures, full of retro charm and from an era that matches his own age.
In addition to treasure hunting in various physical toy stores, Robin Tang has also acquired many of his 1992–1994 Batman carded figures one by one from auction sites. Just like scrolling page after page on Yahoo! Auctions, sifting through rows and rows of second-hand and auction items to find that one coveted toy—this is surely a rite of passage for every collector who has fallen down the rabbit hole!
Beyond vintage toys and old carded figures from various brands, the Batman-themed works released in recent years by the American toy company McFarlane Toys are a particular favorite of Robin Tang's! From action figures and vehicles like the Batmobile & Batcycle, to even the Batcave playset, he welcomes them all with open arms (and an open wallet)! Accidentally ending up with multiple sets due to duplicate pre-orders is a common occurrence for him. The classic vintage toys from the "Batman: The Animated Series" line by DC Collectibles and Batman-themed LEGO sets also fall squarely within his collecting scope.
Not only is he captivated by the masked crime-fighter Batman, but Robin Tang also has zero resistance to all kinds of Pokémon. The mountain of Pokémon cards on his desk traces back to the November 2020 release of "Shiny Star V". "Shiny Star V" was the first High Class Pack released for the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) Sword & Shield series, and the "Shiny" in its name refers to Shiny Pokémon. It was from this point that Robin Tang and a group of fellow Taiwanese toy designers plunged into this deep pit, one arguably larger than the Great Crater of Paldea. They started by buying pack by pack at convenience stores, eventually moving on to buying box by box, diving headfirst into the card battles and collecting that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.
Organizing cards into binders by number is a mandatory to-do item for Robin Tang whenever a new Pokémon TCG set is released. And when it comes to collecting special versions or different styles of foil cards, his fellow Trainer friends all pitch in to help and trade, fully embodying the original spirit of a trading card game. Of course, heading to online auctions to hunt for treasures, participate in online digs, and join bids on Yahoo! Auctions is also an essential part of the process! For example, the "Yu Nagaba Charizard Box" is a limited-edition gem he acquired from a Japanese auction!
(P.S. Yahoo! Auctions now offers a Japanese proxy buying service so you can get great items from Japan!)
When it comes to his favorite Pokémon, Robin has a definitive answer in mind. It's not Pikachu, Charizard, Blastoise, or other first-generation Pokémon, but "Dragapult", which debuted in the eighth generation's "Pokémon Sword & Shield". For cards alone, he has collected a dazzling array of multiple copies and shiny versions, and even owns the oversized international version of the card, clearly demonstrating his love for Dragapult. (On a side note, Robin Tang's second favorite Pokémon is Alolan Exeggutor)!
Because of the Pokémon TCG, Robin Tang has become even more invested in the mobile game Pokémon GO. He never misses events like "Community Day", where specific Pokémon appear in large numbers, or special celebrations like Pokémon GO Fest. On those days, his studio, tucked away in an alley in the Minsheng Community, transforms into a Pokémon Center where numerous Trainers gather. At the same time, he also got into his first Nintendo Switch video game, "Pokémon Scarlet & Violet".
Throughout Robin Tang's collecting journey, as his preferences change, toys and cards come and go with time and the competitive environment. He especially enjoys participating in Pokémon card auctions! And when "Yahoo! Auctions" was mentioned, Robin Tang shared a very interesting memory: "In college, I got into the trend of film cameras and bought a few on Yahoo! Auctions. One time, I was even in a bidding war! Right before the auction ended, I realized my competitor was a classmate, so I let him have it, haha." What a kind-hearted person (laughs)!
In this collaboration between Toy-People and "Yahoo! Auctions", we have specially selected two items from each of the three categories—American Toys, Trading Card Games, and Video Games—hoping to treasure hunt with more toy collectors and build our own collection domains together!
▼American Toys:
Left) KENNER Batman ➔ Bid Now
Right) SUPER7 Leonardo (Cartoon Ver.) ➔ Bid Now
▼Trading Card Games:
Left) Pokémon TCG Expansion Pack - Obsidian Flames ➔ Bid Now
Right) ONE PIECE Card Game Ultimate Deck ➔ Bid Now
▼Video Games:
Left) Switch Pokémon Scarlet & Violet ➔ Bid Now
Right) Switch Pikmin 4 ➔ Bid Now
In addition to being a marketplace for shops to list products and a platform for buying and selling second-hand goods, "Yahoo! Auctions" is also a bidding platform where you can enjoy the thrilling experience of auctions starting from just one dollar. Of course, all these transaction features require a secure environment to give users peace of mind and keep them shopping. Yahoo! Auctions has an "escrow" service, implementing a healthy process where payment is released only after the item is received, which better ensures the safety of the purchasing process. If seeing Robin Tang's collection has got your collector's itch tingling, head over to "Yahoo! Auctions" with its rich variety of collectibles and start browsing now.
For this special feature collaboration between Toy-People and "Yahoo! Auctions", we've of course got some great deals for all you toy collectors! "Yahoo! Auctions [Celebrating 22nd Anniversary] The Multiverse of Auctions! Bestsellers up to 50% off ~ Open a treasure chest every day! Win a trip for two to Japan or Korea". Don't miss out, fellow toy collectors!
>> Go Now: Yahoo! Auctions [Celebrating 22nd Anniversary] The Multiverse of Auctions!