Wonder Festival 2025 Ignites Shanghai with Creativity and Passion for Figures

At 7:30am on October 2, two hours before the gates opened for Wonder Festival 2025 – one of the world's largest figure and model exhibitions – enthusiast Li Li had already arrived at the queue outside the Shanghai New International Expo Center.

Next to him, VIP ticket holders were lining up for early entry. "It's extremely hard to get VIP tickets," Li said. "Some fans start queuing at midnight just to grab limited editions."

Held from October 2 to 3 and organized by Bilibili, the festival brought together more than 400 brands and 2,000 independent creators, showcasing over 100,000 exhibits. Tickets for the first day sold out within four minutes, and more than 120,000 visitors attended the two-day event.

This year's festival saw significant growth – brand exhibitors and creators increased by 33 percent and 11 percent respectively. A record 62 intellectual properties (IPs) joined the lineup, including new collaborations with Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Berserk, and Crayon Shin-chan. Classic favorites such as Hatsune Miku, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ultraman, and Fate returned with renewed appeal.

Japanese figure brand Alter made its festival debut, while Furyu and Kojima Productions drew crowds with exclusive exhibits. Kojima Productions also unveiled unreleased figures from its upcoming title Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Over a dozen signing events and live talks gave fans the chance to meet their favorite creators in person.

Inside the halls, nearly everyone carried bags full of collectibles – some even pushed carts. "I came to buy a few for my friends, but ended up getting some for myself too," said Qu from Ningbo to Jiefang Daily. For many, the Wonder Festival has become an annual pilgrimage rather than just a shopping trip.

Among the standout booths was One-up Museum, run by Bilibili influencer and long-time collector Tong, who showcased his original figure "Arcade Hero" – a superhero version of himself.

"My love for figures started in kindergarten," he recalled. "My father spent 40 yuan (US$5.6) – half a month's salary – to buy my first Transformer. That memory shaped my life." After a decade working in the gaming industry, Tong quit his job to become a full-time content creator, producing videos about toy unboxing and culture. His book "One-up Museum" became a bestseller, attracting not just toy fans but general readers. "Only 30 percent of my buyers are from Bilibili," he said. "It means our passion is reaching beyond the circle."

Younger creators are also making waves. Bilibili creator Naomi brought three original figures to the show, drawing long queues for photos and autographs. Her new piece, Nagisa Kaworu: Wing Version from Evangelion, took nearly a year to complete – and all 200 limited copies sold out on the first day.

"Every figure is like a child to me," Naomi said. "Wonder Festival is where they meet their new families."

China's own creative trends were in the spotlight. Figures inspired by Chinese folklore – such as the Monkey King, Nezha, and Lady White Snake – took on innovative designs blending sculpture and fine art. Other studios exhibited large, lifelike dinosaur and crocodile models, some crafted by artists who now work in film special effects. "These are no longer toys," one visitor said. "They're sculptures."

The love for figures filled every corner of the exhibition. "Figures have gone beyond a hobby – they're part of my life. Without them, the day feels incomplete," said Tong.

He still remembers a moment in a Japanese model shop: "A man in his 60s and a boy under 10 were racing miniature cars. The boy won, but the man jumped in joy. That's my dream of the model world – people gathering out of pure love, crossing age and identity just to play together."