About

Fanmode is about toys, toy culture and toy fans.

Just in case you’re still in the “… but toys are for kids” mindset, let us just point out that toys for kids are still designed by talented adults, and marketed and sold by canny businessmen.

And what a business it is.

The traditional toys segment of the US toy industry boasted sales of USD22.3 billion in 2006. Of that amount, action figures and related accessories sold to the tune of USD1.3 billion.

Then there’s the whole action figure for adults segment of the market. It’s a little difficult to get statistics but the last time we checked, adults bought 20 per cent of action figures sold in the US in 2003 for themselves. Meanwhile, toys targeted at adults was a 24 billion yen market in Japan in 2006.

The money involved is substantial but Fanmode isn’t all that interested in the financial aspect of toys.

Fanmode will instead concern itself with the fun toy fans have with their toys. We celebrate the undocumented feature, the Lego MOC, the kitbash, the scratch-build and the custom paintjob. We’ll point you to the creative Photoshop’d photo, the stunning digital diorama and the amusing photocomic.

Toys are fun and creative toy fans are way cool.

Spread the word.