Collectibles

Small and Adorable: A Short History of Funko Mini Hikari

With so many collectibles created by Funko in the years since the company’s inception, it might be understandable if even the most devout fans might not be able to identify all of them. But one thing is for sure. From bobbleheads to ceramic mugs to those loveable Pop! vinyl figures, Funko is one of the leaders in the collectible field.

One of Funko’s more successful products has been the Hikari Sofubis. This line is patterned after custom Japanese soft vinyl figures, which were popular in 1960s Japan. The name Hikari means “light,” which explains why these highly collectible figures are bright in appearance. The Hikari Sofubi line has included characters from Transformers, Star Wars, Marvel, and even Disney. These figures were limited to anywhere from 250 to 5,000 pieces, depending on the figure. And each piece was given a numbered card to verify authenticity.

With the success of this line, it’s only natural that Funko would launch a new collectible figures spun off from Hikari Sofubi. And so was born the Mini Hikari line. These products are just what they sound like: baby versions of the Hikari Sofubi figures.

Mini Hikari from a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Darth Vader Mini Hikari

Image: Funko.com

Of course, Funko had to launch the Mini Hikari (also known as Hikari XS) with Star Wars and of course, the first figure was none other than the iconic Darth Vader. This piece was exclusive to Funko Star Wars Smuggler’s Bounty subscription box and had 6 different colorways available. With the evil Mini Hikari Darth Vader so popular (not to mention so adorable), Funko followed up with Greedo two-pack exclusives as part of Star Wars Celebration. Next was the Chopper Mini Hikari, similar to the Darth Vader it was only available as part of the Star Wars “Rebels” subscription box and came in 6 different colorways.

The Many Faces of Funko Freddy

Freddy Funko Mini Hikari

Image: FunkoFunatic.com

From there, Funko moved on to its own mascot – Freddy Funko. Limited editions of these figures were made available on Funko’s shop and four different colorways were available at Funko’s SDCC 2017 event, Funko Fundays.

Your Favorite Mouse in Hikari XS Form

Mickey Mouse Hikari XS

Image: Funko.com

Recently, Funko came up with its first non-exclusive, Mini Hikari – Mickey Mouse. This two-pack in red and black is available on Entertainment Earth. It was also announced that a limited two-pack of Mickey Mouse in red and yellow would be available at this year’s New York Comic Con as a convention exclusive.

What’s next for Funko and its line of Mini Hikari figures? Time will tell.  But one thing we’ll know for sure – they will be adorable!

Did we miss any Mini Hikari/Hikari XS? What characters would you like to see in Mini Hikari form? Let us know in the comments.

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