In six short years, the Toycon shows have become the driving force behind some of the most creative directions in toy design in the world. It has also become an event of international scope, with designers from Nagoya to New York vying for a space to exhibit their wares. Fans from all over the globe keenly follow the show's events, so that they can be among the first to check out the latest by Toycon regulars Michael Lau, Eric So, Brothersfree, etc.

As such an important key to the development of Hong Kong art toys, we were curious to know how it all got started.

Mr. Neco Lo of the Toycon Committee was gracious enough to take an hour out of his busy schedule to brief us on the history of Toycon. Beyond supporting toy designers in his specialty toy shop Comix Box, he has consistently been the driving organizational force behind Toycon since its very beginning. Comix Box doesn't yet have a web site for us to direct you to, but when in HK make sure to stop by Mr. Lo's shop. It's in the Miramar Shopping Centre on Nathan Road in Tsim Tsa Tsui, Kowloon.

The origin of Toycon dates back to January 1996 with the formation of the Hong Kong Toy Club- a group of collectors and shop owners with a shared interest in toy collecting. In its first days, the HK Toy Club included about 10 members who were primarily into collectible and antique Japanese toys (not surprisingly, several of the original club members are noted names in the HK art toy community). Having already conducted seminars and written articles about toy collecting, the Toy Club decided that they'd like to put on their own toy show, modeled after conventions and exhibitions that were prevalent in Japan.

The first Toycon was held June 1996, and was actually called "Toy Carnival." It was primarily a venue for Club members to show off their own collections, although a few store owners (including Mr. Lo) had figures for sale at their tables. Toy Carnival was a four-day event. It was open to the public, but was primarily attended by members of the Toy ClubÑ which, in 6 short months, had jumped from 10 to over 100 members.

Due to the success of the Toy Carnival show, the Toy Club decided to hold another in August 1997. The focus of the show remained on collectible Japanese toys, and response continued to be enthusiastic. 1997 was particularly notable because it marked the first time Michael Lau and Eric So exhibited original figures in this venue, setting the stage for the Hong Kong style that was to emerge in the next few years.

By the end of 1997, response was so good that the Toy Club moved the show from the smaller venue to its present location at the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre to accommodate a larger crowd. Attendance gradually increased throughout the late nineties, but there were growing pains over the next few years. A central internal debate regarding the direction of Toy Carnival divided the members of the HK Toy Club into two parties. One group viewed the show as a venue for collectors to display their prized collections to the general public; a decidedly non-commercial event. The second camp realized the commercial potential of these regular events that attracted scores of people. Store owners enjoyed the exposure that the show provided for their shops. Also, a few Toy Club members realized that the Toy Carnival might be an ideal venue to showcase the new style of art figures that had been making appearances in a few Hong Kong Art galleries. As a result of this debate, Toycon did not appreciably grow in size or scope for the next couple of years, while the cost of operating the show rose and the quality of originally designed figures gained in popularity. By the year 2000, the future of the toy show was uncertain.

In 2001, the Toycon as it is today had emerged. The Hong Kong Toy Club evolved into the Toycon Committee, whose main focus was the production and promotion of the Toycon shows three times yearly: April Plug-In, August Toycon, and December Plug-In Xmas. By this time, Michael Lau and Eric So had become internationally renown for their figure designs, and the major designers of the movement- Lau, So, Brothersfree, Jason Siu, Toy2R, etc.- began to produce with original figure designs for each show.

2001 also marked the first participation by Medicom Toys, who produced their first series of Toycon Edition Be@rbrick figures (featuring Bearbrick designs by Michael Lau, Eric So, and others). Proceeds from the sale of these figures helped offset the costs of putting on the show, and brought even more attention to this emerging Hong Kong figure scene.

The rest, as they say, is history. Attendance for Toycon 2002 in August reached over 12,000 people. It has become a truly international event, with participation by designers from Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, United States, and others. Increased awareness of the Toycon shows is creating a different model for creative toy design and has helped develop a worldwide market for these original, collectible figures.

Toycon has been immensely important for Hong Kong toy culture as well. Generally known as a city of manufacturing for other international markets, Toycon has helped foster a growing interest in local toy collecting and design. By participating and supporting Toycon, Hong Kong collectors, retailers and designers have developed one of the most vibrant and unique scenes in the world.

Through it all, Toycon has retained its "club-like" feel, fostering the community of artists and producers that produce figures that they themselves would like to collect.