Takeuchi and I met last Sunday at Cafe Zenon in Kichijoji to talk about all things Skull Toys.

A: When did you start making toys?
T: I started making toys 5 or 6 years ago.
A: Your first toy…
T: The first toy I bought?
A: Sure.  What was the first toy you bought as a child?
T: The first toy I bought was…when I was a child, I liked toys like Zoids.  As far as the first toy I made, it was this (Dokurocks Suit).
A: What color was the first one?
T: Pink, no paint.  I released it at a character convention that’s no longer around.
A: Why did you start making toys?
T: Of course, I like toys.  Absolutely.  Before, I did a lot of illustrating.  I stopped for a while, but I picked it back up again around the time I started making toys.  I started drawing again, and wanted to design my own toys.
A: What was your inspiration to start making toys?
T: Well, there were all these events that had exclusive items, but I could never buy them.  People would arrive early in the morning and buy everything I wanted.  So I decided to make my own toys that I liked.  If I made them myself, then I wouldn’t have to worry about them selling out.
A: Why did you choose the name Skull Toys?
T: Simply because my main motif is skulls.
A: That makes sense.
T: But why skulls…I think just because they’re cool (laughs).
A: What non-Skull Toys, skull toys do you have?
T: I don’t really collect toys with skulls.  I just like the look of illustrated skulls.

A: What kind of art do you like?
T: I like Art Nouveau.  Alphonse Mucha, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec…that style.
A: Would you say that Art Nouveau influenced Skull Toys’ style?
T: Yeah.
A: What toy makers do you like?
T: RealxHead is great.  T9G…hmm, who else… Ofcourse I also like old kaiju toys.
A: Do you collect any?
T: They’re too expensive.
A: How did you start selling toys abroad?
T: At the very first event I sold toys at, Super 7 approached me and offered to sell my toys.
A: Wait, when was this?
T: My very first event.
A: Wow, that’s lucky.
T: (laughs) Lucky, very lucky.
A: Have you been to any US toy shows?
T: I’ve had items at SDCC two or three times.  Actually, this year will be my first time to attend a toy show in the US.  SDCC.  RealxHead, Uamou, Datadub, and Pop Soda are all going.
A: Should be fun.
T: (laughs) Yeah.

A: In your opinion, for your Dokurocks Suits, which body is better: Henshin Cyborg or Obitsu?
T: That’s difficult.  Henshin Cyborg bodies are difficult to get, but Obitsu bodies can be ordered immediately.  But for collectors, they of course want Cyborg bodies.  I think both look good with my suits (laughs).
A: Why did you choose to start making suits?
T: When Henshin Cyborg rereleased the King Walder, I really liked it.  I liked the way it looked.  The old Henshin Cyborg suits were too expensive, so I decided to make my own.
A: Are there any challenges to making suits instead of a toy entirely of your own design?
T: Both are difficult.  Since I only make the suit, not the body, collectors have to find the best body on their own, and that’s difficult.  If I could also make the body, that would be best.
A: What was your first Skull Toys custom?
T: My first custom was a Pop Soda Many Mey.
A: I’m from Texas, and we have a lot of Mexican folk art.  The skulls in your customs seem similar in style.  Is Mexican folk art an influence of yours?
T: I think Mexican folk art is a lot like Pop Art.  The colors, the drawing style…in my customs, I use a similar palette of very few colors.  Black and white mostly.
A: About how many different customs have you made?
T: I can’t remember them all.
A: In general.
T: I’ve customized about 20 different sculpts, but I can’t remember how many of each.
A: What’s your favorite sculpt to customize?
T: Definitely Many Mey.
A: What’s your favorite Skull Toys toy?
T: My favorite toy…I like them all, but I think this one is my favorite (Doku N Roll).  I like it a lot, but it’s not very popular (laughs).
A: What’s your most popular toy?
T: My most popular toy is probably Skull Rex.  Skull Rex was really popular.  Exohead is really popular, so that’s probably why.

A: Do you do your own sculpting?
T: Yes I do.
A: What do you use?  Sculpey, wax…
T: Now I use Sculpey.  I do the entire sculpt.  I paint the toys by hand, too.
A: None of your toys are factory painted?
T: No factory paint.
A: How about a mask?
T: Usually with a brush or airbrush.
A: How about the front of the Doku N Roll.
T: Ah, yeah, that was a mask.
A: Your collaborations with RealxHead have been amazing.  What do you two have planned next?
T: Various things (laughs).
A: How about from you?  What can we expect from Skull Toys soon?
T: If I have time, a standard sized figure.  After that, the next suit.
A: I think that’s it.  Thank you very much.
T: Thank you.

Photographs by the talented Ellen Chou.

Thank you to Ellen Chou, and Takeuchi Yu.  A big thank you to Seko Toshiaki for his awesome proofreading.

The following is a transcription of the recorded interview.