Sofubi, the hollow soft vinyl format, is having a clear renaissance in 2026. Bandai opened pre-orders for four new sofubi figures, including two Ultraman Tiga 30th anniversary pieces, while PLEX revived the retro Godzilla mini sofubi line with hand-sprayed Showa-era colors. The format endures because slush casting in copper molds produces figures that are light, tactile, and slightly flexible, qualities no injection-molded plastic can match. This guide explains what sofubi is, how it is made, and why collectors keep coming back to it.

What Sofubi Is

Sofubi is short for soft vinyl, a format produced by slush casting. Liquid PVC plastisol is poured into a heated copper mold, the mold is rotated so the material gels against the walls, and the excess is poured out, leaving a hollow shell. The result is a figure that is warm to the touch, lightweight, and slightly squeezable.

This tactile quality is the core of sofubi’s appeal. A rigid plastic figure feels manufactured; a sofubi figure feels alive. BaiChaoHui uses sofubi for pieces where the in-hand feel matters as much as the look, because the material turns a collectible into something you instinctively want to hold.

The Tiga 30th Anniversary Sofubi Slate

Bandai’s current sofubi line shows how the format handles legacy franchises. The Ultraman Tiga 30th anniversary releases include the Ultra Hero Series 128 Glitter Tiga Fighting Pose ver. and the Ultra Kaiju Series 256 Kyrieloid II, both priced at 990 yen and released September 5, 2026. Two more follow on September 19: the Ultra Hero Series 129 Ultraman Zero Zero Twin Sword ver. at 1,100 yen and the Ultra Kaiju Series 257 Baderoba at 990 yen.

These are entry-level sofubi in Bandai’s long-running Ultra Hero and Ultra Kaiju series. Their modest price and simple articulation keep the format accessible, which is exactly how sofubi built its devoted following. Collectors can own a piece of Tiga’s 30th anniversary without the cost of a premium resin statue.

Retro Color: The Hand-Sprayed Revival

PLEX’s Godzilla Mini Sofubi Chronicle Retro Color Collection 2, due in November 2026, represents the nostalgic side of the sofubi renaissance. The series reproduces the warm, hand-sprayed paint application of Showa-era soft vinyl, deliberately embracing an imperfect, handmade finish. A dozen characters appear, from Godzilla in 1962 green and 1968 brown to Mechagodzilla, Mothra larva, and Baragon, each around four centimeters tall and sold in blind-box singles or twelve-box cases.

The appeal is authenticity. Retro color sofubi trades on memory, evoking the monster toys of childhood, and the visible hand-work signals craft in an era of uniform mass production. This is the same emotional register that retro gaming and vintage audio tap into.

How Sofubi Is Made: Copper Molds and Slush Casting

The sofubi process is slow and specialized, which is why it is rarely used for mass-market toys.

1. Copper mold electroforming: A master sculpt is plated with copper in an electroforming bath over several days, creating a rigid mold that withstands repeated heating.
2. Preheating: The copper mold is heated to around 180 degrees Celsius.
3. Pouring plastisol: Liquid PVC plastisol is poured into the mold.
4. Rotating and gelling: The sealed mold is rotated so the plastisol gels against the walls, building a shell.
5. Pouring out and demolding: Excess liquid is poured out, and the warm, flexible figure is removed by hand.

Wall thickness depends on temperature, rotation time, and plastisol viscosity, so experienced operators adjust by feel. This hands-on element is why sofubi production runs are typically limited.

Finishing: Trimming, Painting, and Assembly

Fresh sofubi has flash, seam lines, and pour-spout residue. Workers trim and sand these by hand. Painting uses copper masks for spray colors, pad printing for logos, and hand painting for faces and fine accents. BaiChaoHui Zombie Party sofubi figures combine spray-painted base colors with hand-painted expressions, which gives each piece its dark-cute character.

FAQs

Bottom Line

Sofubi endures because no other format feels quite like it. From Tiga’s 30th anniversary to retro Godzilla colorways, the hollow soft vinyl figure keeps winning collectors with its warmth and tactility. For sofubi-quality pieces with character-driven design, visit BaiChaoHui.