MG Toys and Collectibles Founder on the Rise of Art Toys to High Art
The obsession with urban vinyl—also called designer plush, designer toys, or art toys—came gradually, and then all at once. These days, art toys have entered the mainstream, offering artists more creative opportunities and the public access to a different kind of art form.
As the demand grows, so do the opportunities. MG Toys and Collectibles Founder Michael “Mike” De Guzman himself saw this happening before all the hype even came about. He started collecting action figures, art toys, and such before it became a multi-million-peso industry.
Over the years, the pieces he bought started adding up. “Tinatago ko pa ‘yung collection ko noong una sa misis ko,” he recalls. “Pero siyempre, lumalaki. Kinuntsaba ko pa nga ang anak ko noong una na, ‘Sabihin mo sa Mama mo, sa’yo ‘yan.’ Sasabihin niya, ‘dati na ‘yan mommy!’”
Paintings from De Guzman’s personal collection, including ones from Demi Padua and Jade Suayan.
In Singapore, he worked in banking for a decade but ultimately decided to pursue his passion for collectibles more seriously. There, he began cultivating a vision for a business dedicated to his love for pop culture and collectibles. “May vision kasi ako: gusto kong makita kung paano mag-expand ‘yung collectibles market. So sumugal ako,” he says.
Eventually, he entered the secondary collectibles market as an online seller. “Nagsimula kami sa maliliit na statues lang. Dati, sa akin, puwede na ‘yon. Kahit makakuha ako ng P30,000 a month, puwede na. Hanggang sa lumaki na at nagkaroon na ng mga clients,” he continues.
He found the right partner and distributor in Malaysia, who then connected him with manufacturers in China. “As a startup business, I did everything from scratch,” he explains. “Dati, kapag walang benta, mababaliw ka na lang. Pero kung hindi mo talaga passion, kung gumaya ka lang, mamamatay agad business mo. Sa case ko, nanggagaling pa ako sa Valenzuela papunta sa Pasay araw-araw. Tyinaga ko ‘yon until nakakita ng results.”
Turning Passion to Profit
What began as an online store in July 2020 now has a physical shop at Parqal Mall, Aseana City in Pasay. MG Toys and Collectibles opened to the public in February 2024. (De Guzman proudly notes that he is one of only two Filipino owners with their own space in the integrated community, the other being Joel Torre.) Within a year, the shop has seen its sales skyrocket, attracting celebrity enthusiasts and even local politicians. These individuals grew up on comic books, ’80s blockbuster cinema, anime, and the endlessly enduring franchises that make up much of our pop consciousness today.
The process for transactions is pretty simple. They set an appointment with him, and he recommends some limited-edition releases to adorn their offices and mancaves, and as soon as the pre-order fees are taken care of, they’re all happy campers. Of course, these lovely kids with their parents and couples (specifically, boyfriends and husbands who, like De Guzman, opt to hide their collections from their partners. “Patago ang pagbili e!” he quips) coming in brings De Guzman just as much pleasure, we’re sure. “Siyempre, inaalagaan namin ang brand kapag dating sa offerings. Mga customers ko, personal referrals lang, hanggang sa na-bridge na at dumating na sa mga big clients, kumbaga.”
These collectibles cater to a particular segment: the “kidults”—adults with the serious financial capacity to indulge in childlike hobbies. A decade or two ago, the notion of having a collector’s market solely for “toys” was unthinkable. But in recent years, it has proven to be more than just a passing trend.
There’s nothing silly about a P10-million Hulkbuster that De Guzman once sold to a not-to-be-disclosed leading man, nor is there anything trivial about the P4 million in monthly revenue the shop generates. This market has reshaped collecting culture, elevating what was once considered children’s toys to the same space as high-end contemporary art.
“Tingin ko kasi sa kanila (collectibles), art. Hindi basta-basta na laruan lang. Na-elevate na sa hilera ng high art,” De Guzman observes. “May demand, lumago na ang market at popularity. Gumanda ang materials na ginagamit ng manufacturers—dati, puro cheap plastic lang. Lalaki pa ito from here. Ang value ng limited-edition items pa lang, lumolobo agad within a few months.”
There’s a persistent callback to childhood among his patrons, something that he sees in himself. “Bumabalik ka sa pagkabata. ‘Yung nostalgia factor na kinalakihan mo. Sa totoo lang, nakakabata e,” he points out. Collecting such toys exists in a unique cultural intersection: a mix of cartoon humor, fanatic eccentricities, pop culture resonance, and high-brow art collecting.
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