The world's first studio of its kind, "2G TOKYO," a fusion of "Art Toys" by MEDICOM TOY, a "Gallery" by NANZUKA, and a "Concept Shop" by Motofumi "POGGY" Kogi and Daytona International, is about to celebrate its first anniversary (opened November 22, 2019) on the 2nd floor of Shibuya PARCO. For this anniversary project, we will look back at the studio's past communications, incorporating recent comments from NANZUKA owner Masashi Nanuka and P-ROOM THE WORLD's Motofumi "POGGY" Kogi. Furthermore, on November 20 (Friday), the second store, "2G OSAKA," will open on the 2nd floor of Shinsaibashi PARCO. We will also deliver information on special items commemorating the first anniversary of "2G TOKYO" and the opening of "2G OSAKA."

Shibuya PARCO, which opened in 1973 following Ikebukuro PARCO's opening in 1969, has always proposed new ideas as a hub for youth culture in Shibuya, constantly taking on new challenges. The origin of "2G TOKYO" is detailed in Motofumi "POGGY" Kogi's ongoing series in this magazine,"POGGY'S FILTER" vol.11In a joint interview with NANZUKA owner Masashi Nanuka and Medicom Toy Inc. President and CEO Tatsuhiko Akashi, it was revealed that the name "2G" was coined by Nanuka in tribute to Tsūji Masuda, who was involved in PARCO's founding. Masuda respected the talented women like Kazuko Koike (copywriter), Eiko Ishioka (art director), and Harumi Yamaguchi (illustrator) who were selected as creative directors in the 70s, even before the Equal Employment Opportunity Law was enacted.

The opening exhibition at "NANZUKA 2G," the gallery within "2G TOKYO," was the collaborative exhibition "Arsham x Sorayama" by Daniel Arsham and Hajime Sorayama (November 22, 2019 – January 19, 2020). The collaboration between Sorayama, globally renowned for his "Sexy Robot" series exploring the beauty of the human body and machines, and Arsham, who is based in New York and creates works based on the concept of "Fictional Archeology," was a symbolic pairing for "2G," which advocates for the synergistic effect of three different fields: art, toys, and fashion.

To commemorate the exhibition, Medicom Toy released the BE@RBRICK SORAYAMA x Daniel Arsham, featuring different plating and water prints on each side. POGGY also released apparel such as outerwear and hoodies using the duo's artwork. Following this, "NANZUKA 2G" hosted "HARUMI'S WINTER" by Harumi Yamaguchi x YOSHIROTTEN (January 25 – March 1, 2020) and Hajime Sorayama's "TREX" (March 14 – April 12). During Sorayama's solo exhibition, the "SORAYAMA TYRANNOSAURUS," launched at an event in Thailand, was released as a figure approximately 600mm in length, attracting significant attention.

In terms of fashion, starting with the pop-up shop "C30 presents FUTURA archive POP-UP SHOP at 2G" (November 30 – December 10, 2019), which showcased an archive of works by the global graffiti artist Futura, the store also featured a collaboration with sacai, offering a duffle coat made with toggles from scrap materials used in Haroshi's Bearbrick production. Additionally, they released "Hajime Sorayama X POGGYTHEMAN Edition 13," comprising two types of jackets and three types of coats, each in a single size, made with tweed from the French fabric manufacturer LINTON and die-cast buttons produced by the team that actually makes Sorayama's Sexy Robots, for a total of 13 limited edition pieces.

However, as you know, due to the nationwide state of emergency declared to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, PARCO announced the temporary closure of its 17 stores on April 17, halting all planned events at "2G TOKYO."

"We faced difficulties in maintaining our program due to the pandemic, which hit just as we were getting started, preventing us from holding planned exhibitions," (Nanuka).

The solo exhibition "DestinyLand" by the artist unit "MAMES" (Kenta Kawahira and chami), a culmination of their work, which was also planned by Medicom Toy at "2G" (originally scheduled for March 28 – May 6, and extended to June 30 after reopening), was also temporarily suspended. Nevertheless, they managed to sell some items online to fans seeking MAMES' art pieces, including one-of-a-kind works, and the exhibition concluded successfully. The exhibition also featured the "BUTTON" statue, a collaboration with French textile sculptor Anne Valerie Dupond, showcasing the unique worlds of French and Japanese artistry to a wider audience.

Following PARCO's reopening on June 1, "NANZUKA 2G" hosted exhibitions including Yuichi Yokoyama's "Yuichi Yokoyama Exhibition" (June 1–28), Daniel Arsham's "Relics of Kanto Through Time" (August 1–16), Haroshi's "HAROSHI FREE HYDRANT CO" (August 21–September 13), James Jarvis's "Transcendental Idealism" (September 18–October 18), and FriendsWithYou's "Little Cloud" (October 23–November 15).

"Looking back, it all went by so quickly. We are grateful to Medicom Toy, POGGY, Daytona, and PARCO for accommodating our requests. And most importantly, the fact that so many customers purchased our products, including online, despite the circumstances, has been a great encouragement for the future," (Nanuka)

"Monthly collaborations between art, art toys, and fashion in the store were a new endeavor for myself and the team, and honestly, it was challenging at first, but we're gradually finding our rhythm. It's been a year full of events, but we'll continue to do our best to provide even more enjoyment for our customers," (POGGY)

OPENERS regularly features art toys exclusively released by Medicom Toy at "2G," often introducing talented artists from around the world. Among them are "B-GIRL Down Jacket NAGAME" by artist TAKU OBATA, who is also a B-boy himself; the "ONE OF KIND BE@RBRICK 1000%" customized by Anne Valerie Dupond; and the "BE@RBRICK Keiichi Tanaami 1000%" and "BE@RBRICK Karimoku HAROSHI 400% SPECIAL" released in conjunction with solo exhibitions at "NANZUKA 2G." Furthermore, new lines such as "SMAK!," creatively directed by Kahori Hinata, the creator of MORRIS, which irregularly releases artistic Monchhichi, and "CERAMICK," manufactured by the renowned Kagoshima ceramic studio "ONE KILN," have also been unveiled at "2G."

Most recently, to commemorate the screening of the documentary film "COLETTE, MON AMOUR" (September 26 – October 8) at White Cinequinto within Shibuya PARCO, which chronicled the final days of the beloved "COLETTE" (closed after 20 years in 2017), a pop-up store was held at "2G TOKYO." Related items, such as the "BE@RBRICK AROMA ORNAMENT No.2G colette mon amour," a ceramic aroma diffuser shaped like a Bearbrick, were released, paying homage to the legendary Parisian select shop.

To celebrate "2G TOKYO's" first anniversary, Medicom Toy will release special limited-edition items. This is an excellent opportunity to acquire art toys from artists with ties to "2G," such as BE@RBRICKs of Iron Man and Mickey Mouse drawn by Hajime Sorayama, who designed the "2G" logo, and the KUBRICK 400% from FriendsWithYou (FWY), who also had a successful solo exhibition at "NANZUKA 2G."

Chogokin BE@RBRICK HAJIME SORAYAMA
Hajime Sorayama's BE@RBRICK is now available in Chogokin.
Size | Approx. 145mm height each
Price | ¥13,800 (excluding tax)

*As this is a limited quantity item, sales will end once stock is depleted.
*Chogokin is a registered trademark of Bandai.
©️ SORAYAMA
BE@RBRICK TM & ©️ 2001-2020 MEDICOM TOY CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

BE@RBRICK FUTURE MICKEY (2nd COLOR Ver.) 100% & 400% / 1000%
The 2nd COLOR Ver. of the FUTURE MICKEY BE@RBRICK, a collaboration between Hajime Sorayama and Mickey Mouse, is now available.
Size | Approx. 70mm height (100%) / 280mm (400%) / 700mm (1000%) each
Price | ¥16,000 (excluding tax) for 100% & 400% / ¥68,000 (excluding tax) for 1000%

*As this is a limited quantity item, sales will end once stock is depleted.
©️ Disney

BE@RBRICK SORAYAMA IRONMAN 100% & 400% / 1000%
Iron Man, as depicted by Hajime Sorayama, is now available as a BE@RBRICK.
Size | Approx. 70mm height (100%) / 280mm (400%) / 700mm (1000%) each
Price | ¥20,000 (excluding tax) for 100% & 400% / ¥88,000 (excluding tax) for 1000%

©️ 2020 MARVEL
BE@RBRICK TM & ©️ 2001-2020 MEDICOM TOY CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

BE@RBRICK JAVIER CALLEJA 1000%
A 1000% BE@RBRICK featuring the signature "big eyes" character motif of Spanish artist Javier Calleja is now available.
Size | Approx. 700mm height
Price | ¥58,000 (excluding tax)

©️ JAVIER CALLEJA
BE@RBRICK TM & ©️ 2001-2020 MEDICOM TOY CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Sync. FLOWER BOMBER BRONZE STATUE #3
The "FLOWER BOMBER," inspired by Banksy's graffiti, is now available as a BRONZE STATUE #3 (bronze color).
Size | Approx. 360mm length
Price | ¥600,000 (excluding tax)

©️ MMXX Full Colour Black Ltd.
Sync. TM & ©️ 2013-2020 MEDICOM TOY CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

KUBRICK 400% FriendsWithYou “Little Cloud Boy”
The iconic cloud character "Little Cloud Boy" from the Los Angeles-based art collaborative FriendsWithYou (FWY) is now available as a KUBRICK 400%.
Size | Approx. 320mm height
Price | ¥17,800 (excluding tax)

*Sold out at 2G TOKYO
KUBRICK TM & ©️ 2000-2020 MEDICOM TOY CORPORATION. All rights reserved.
©️ FriendsWithYou

Nathalie Lété The Blue / The Red Lucky Cat Teapot
Paris-based artist Nathalie Lété's one-of-a-kind ceramic works, inspired by cats, have been redesigned for practical use as teapots and commercialized.
Size | Approx. 230mm height each
Price | ¥38,000 (excluding tax) each
Manufacturer | Densagama

And on November 20 (Friday), the second store, "2G OSAKA," will finally open on the 2nd floor of Shinsaibashi PARCO. In addition to the "2G TOKYO" first-anniversary special items, "2G OSAKA" will also feature its own unique products.

Inside the store, artworks by artists represented by NANZUKA will be exhibited and rotated approximately every two months. The first exhibition will feature Hajime Sorayama's signature work, "Sexy Robot_infiniti floating."

"Due to space constraints, Nanzuka cannot have a dedicated gallery space at "2G OSAKA." Therefore, the key challenge will be how to effectively present iconic works. We are aiming for a gap in the best sense of the word," (Nanuka)

For the opening, the entire top floor event hall of Shinsaibashi PARCO has been transformed for "JP Pop Underground," the final chapter following "Tokyo Pop Underground" (which toured galleries in NY and LA last year) and "Global Pop Underground" (held at Shibuya PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO in June). Under the art direction of Yoshirotten's YAR, the exhibition will realize the immersive installation plan originally envisioned for New York, while also featuring Sorayama's 7-meter-tall Sexy Robot, which was displayed outdoors in Shibuya, installed inside the building.

"While I may be biased, I expect this to be a magnificent exhibition that allows visitors to experience the depths of Japanese post-war underground art. At 2G, we will be unveiling a special Sorayama piece, but the details will remain a secret until the day of the opening. We are also planning future collaborations with local artist Teruyoshi Mishima for public spaces. Although I'm based in Tokyo, I hope to pursue unique initiatives in Osaka with PARCO. We look forward to your continued support," (Nanuka)

POGGY's P-ROOM THE WORLD will offer "2G OSAKA" T-shirts featuring a gold "2G" logo, exclusive to Osaka.

2G BIG LOGO TEE (2G OSAKA Exclusive)
Price | ¥5,800 (excluding tax) each

2G BIG LOGO L/S TEE (2G OSAKA Exclusive)
Price | ¥7,800 (excluding tax) each

"Although it's a compact store, I understand that personalized customer service is crucial in Osaka, so I introduced THE GROUND depot., a select shop in Minami-Horie, as our store staff. Please look forward to the products," (POGGY)

With two stores, "2G" in TOKYO and OSAKA, anticipation is growing for further collaborations with global artists that transcend boundaries.

"Although the current situation worldwide is challenging, we still hope to realize our initial plan of opening stores overseas someday," (POGGY)