the cosplayer: Bulma
Genesis
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This Art Toy project came together through a series of spontaneous circumstances.
It all started in 2023, when I ran into my friend, the tattoo artist Ben Banzai, whom I hadn’t seen for years.
I’ve always admired his work, both as a tattooer and an illustrator. He told me he’d been following my art toy projects and proposed an exchange: he would tattoo me, and I would teach him how to sculpt. Of course, I accepted immediately.
He came to my studio, and we started some modeling lessons. To show him my process, I decided to take one of his drawings and turn it into an art toy. I chose one inspired by the character Bulma, which, though quite erotic, I had always liked for its distinctive style. We both share a huge admiration for Akira Toriyama’s work, so it felt right.
Limited Edition​
As expected, I got absorbed by the piece. As it evolved, we both realized it was turning into something special. At some point, we decided it could become a limited-edition collaboration.
​It was a complex sculpture, so thinking ahead to production, I modeled it in separate parts that could be easily 3D-scanned and assembled later.
Production
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Once the prototype was finished, we began looking for a manufacturer. I asked for quotes locally, but the available options didn’t match the quality or production standards I was aiming for.
Over the years, several Asian companies had contacted me about mass production, so after comparing all possibilities, we chose the one that best fit the project.
Meanwhile, to fund the production, we launched a Kickstarter campaign. Given the sexualized nature of the piece, we weren't sure how it would be received, but the campaign successfully reached its goal.
Since I didn't want to risk shipping the original sculpture, I handled the 3D scanning myself and refined details digitally. From there, I worked closely with the manufacturer to ensure the best possible result for the art toy, an alternate colorway that I designed and the packaging.
To avoid any potential issues related to the character’s intellectual property, we titled the piece The Cosplayer: Bulma, making it clear that it represented a girl dressed as Bulma, not the actual Bulma herself.
Legacy
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From a technical standpoint, it’s one of my favorite works, both for its level of detail and finish, and for the collaboration with Ben.
​It was also a valuable challenge, as I personally handled every aspect of the crowdfunding campaign and the full production.
