Once being confined to those in their 20s who still like to play with things like toys, the “Kidult” market is expanding to include middle-aged people in their 30s and 40s.
Kidult is a word coined by combining two different words—kids and adults. It means a consumer preference toward nostalgia-inspiring products and services such as toys that one played with in childhood.
As sci-fi and hero movies such as the Avengers: Age of Ultron and Jurassic World gain popularity, the demand for plastic models, figures, and character products is picking up.
According to Internet shopping site Auction on July 9, the sales of plastic models, figures, and character goods during the period from January 1 to July 7 this year jumped by 156 percent compared to a year ago.
If breaking down the buyers into age group, the people in their 40s accounted for the largest share of 43 percent, followed by those in their 30s with 42 percent and 20-somethings with 7 percent.
