The Bus Stop Kubrick set, released in 2002 by Medicom Toy, is one of the earliest and most beloved examples of KAWS’ work in collectible figures. This limited-edition box set featured six Kubrick-style figures designed by KAWS, each donning a unique colorway and outfitted with the now-iconic cross-eyed, skull-faced aesthetic that would go on to define his Companion and Bendy forms. While Kubricks were already a cult favorite among designer toy collectors in Japan, KAWS’ twist brought his rebellious energy to the format—turning the minimalist blocky silhouette into something that felt branded, edgy, and unmistakably his.

The name Bus Stop refers to the fictional transit stop printed on the packaging, nodding to KAWS’ roots in subverting ads in public space. The figures themselves echo the same sense of being in transit or waiting—simple, static, but deeply stylized. For many collectors, this set is a grail: a timestamp from KAWS' early years, when street art, fashion, and toy culture were only beginning to converge into the global movement we now call hype. It wasn’t just a toy release; it was a signal that KAWS was building a world—one character and colorway at a time.