Retail Price: Approx $98
Edition Size: 500

Released in 2008, the JPP figure is based on “Pipo-kun,” a widely recognized mascot used by Japanese metro police to promote public safety and youth outreach. KAWS reinterpreted the character in his signature style, replacing the original mascot’s eyes with Xs, exaggerating the head and body proportions, and adding a minimalist matte finish that reflects his clean design language. The figure was produced by Medicom Toy and came in two main colorways: black and yellow, each featuring oversized ears, a cheerful expression, and an approachable, cartoon-like form that softened its origin as a law enforcement symbol.

With a retail price of approximately $98 and a limited run of just 500 pieces, JPP quickly became a sleeper hit in KAWS’s early vinyl catalog. Its obscurity outside Japan and deeper cultural roots made it less mainstream than his Companion or Chum figures, but collectors familiar with designer toys and global mascots consider it a hidden gem. The piece stands as a sharp example of how KAWS borrowed from public iconography and recast it into art objects with universal appeal, blurring the line between mascot, sculpture, and subversion.

RESOURCES:

• KAWS JPP by Medicom Toy — Hypebeast

• KAWS — JPP (Black), 2008 — Toy Tokyo

• KAWS JPP Vinyl Figure Yellow — Archives Gallery

• JPP (Black), 2008 — Artsy

• JPP (Black) — Product page — 1stDibs