As we navigate into January 2026, the retail focus shifts sharply toward the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations. To commemorate the Year of the Horse, POP MART has released a flagship “All-Star” collection: the POPMART Have a Good Run Plush Pendant Blind Box. This series integrates seven of the brand’s top-tier IPs into a cohesive theme, utilizing the trending vinyl plush format to interpret the “Year of the Horse” concept. Below, we analyze the commercial potential and design intricacies of this festive release.
Series Overview
This collection represents a strategic consolidation of POP MART’s most valuable intellectual properties—SKULLPANDA, MOLLY, LABUBU, DIMOO, HIRONO, CRYBABY, and Twinkle Twinkle—into a single, high-impact release. By combining the tactile appeal of the “Vinyl Plush” material (vinyl face + plush body) with the functional “Pendant” form factor, this series targets both the collector display market and the lifestyle accessory market.
Key Design Features & Selling Points
- The “Chinese Knot” Strap: A distinct departure from standard metal chains, the suspension mechanism for this series features a braided Chinese Knot (Ping’an Knot). The color of the knot is color-matched to each specific character. This design choice explicitly conveys blessings of safety and good fortune, directly catering to New Year decoration needs and gifting scenarios.
- Dynamic Horse Motifs: Each character is clad in a themed plush “onesie” inspired by equine features. A unifying design element is the inclusion of horse ears on the hood and a long, colorful horse tail at the back or bottom. This adds dynamic movement to the figures and reinforces the 2026 zodiac theme.
Character Design Breakdown
The series includes 7 regular designs and 1 secret edition. Each character interprets the “Horse” theme through their unique aesthetic filter.
Regular Edition Lineup
- SWEET LOVE (CRYBABY): Presented in a soft pink palette. The hood features rounded bear-like ears alongside the horse motif. The design retains CRYBABY’s signature tearful makeup, evoking a touching, sweet fragility suitable for the “Sweet Love” theme.
- BRIGHT FUTURE (DIMOO): Features a high-contrast colorway of jujube red and off-white, symbolizing vitality. DIMOO’s expression is determined and focused, aligning with the “Bright Future” blessing.
- BEST DREAM (Twinkle Twinkle): Clad in bright, tender yellow. The hood is adorned with a signature sparkling star ornament, maintaining the IP’s celestial theme while fitting the festive narrative.
- SHARP WISDOM (SKULLPANDA): True to the IP’s cool aesthetic, this figure wears a cow-print (brown and white) plush suit. It features light grey hair and a chest accessory with a metallic finish, projecting a sharp, intelligent vibe.
- GOOD HEALTH (HIRONO): Utilizes a muted grey and beige mixed-texture fabric. The expression remains characteristic of Hirono—melancholic yet resilient—conveying a grounded, raw vitality associated with “Good Health.”
- HAPPY FAMILY (LABUBU): *Key Highlight*. Presented in a dreamy pale purple. The design cleverly integrates the horse ears on the hood with LABUBU’s natural pointed ears, creating a unique “four-eared” silhouette. It retains the signature serrated teeth and large expressive eyes, making it highly recognizable.
- GREAT WEALTH (MOLLY): A striking zebra-print (black and white) design. The vivid lake-blue eyes and light blonde hair create a strong visual contrast. The hood features black tassel decorations, adding a fashionable, trendy edge to the “Great Wealth” concept.
Secret Edition: RISING STAR
- Identity: SKULLPANDA.
- Design Analysis: This hidden edition employs a bold clash of red, black, and blue. The body features large areas of black spliced with primary red plush, creating a passionate yet cool artistic tension.
- Key Details: The vinyl face features heterochromatic eyes (one deep red, one with a spiral texture) and the signature star-shaped nose tip. Fiery red curly hair echoes the body color for visual impact. It is accessorized with a deep blue and red Scottish plaid scarf and metallic ornaments, delivering a distinctive British Rock style.
The Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5.0/5)
- 📈 IP Foundation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 – All-Star Lineup, Zero Filler)
- 🔥 Hype Momentum: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 – Seasonal Necessity & Vinyl Trend)
- 🎨 Craftsmanship: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5 – Mixed Material & Cultural Detailing)
- 🧩 Category Potential: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 – High Gifting & Accessory Demand)
ZebraUp’s Note:
The Have a Good Run Series Plush Pendant is a low-risk, high-reward inventory choice for the Q1 2026 season. The decision to include only top-tier “Headliner” IPs ensures that every box in the set has strong individual appeal, eliminating the “dead stock” risk often associated with lesser-known characters in a mixed series. The integration of the Chinese Knot transforms these from mere toys into cultural amulets, significantly boosting their “Gift-Ability” for the Lunar New Year. Retailers should position these not just as blind boxes, but as essential festive accessories for bags and cars.
