Chiba · 8–8 FEB 2026
Wonder Festival 2026 Winter
Glowing Star helped independent Asian creators enter one of Japan's most specialised figure-making gatherings, turning a shared dealer table into a small cross-border creator showcase.
Willstudio, Lily Shu and M.A. Boyz joined the Glowing Star-supported table.
Glowing Star coordinated the practical layer around overseas participation, including registration, table allocation, entry passes and local support.
The event gave us a close look at how original character and sculptural work is read by Japan's dedicated figure-making community.
The setting
Wonder Festival is a major Japanese gathering dedicated to figure modelling and sculpture. Held at Makuhari Messe, it brings together professional companies, independent dealers, sculptors and collectors around original figures, garage kits and character culture.
Exhibition Host · Wonder Festival · Makuhari Messe · International Exhibition Halls 1–8
Through Glowing Star's eyes
We approached Wonder Festival as a specialist market test rather than simply a sales event. The interesting question for us was how very different independent creator languages would sit inside a culture that pays close attention to sculpting, form and craft. Our role was to remove the practical friction of entering Japan so each creator could concentrate on presenting the work itself.
The creators we brought
Willstudio
Character Art & Collectibles
Brought Merodi and original character work into a highly figure-focused environment, giving us a chance to see how a softer, story-led character language connects with Japanese collectors.
Lily Shu
Independent Artist & Figure Creator
Joined the shared creator table with original sculptural work, introducing an independent Taiwanese practice to a specialist Japanese audience.
M.A. Boyz
Independent Character Artist
Brought original work from Indonesia into the same table, making the showcase a small meeting point for independent creators from different Asian markets.