Will American Kids Want Some Tsum-Tsum?

Disney's new plush toy from Japan could be the next big thing stateside

By Justina Huddleston
September 2014

If there's one thing Disney's great at, it's integrating experience (whether digital or physical) with merchandise - and they just might have another hit on their hands.

The Tsum-Tsum app, available in the Disney game store, features cute, round Disney characters that fall from the sky and must be stacked, similar to Tetris.

Hoping to build off the game's popularity, Disney has also created a line of collectible plush toys, featuring the same characters that appear in the game.

Paul Candland, president of the Walt Disney Co. Japan, told Variety that "'Disney Tsum Tsum' has quickly become a phenomenon in Japan, and we are very excited about the Japan-originated franchise now going global."

The game has been downloaded 14 million times in Japan, and Disney Stores in Japan have sold more than 1.6 million of the plush toys, according to Variety.

But will the trend translate in North America?

Just as American businesses have often struggled when trying to build their brands overseas (See Barbie in China, Pampers in Japan, and Walmart in South Korea), the same could occur when the trend is traveling in the opposite direction.

Then again, Disney is an American company, and they seem to have their target audience down to a T.

The company's recent action figure/video game mashup Disney Infinity has been a huge success, earning more than $1 billion for the company in its first 10 months, according to Reuters.

What do you think? Do Tsum-Tsum have what it takes to be the next big collectible toy? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Mickey and Friends "Tsum Tsum" Mini Plush Collection Disney by DISNEY

Disney's cutest characters are cuter than ever with our "Tsum Tsum" Mini Plush Collection. Already a hit in Japan, now you can collect Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, and all their soft stackable friends in mini size! 8/29/2014 (MSRP: $4.95)