SpongeBob Meets Pop Mart: Bikini Bottom Plushies Unboxed
Yes, it’s really eight plushies, not six! Pop Mart quietly tucked two identical “twin” chase variants into the Bikini Bottom Buddies – Whimsical Plush wave. Here’s the low-down.
Move over Funko, a new toy tide has swept into market.
Pop Mart’s deep-dive partnership with SpongeBob SquarePants has revealed itself as more than just another nostalgia play. From Labubu crossover figurines to a diorama that would make Squidward weep, Pop Mart’s Bikini Bottom drops have turned childhood cartoon moments into must-have mini art. It’s lore-building, one rare secret figure at a time.
Now, the company is plunging back into the SpongeBob universe with a surprise deep-cut release: the “Bikini Bottom Buddies – Whimsical Plush” blind-box line, scheduled to hit Pop Mart web-stores, Robo-shops and partner retailers worldwide on 16 May 2025. Instead of the usual main-cast icons, the six-piece set spotlights the show’s quirky background fish—each rendered as a super-soft plush pendant and tucked into Pop Mart’s recycled cardboard sleeves. Local drop times will follow regional store schedules, so collectors are being urged to watch their nearest Pop Mart social feeds for exact go-live windows.
Where to Buy Pop Mart × GONG SpongeBob Plushies 🧽
Release date: May 16, 2025 (check local Pop Mart channels for drop times)
Format: Whimsical Plush ➡️ blind-box style (you won’t know which fish you pulled)
Collab stack: POP MART × GONG × Nickelodeon (“SpongeBob SquarePants”) — logos on all promo art
Confirmed characters (6): Cool Fish, Dopey Fish, Dazed Fish, Flat Fish, Working Fish, Limp Fish
Official hashtags: #POPMART #BikiniBottom #ArtToy #BlindBox
Why Pop Mart’s SpongeBob Plush Line Is Poised to Be a Hit in 2025 🚀
SpongeBob nostalgia meets street-style plush — pastel palette + clean stitching
Deep-cut character selection – Pop Mart skips the main cast for iconic background fish, scoring nostalgia points with long-time Nickelodeon fans and collectors who “have plenty of SpongeBobs already.”
Plush + Blind-box hybrid – Continues Pop Mart’s push into soft-goods while retaining the thrill of mystery pulls.
Built-in bag-charm loop → clip to tote, backpack, or belt chain for instant “fit” flex.
Cross-platform hype – 37K views on the reveal tweet within 48 hours; IG teaser hit Pop Mart’s top-10 engagement posts for May.