The anime IP ‘BUCKET MAN’, created by filmmaker Stephen Fung, has been awarded the Rising IP Award at DesignerCon 2025, held at AsiaWorld-Expo, in recognition of its outstanding potential in creativity, technology, and cultural development.
DesignerCon first launched in California in 2005 as a gathering for toy artists, vinyl figure creators, and industry professionals. Over the past two decades, it has evolved into a global platform that bridges design, art, fashion, and culture.
Marking its 20th anniversary, DCon made its long-awaited debut in Asia this year, with Hong Kong chosen as its first stop.
“I am truly grateful to the organisers of DesignerCon and to everyone for their attention and support for ‘BUCKET MAN’. This award is a great recognition of our creative team’s efforts,” said Fung at the award presentation.
Earlier this year, Fung collaborated withMichael Lau, widely regarded as the ‘Godfather of Designer Toys’, to release a limited-edition BUCKET MAN collectible figure.
The figure broke new ground as one of the world’s first collectibles to incorporate Physical Backed Token technology, allowing ownership to be tracked on the blockchain. The launch sold out immediately, demonstrating both strong collector demand and the rising cultural significance of BUCKET MAN.
BUCKET MAN is expected to continue expanding through cross-industry collaborations spanning designer toys, fashion, and music, while placing a “strong emphasis” on developing animation and webtoons.
Fung pointed out that the character is not just an anime figure, but a creative platform.
“BUCKET MAN is more than a character. It is a bridge connecting diverse forms of art, culture, and imagination,” said Fung.
