Ryan ToysReview Is This Generation’s Mickey Mouse

With a line of books, magazines, toys, a video game and fast food toy deal, get used to seeing Ryan Kaji’s face everywhere

Chris Stokel-Walker
FFWD

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Photo: Nickelodeon

It was when I was browsing the magazine section at the supermarket that I realized just how big Ryan Kaji was.

The success of the pint-sized YouTuber, who unboxes and plays with toys on his channel, Ryan ToysReview, is not breaking news. But his ubiquity is.

The magazine deal was one of the most recent examples of brand deals brokered in his name coming to fruition — but isn’t the last. Not by a long shot.

Ryan has become a brand bigger than his existence. He’s spread over (or his family has control over) seven YouTube channels with a combined 30 million subscribers. He’s starred in his own traditional TV series. He’s front and center in a new Roku channel launched earlier this month.

Ryan has a range of toys. He has endorsed oranges. Ryan also has his own toothbrush and toothpaste line, manufactured by Colgate. He has a video game — his own version of Mario Kart — coming out in November on Xbox One, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC. There are Ryan ToysReview bedsheets and notebooks.

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Chris Stokel-Walker
FFWD
Editor for

UK-based freelancer for The Guardian, The Economist, BuzzFeed News, the BBC and more. Tell me your story, or get me to write for you: stokel@gmail.com