The Pop Culture Hall of Fame recognizes the iconic brands of toys and collectibles that have shaped people from their childhood and beyond. Each year, the Hall also honors the franchises or individual characters that have the most impact by inspiring those toys, collectibles, comics and movies. Lastly, we also like to honor pop culture charities that do good and spread joy where it is mostly needed. Find our 63 inductees in these categories below:
Brands and Characters of the Year
Class of 2025
Bandai
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2025
This brand seamlessly blends TV, movies, action figures, and video games to make their characters come alive.
Harry Potter
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2025
For 30 years, the Harry Potter franchise has conjured up huge box office, merchandising and of course, book sales success.
Mainzelmännchen
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2025
For over 60 years they've entertained German TV audiences just a few seconds at a time.
Minecraft
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2025
Minecraft combines logic, fun, world building, and chaotic action into one pixilated world.
Monopoly
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2025
For 90 years Monopoly has turned mundane economic principles into one of the world’s most popular games.
Second Chance Toys
Induction category:
Charity
Class of: 2025
Second Chance Toys' mission keeps plastic toys in the hands of children and out of the landfills.
SpongeBob SquarePants
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2025
Pourous and yellow and silly and eternally optimistic and an entertainment powerhouse is he!
Class of 2024
Beetle Juice
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2024
Michael Keaton's iconic Beetlejuice character returned to the big screen in 2024 with a revival of the Tim Burton franchise.
Comic Relief
Induction category:
Charity
Class of: 2024
Comic Relief has been sharing laughs and donations to great causes since its inception in 1985.
Dune
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2024
Dune continued its journey in 2024 with the next chapter in Frank Herbert's storied franchise.
Gromit
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2024
Gromit has been delighting audiences since 1989 along with his partner Wallace in motion pictures, comics and more.
Lord of the Rings
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2024
The Lord of the Rings franchise is going strong with more movies and streaming series on the way.
Optimus Prime
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2024
Optimus Prime is the fearless leader of the Autobots in one of the most successful brands to come out of the 80s.
The Smurfs
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2024
They're little, blue and one of the most successful animated franchises of all-time!
Youtooz
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2024
Youtooz has brough the internet to life via vinyl art toys since their inception in 2019.
Class of 2023
Doctor Who
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2023
For over 60 years, Doctor Who has hopped through time and across the universe saving the dayat every stop.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Induction category:
Charity
Class of: 2023
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has sent over 200 million books to kids around the world to promote literacy.
Godzilla
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2023
Sometimes the good guy, someimes the baddie, Godzilla always goes big everytime he visits Tokyo.
Nintendo
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2023
From video game systems, to arcade games, to movies and TV, Niintendo has brought joy to decades of folks who love fun.
One Piece
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2023
Eiichiro Oda's "One Piece" is the best selling manga of all time, not to mention a huge success in anime, TV and movies.
Pee-wee Herman
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2023
Pee-wee Herman's silly antics brought joy to kids and adults of all ages in the 1980s.
Class of 2022
El Chapulín Colorado
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2022
Hilariously inept, Chespirito's El Capulin Colorad is the superhero the world needs for a good laugh
Game of Thrones
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2022
George R. R. Martin's sprawling epic kept fans waiting for more whether in print on on screen.
Lego
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2022
The ultimate creative toy, for over 90 years Lego has stirrred imaginations worldwide.
MAD Magazine
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2022
MAD Magazine was the bulwark of snark for a generation of kinds and even some gronw-ups
Pop Culture Hero Coalition
Induction category:
Charity
Class of: 2022
This anti-bullying organization uses the inspiration of "the hero's journey" to teach kids that even if things are tough, you can be tougher and find the strength to make it to better days. This is our Charity for 2022.
Class of 2021
Hasbro Pulse
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2021
Getting collectors what they want in an exclusive and fun way should be the new model for everybody!
James Bond
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2021
Bond… James Bond has been saving the world for 25 movies and counting.
Magic Wheelchair
Induction category:
Charity
Class of: 2021
Magic Wheelchair turns wheelchairs into carriages, pirate ships, ponies, or whatever a kid wants to go with their Halloween or comics convention costume.
Monopoly
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2021
For almost a century, Monopoly has made real estate, taxation, and paying rent fun for the whole family.
Nu Pogodi’
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2021
The Wolf and Hare engaged in crazy antics in the iconic Soviet era cartoon series Nu Pogodi
Class of 2020
Games Done Quick
Induction category:
Charity
Class of: 2020
Games Done Quick is a video game speedrunner event that has raised millions of dollars for charities.
Hello Kitty
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2020
The overly cuddly, round feline character has been a staple of pop culture worldwide since the mid-70s and just keeps purring.
Jazwares
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2020
With a combination of familiar old brands and hot new trends, Jazwares is filling a nice gap in the toy and collectibles market.
Tetris
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2020
Tetris was one of the earliest cross-platform video game successes snd still remains popular to this day.
The Mandalorian
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2020
The wild success of The Mandalorian surprised critics and fans when it debuted on Disney+.
Class of 2019
Extra Life
Induction category:
Charity
Class of: 2019
Extra Life started as a fundraiser inspired by Victoria Enmon, who died of leukemia when she was just an adolescent. After meeting Victoria and working to raise support on her behalf, Jeromy Adams took his gaming passion and fundraising talent to start Extra Life. To date, the organization has raised more than $50 million.
Final Fantasy
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2019
Final Fantasy started as a last attempt for the fledgling studio Square to regain profitability. Ironically (and fortunately for Square) the series became a smash hit, now standing at 15 titles and sitting atop a massive influence.
Sideshow Collectibles
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2019
Sideshow began in 1994 with the goal of bringing fans closer to the series they love. With a talented team drawing from different professions including art, film, architecture and engineering, Sideshow has distinguished itself as a premier producer of incredibly detailed figures.
Star Trek
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2019
Star Trek, debuting in the mid 60's on network TV, introduced audiences to a whole new concept of science fiction. With the Original Series, The Next generation, Deep Space Nine and many films, Star Trek still influences us to this day.
Stranger Things
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2019
Stranger Things began as the passion project of relatively new producers, the brothers Matt and Ross Duffer. After Netflix took a chance on the series, Stranger Things became a smash hit. It's 80's fueled aesthetic, memorable story and cast of characters propelled the show into a lasting force.
The Joker
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2019
Over time, his motivations, costumes, seriousness and story has changed, but the Joker's impact has remained on a steady track upward to become on of the most influential comic book characters of all time.
Class of 2018
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2018
"He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" was perhaps the most popular cartoon of the 1980s. The action figures and playsets based on the adventures Skeletor, She-Ra, Beast Man, Stinkor and the rest were colossal sellers. Over thirty years after their introduction, the characters remain as popular as ever.
POPS! for Patients
Induction category:
Charity
Class of: 2018
POPS! For Patients collects and donates Funko Pop! figures to kids in hospitals to spread a little joy. Since August of 2016, they’ve donated almost 10,000 figures to kids in the U.S and other countries.
Pokémon
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2018
The Pokémon empire spans cartoons and toys as well as video and virtual games. The most popular and enduring part of the “Pocket Monster” universe is the collectible card game, which has been in circulation since the mid-1990s.
Power Rangers
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2018
Power Rangers have morphed into so many versions over the last 25 years, it’s almost hard to count all the different variations. But with each new generation comes continued popularity on TV, movies, comics and merchandising.
Tintin by Hergé
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2018
Tintin was the globetrotting, adventure-seeking, young reporter at the center of Belgian cartoonist Herge's comic books. Over the course of several decades, Tintin travelled the world and even to the moon solving mysteries and enthralling readers of all ages and languages.
Warhammer
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2018
The Warhammer series of tabletop games started in the 1980s emphasizing thoughtful, cooperative team play over competition. The series has gone from the original Warhammer Fantasy Battle’s Earth-like setting to the more recent Warhammer 40,000, with its futuristic, planet hopping storyline.
Class of 2017
G.I. Joe
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2017
G.I. Joe has been a mainstay of toys and collectibles since 1964. He made toy history by introducing the term "action figure" to the world.
Nerf
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2017
Nerf is best know for their soft foam sports toys as well as their sponge-projectile weapons.
Pixar "Cars"
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2017
Pixar's "Cars" movies have been a juggernaut for producing countless beloved collectible toys.
Transformers
Induction category:
Franchise
Class of: 2017
Transformers have been an enormous success story in toys, comics, television, and movies since the 1980s and are still as strong as ever.
Wonder Woman
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2017
Wonder Woman has been an super hero favorite for 75 years, but never more popular than in 2017.
Class of 2016
Deadpool
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2016
Despite his raunchy, viloent R-rated antics, Deadpool has become one of the most popular, bankable super heroes in the Marvel Universe.
Funko
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2016
Funko is best known for its collectible vinyl Wobblers, plush toys, and Pop! figures.
Jakks Pacific
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2016
Jakks Pacific designs and markets toys, electronics and consumer products representing hundreds of popular brands.
NECA
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2016
The National Entertainment Collectibles Association manufactures action figures and dolls of many recognizable characters.
Class of 2015
Barbie
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2015
Barbie is an iconic American doll from Mattel who helped the imaginations of girls worldwide run wild.
Mattel-WWE
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2015
Mattel continues to lead the action figure world, thanks in large part to its line of WWE figures, which annually ranks among the industry’s best sellers.
Rey from "Star Wars"
Induction category:
Character
Class of: 2015
As the anchor of the latest "Star Wars" trilogy, Rey has also been a powerhouse in toys and collectibles.
Tech Deck
Induction category:
Brand
Class of: 2015
Tech Deck rose to prominence in the '80s as a leading manufacturer of fingerboards, mini skateboards ridden by hand.
