Circle K Sunkus

If you’re just stepping into the world of collecting Japanese variant covers, let me tell you, Circle K Sunkus has a sort of legendary aura. Under this iconic “label”, some of the most mythical variants ever made came to life: mega rare, crazy expensive, and the stuff of dreams for both seasoned collectors and eager newbies alike. But first, a little history…

Circle K Sunkus was a company that managed a chain of convenience stores (konbini) in Japan. Originally they were 2 separate entities:

• CIRCLE K: established its first store in Japan in 1980 as an alliance between a Japanese company (UNY) and an American corporation
• SUNKUS: also opened in 1980, managed by a different group

They officially merged in 2004, giving life to Circle K Sunkus. Unfortunately, the company was absorbed by Family Mart (a competitor convenience store chain) in 2016, and all the stores were rebranded. End of the sad story…

but not for us collectors! Before its farewell, Circle K Sunkus had already made its mark as THE go-to konbini chain for “collectible toys” (their countless series of mini-cars in blind boxes were super famous). And through the years, they managed to drop 14 variant covers that made history. It’s not just nostalgia for a brand that’s long gone—the covers are absolutely mind-blowing, and trying to collect all the set has become one of the toughest achievements you can ever imagine