Bandai vs Funko:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Funko had more branded searches than Bandai among action figure brands worldwide. Funko had about 550,000 branded searches, while Bandai had 301,000. Funko made up 16.4% of all action figure brand searches we track, and Bandai accounted for 9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about action figure brands, Bandai appeared in two of the four answers and Funko in none.
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Top action figure brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Bandai was mentioned in two out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Funko did not appear in any of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Hot Toys4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Hasbro4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
NECA4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
McFarlane4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Bandai2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
MAFEX2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Barbie0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Funko0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about action figure brands
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which action figure brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best action figure brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best action figure brand for collectors?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“action figures”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“collectible action figures”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Bandai or Funko more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Bandai and Funko by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight action figure brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Funko, Bandai. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Barbie | Funko | Bandai | Hot Toys | Hasbro | NECA | MAFEX | McFarlane |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 59.8% | 18% | 5.4% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 2.9% | 0.72% | 1.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 54.5% | 24.3% | 6% | 6% | 4.9% | 2.7% | 0.66% | 0.99% |
| Dec 2025 | 59.8% | 21.8% | 4.4% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 2.4% | 0.72% | 1.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 55.7% | 20.4% | 6.1% | 7.5% | 5% | 2.2% | 0.82% | 2.2% |
| Feb 2026 | 58.2% | 17.5% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 2.9% | 0.71% | 1.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 61.6% | 15.1% | 6.8% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 3% | 0.75% | 1.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 62.8% | 12.6% | 6.9% | 6.9% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 0.93% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 56.2% | 16.9% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 6.2% | 2.8% | 1% | 1.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 59.2% | 14.6% | 8% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Jul 2026 | 54.9% | 13.5% | 11% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 3.3% | 0.99% | 1.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 52.2% | 15.7% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 5.7% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 1.4% |
| Sep 2026 | 54.6% | 16.4% | 9% | 9% | 6% | 2.7% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
How has the Bandai and Funko comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Funko was ahead of Bandai in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Bandai’s share of searches among action figure brands worldwide moved from 5.4% to 9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 201K to 301K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Funko’s share of searches among action figure brands worldwide moved from 18% to 16.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 673K to 550K.
How did search popularity change for action figure brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Funko gained share of searches among action figure brands worldwide, from 15.7% to 16.4%.
In September 2026, Bandai lost share of searches among action figure brands worldwide, from 10.5% to 9%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Bandai’s and Funko’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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