Bandai vs MAFEX:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Bandai had more branded searches than MAFEX among action figure brands worldwide. Bandai had about 301,000 branded searches, while MAFEX had 40,500. Bandai made up 9% of all action figure brand searches we track, and MAFEX accounted for 1.2%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about action figure brands, Bandai and MAFEX each appeared in two of the four answers. Bandai was mentioned before MAFEX in two out of three answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Bandai, about 7 searches for every 1 for MAFEX
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 2 of 4 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Bandai, named ahead of MAFEX in 2 of 3 answers
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Top action figure brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Bandai and MAFEX were each mentioned in two out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Bandai was listed before MAFEX in two out of three answers that named either.
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 MAFEX more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Bandai and MAFEX 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 Bandai, MAFEX. 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 MAFEX comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Bandai was ahead of MAFEX 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, MAFEX’s share of searches among action figure brands worldwide moved from 0.72% to 1.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 27.1K to 40.5K.
How did search popularity change for action figure brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Bandai lost share of searches among action figure brands worldwide, from 10.5% to 9%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for MAFEX worldwide rose 49.4% over 12 measured months, from 27.1K to 40.5K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Bandai’s and MAFEX’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.
Other head-to-heads among action figure brands
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