Sergey Safonov joins the show to share a completely different path into the world of character design and art toys.

Growing up in the Soviet Union with limited access to toys and pop culture, Sergey developed a unique creative voice rooted in storytelling and original character creation. From early internet art collectives to building his own toy line, he walks through how his work evolved into deeply narrative-driven design.

We talk about his approach to world-building, creating original IP without nostalgia, and the challenges of producing toys while being disconnected from the global scene.

This episode offers a rare perspective on creativity, culture, and what it really means to build something original.

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