Janky

Who is Janky?

Janky is a synthetic celebrity and mascot created and owned by Superplastic. Debuting in mid 2019, Janky presents as a stylized cat character who operates as an influencer, actor-like personality, and brand mascot across entertainment, fashion, and digital-collectible spaces. Janky often appears alongside the Superplastic character Guggimon and is positioned as a stuntman and streetwear-minded personality within the Superplastic universe.

Creator and studio background

Janky is produced by Superplastic, the character-driven studio founded by Paul Budnitz with veteran toy artist Huck Gee involved in art and production. Superplastic is based in the United States and builds a connected character universe that spans limited-edition vinyl toys, animated shorts, social content, and digital collectibles. The studio combines traditional collectible production with realtime animation and social-first storytelling to grow its character IP.

Visual style and aesthetics

Janky’s look blends playful toy design with streetwear and stuntman motifs. The character is typically shown with a mask-like face, exaggerated cartoon proportions, and wardrobe choices that reference contemporary street fashion and collectible-toy styling. Superplastic often presents Janky in bold, graphic colorways and limited-edition vinyl sculptures that emphasize collectible craftsmanship and designer collaborations.

Persona and content

Janky’s online persona reads as irreverent, comic, and performance-driven, leaning into stuntman antics, prank-led sketches, and fashion-forward posturing. The character’s voice and staging are built around short, shareable moments that mix satire and pop-culture references. Janky’s presence is intentionally theatrical: the character acts as an actor-like personality who promotes toys, drops, and multimedia projects while interacting with fans through playful narratives.

Content Type & Format

Janky’s content is primarily short-form visual media: animated shorts, social videos, image posts, and product-focused reveal posts. These pieces are crafted to be platform-native, appearing as video posts and reels on major social platforms and as high-quality imagery to support collectible drops and fashion collaborations.

Thematically, Janky’s content centers on fashion and collectible culture, stunt and prank humor, and serialized character storytelling. Janky’s personality drives the storytelling approach, with posts that combine absurdist humor, designer references, and collectible reveals to engage audiences interested in art toys, streetwear, and digital culture.

Janky’s primary platforms include Instagram, TikTok, and X, where videos and short animations form the backbone of audience engagement. Janky’s content strategy mixes regular social posts and short videos with timed product drops, event announcements, and cross-platform activations that pair well with visual assets and collectible releases.

Janky Collaborations and Campaigns

SUPERGUCCI: Gucci x Superplastic SuperGucci NFT collection. In 2022 Superplastic partnered with Gucci on SUPERGUCCI, a multi-part NFT and ceramic sculpture drop that reinterpreted Gucci motifs through Janky and Guggimon. The collaboration released limited digital artworks alongside handmade ceramic pieces and was promoted through social content and Gucci Vault presentation.

Janky Fortnite Outfit: Epic Outfit and LEGO variant in Fortnite. In 2021 Janky was released as an in-game outfit and bundle in Fortnite, including a LEGO-style variant. The activation placed the character into a global gaming platform as cosmetic content and was promoted with social posts and in-game storefront placement.

Steve Aoki x Superplastic Janky figures: Neon Future and Playhouse Janky. Beginning in 2020 Superplastic released limited-edition Janky designer toys in collaboration with Steve Aoki, producing collectible vinyl figures tied to the artist’s Neon Future themes. These product drops were supported by social promotion and direct-to-consumer retail offerings.

Christie’s NFT Auction: Superplastic’s NFT activity with Christie’s. In 2021 Superplastic’s synthetic celebrities were included in NFT efforts that involved Christie’s, bringing the characters into high-profile digital-auction contexts and spotlighting the studio’s crossover between collectibles and the auction market. The collaboration used online auction formats alongside social storytelling and gallery-style imagery.

The Janky & Guggimon Show: Amazon Studios first-look and development deal. In 2023 Superplastic signed a first-look deal with Amazon Studios to develop The Janky & Guggimon Show, an animated comedy series built around the characters. The project aims to expand the IP into episodic streaming while integrating the characters’ existing social narratives and promotional content.

Nightmare Vacation SuperJanky: Rico Nasty x Superplastic collectible. In 2020 Superplastic collaborated with musician Rico Nasty on a limited-edition SuperJanky designer toy called Nightmare Vacation, combining the musician’s aesthetic with collectible vinyl production and social promotion.

Brand fit and audience

Janky is a strong fit for fashion, streetwear, gaming, and collectible brands that seek youth-oriented cultural cachet and visually driven storytelling. The character appeals to collectors, fans of designer toys, and digitally native audiences who follow short-form video and limited-drop commerce. Collaboration opportunities typically center on co-branded collectibles, limited-edition apparel, in-game cosmetics, and multimedia promotions that pair visual assets with product scarcity.

Narrative and trivia

Within the Superplastic universe, Janky is characterized as a lovable stuntman and mischievous figure whose antics fuel serialized social content. The character frequently shares scenes from the House of Plastic setting and appears alongside other Superplastic characters, contributing to an ongoing narrative that supports toys, fashion tie-ins, and multimedia projects.