Kotobukiya is a toy and collectibles company founded in 1951 by Jusaburo Shimizu, who originally was a toymaker who owned a single doll shop until 1947 when he decided to go into the toy business. In 1983, the company expanded its products to model kits and in 1989 it expanded further by creating high resin collectible figurines (now known today as the Art FX line).
Today, Kotobukiya is one of the major competing toy manufacturers in Japan, with its own chain of toy stores selling its products and several toy and colllectible licenses to popular characters including ones for Disney properties such as Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and Marvel Comics.