Some creatures only come out at night： vampires， werewolves， and now the latest member of the after-hours club： hopeful Labubu collectors.

有些生物只在夜晚出没：吸血鬼、狼人，如今这个“夜猫子俱乐部”又添了新成员——满怀期待的拉布布收藏者。

If you’re not already in the know， that last group might feel as mysterious as mythical creatures. It only adds to the toys’ mystique that the window when you can officially purchase the mega-popular trinkets—sold in limited drops， like fashion collabs and sneakers—only opens for a brief time on seemingly random nights （usually at 10 pm Eastern）. Enthusiasts say that successfully getting your hands on one of the approximately half-foot tall plastic-and-vinyl bunny-eared ghouls with a rictus grin feels like doing the impossible， or at least something more impossible than spending $27.99.

假如不是圈内人，你会觉得上述最后一类简直像神话中的生物一样神秘莫测。而这款超人气小玩意儿的官方购买机制更增添了其神秘感：它们采用限量发售模式，类似时尚联名款和运动鞋，官方购买窗口只在看似随机的某些夜晚短暂开启（通常是美国东部时间晚上10点）。爱好者们表示，要成功入手一个约半英尺高、由塑料和乙烯基制成的、长着兔子耳朵、龇牙咧嘴怪笑的小怪兽，简直像完成不可能的任务——至少绝不仅仅是花27.99美元买个玩具这么简单。

With their faces illuminated by the glow of their smartphones， credit card numbers locked in， fingers at the ready to click and add to cart， for Labubu hunters， there is no duty， no bedtime， sometimes no supper—only Labubu.

他们的脸庞被智能手机屏幕的光线照亮，信用卡号早已输入妥当，手指蓄势待发，随时准备点击下单——对于拉布布的追逐者们而言，此刻没有责任义务，不管就寝时间，有时甚至顾不上晚餐，心中唯有拉布布。

According to lore， Labubus are a tribe of mythical female elves called The Monsters that live in Nordic forests. According to Pop Mart， the toy and design company that produces the dolls， Labubus are a character-driven franchise， largely consisting of plushies， figurines， and accessories， that brings in over $400 million in revenue. And according to their most fervent fans—the people who have made Labubu a success in the hundreds of millions of dollars—Labubus are pure joy… if you somehow manage to get your hands on one.

根据传说，拉布布是一个名叫“精灵天团”的神秘女精灵部落，这个部落生活在北欧森林中。而据生产这些玩偶的玩具与设计公司泡泡玛特介绍，拉布布是一个以角色为核心的IP，旗下产品主要包括毛绒玩具、手办和配饰，年收入超4亿美元。至于那些让拉布布创下数亿美元业绩的铁杆粉丝们，他们则认为拉布布代表纯粹的快乐……前提是你有办法把它买到手。

If only the other things we spend roughly $30 on could bring us such glee.

要是我们花大约30美元买的其他东西，也能给我们带来这么多的快乐就好了！

Yet， many others do not find any delight in that idea. Some assert that the Labubus craze represents capitalism in its latest stage， thanks to a perfect storm of technical uselessness， jacked-up reseller prices， celebrity endorsement， and forced scarcity. Others think the little goblins are aesthetically ominous， even ugly.

然而，还有许多人并不认可这个想法。有些人认为，拉布布热潮代表了资本主义的最新阶段，是技术无用性、中间商哄抬价格、名人代言和饥饿营销等因素共同形成的完美风暴。还有一些人觉得这些小妖精在审美上颇令人不安，甚至可以说丑陋。

But that division—and the strong feelings on both sides—might just be exactly how Labubus became such big business. Understanding why some people can’t get enough of the toys （and the chase）， gives us a window into bigger questions about what makes us happy， what makes us feel in-the-know， and what someone’s really buying when they purchase a monster of their own.

但这种分歧——以及论辩双方的强烈情绪——或许恰恰是拉布布能做成如此大生意的原因所在。弄明白为什么有些人大爱这些玩具（以及追逐它们的过程），能让我们得以窥见一些更深层次的问题：是什么让我们感到快乐？是什么让我们觉得自己是圈内人？当人们花钱买下一个属于自己的拉布布精灵时，他们真正买的是什么？

Hate only makes Labubus stronger

憎恶只会让拉布布更强大

When people talk about Labubus， they’re likely referring to the mega-popular “pendant” versions that come with a sewn-on ring that’s designed to clip onto bags and belt loops. These sell out in minutes. But if you do get your hands on a Labubu—from one of Pop Mart’s limited drops or on the secondhand market at a serious markup—you’ll find their bodies are soft， and small enough to fit in a fist. They come in a variety of colors， and often sell as sets.

谈起拉布布，人们很可能指的是那些极受欢迎的挂件——它们带有一个缝上的圆环，设计初衷是挂在包上或腰带上。这些挂件几分钟内就会售罄。不过，如果你入手一只拉布布——无论是从泡泡玛特的限量发售中抢到的，还是在二手市场上花高价购得的——就会发现它们的身体软软的，小巧得能握在手心里。它们有多种颜色可选，而且通常成组售卖。

Other pieces in the Labubu line include bigger dolls （retailing for $299）， accessories like phone charms， and all types of figurines and plushes. No matter the size or brand collaboration， all Labubu products have one thing in common： They exist to be seen and displayed. Labubus don’t actually do anything， which may add to some of the general perplexity surrounding them.

拉布布系列的其他产品还包括更大尺寸的玩偶（零售价 299 美元）、手机挂件等配饰，以及各种类型的手办和毛绒玩具。