Littlest Pet Shop (LPS)

Littlest Pet Shop (LPS) is a toy franchise and cartoon series owned by Hasbro, originally conceptualized by Kenner Products in 1992, and currently under license with Basic Fun!.

Originally a line of animal figurines with magnets or movable parts, the line was relaunched as a line of chibi-esque bobbleheads in 2005, with over 3,000 different pet figurines produced since its relaunch. The franchise is highly successful and has seen numerous iterations.

Several spin-off media works have been developed based on the toyline, including three animated television series, a series of video games for the Nintendo DS and Wii consoles, and two distinct online world games. The first cartoon was produced by Sunbow Entertainment and aired for 40 episodes in 1995, the second by Hasbro Studios for The Hub in 2012, and the third in 2018.

The line was considered one of Hasbro's top-selling brands in 2007 and they were considered by publications such as USA Today to be one of the biggest Christmas toys of the time. A large collector community exists surrounding the 2000s incarnation of the brand, with some toys selling for high prices on second-hand online markets. 

History
Kenner toys (1992-1997)
Introduced in 1992[1] and produced by Kenner[2] for children who weren't able to have real life pets,[3] the original incarnation of the toys consist of plastic animal figurines sold in playsets, which each came with a gimmick such as a magnet or a moving part (e.g. flapping wings).[4] The starter set was a suitcase-like plastic container with shelves and compartments, intended to simulate a pet shop.[5] Various kinds of licensed merchandise were produced.[6] A few lines of figures were produced between 1995 and 1996 based on the television show, but otherwise the two were largely connected only by name.[7] This line is also sometimes known by fans and collectors as "Generation 1", as it was the first iteration of the toy line to be released. Toys produced in the final years of production are marked Tonka, Kenner's parent company. The line ceased production in 1997, and Hasbro closed the Kenner offices in 2000.[8]

Generation 2
Hasbro re-launched the Littlest Pet Shop brand in 2005 with a completely overhauled look designed by Gayle Middleton. This incarnation of the line, which stand at around an inch tall, have larger heads, smaller bodies, and large expressive eyes inspired by Japanese chibi designs. They have bobbleheads and originally featured a round pink or blue magnet located on the bottom of their feet, which was used to activate other magnetic functions in various playsets and accessories.  the magnets would be removed in 2009, instead being replaced with holes to be used with pegs.

This series of pets were released in single packages, in pairs, in large packs, and alongside large playsets. Pets occasionally held exclusivity to only one store, such as Costco or Toys "R" Us. The "Teeniest Tiniest" series was released in 2007, featuring miniature version of the toys and small, pop-up playsets that could be clipped to bags. In 2010, the previously Kenner-owned Blythe dolls were introduced into the brand with the "Blythe Loves Littlest Pet Shop" series.[11] Special pets were released at San Diego Comic-Con in 2009 and 2010.

The generation 2 pets, with a large community of adult collectors, now often sell for a premium second-hand on online platforms such as EBay, especially particularly rare pets such as variants, store exclusives, mail-order, prototype, and event pets. In 2020, Marie Claire reported the value of the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con shorthair cat at $800.

Generation 3
In generation 3, the line was revamped to coincide with the release of the 2012 TV series, with Blythe now as a central character. The style and design of the toys were changed significantly, such as removing the bobble-heads. This incarnation of the brand had low sales and was overall unpopular among customers. These pets had interactivity with Gameloft's mobile app using a "pet collector" token, allowing kids to play with their favorite pets on the go.

Generation 4 and 5
Beginning in 2014, the generation 4 and 5 pets have molds that more closely resemble the style of the TV series and were given names. These toys also feature "deco bits", small plastic accessories that can be used to decorate the pets.[18] Hasbro released the Pets Pawsabilities collection during this time, and in 2016, the Pets in the City collection, which more closely resembles the pets released in generation 2. This era features the return of the bobble-headed designs.

A hamster toy released during this iteration invoked a lawsuit from Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner, due to the toy sharing her name and allegedly her likeness. The case was quickly settled after Hasbro ceased selling the pet.

Generation 6
The Littlest Pet Shop toys were revamped once again in 2017, with new molds and rounded eyes similar to the second generation pets. The pets in this line come in three sizes: teensie, mini, and classic (the largest of the three). This line featured several series of pets each with a distinct gimmick, such as galaxy-themed designs. It was also during this time that a new show premiered on Discovery Family called Littlest Pet Shop: A World of Our Own.

Generation 7
In 2022, Basic Fun! announced that they had obtained the license to the brand and would be relaunching the generation 2 style bobblehead pets,[1] which would release in 2024. Each toy pack is accompanied by a collectible card and digital code.  Basic Fun! mostly used the original molds from generation 2, but also introduced new molds based on currently popular animals, such as the axolotl and capybara mold. The brand currently markets itself to adult collectors as much as it does to children.

The Generation 7 revival has also seen favorable reception, with a representative for the European distributor, Bandai, saying that they have been "blown away by the reception which Littlest Pet Shop has received". In a review for The Toy Insider, Samantha Connell writes that the toys are "perfect for animal lovers" and that the collector cards feature "an adorable photo of the figure".