Gawakoto is the creative world of Bong Abad, a Filipino-born, California-based illustrator and sofubi toymaker whose work blends mythology, martial arts, horror, and comic-book energy into bold, character-driven design.
The name comes from the Filipino phrase “gawa ko ’to”—“I made this.”
It’s both a declaration and a promise: every piece is personal, handcrafted, and rooted in the stories that shaped him.
Origins
Gawakoto began in 2012 as a fightwear design studio, where Bong translated the movement and intensity of jiujitsu into graphic storytelling. His work quickly found its way onto the mats through collaborations with major jiujitsu brands like Bad Boy, Tatami Fightwear, 93 Brand, and Scramble, as well as projects with renowned comic artists David Mack and Tetsuya Terada.
Sofubi Journey
In 2021, Bong expanded Gawakoto into independent sofubi toymaking, bringing his illustrated worlds into three-dimensional form. His figures carry the same anatomical precision and narrative depth as his artwork—now sculpted, cast, and painted with the tactile soul of Japanese soft vinyl.
Gawakoto pieces have appeared at DesignerCon, Monsterpalooza, and other major art-toy conventions, attracting collectors who gravitate toward hybrid mythologies and culturally grounded design.