No Future Companion (2008) stands as one of the most significant early sculptural editions in the work of KAWS, marking a decisive moment in his transition from street interventions and graphic practice into the realm of collectible sculpture.

Produced by Medicom Toy in an edition of 500, the work exists in two chrome variations, silver and black chrome, and is explicitly designated on its original packaging as the “Hajime Sorayama version.” This designation introduces a critical layer of interpretation, positioning the work at the intersection of KAWS’s emerging sculptural language and the industrial, hyper-polished aesthetic long associated with Hajime Sorayama. The result is a work that is fundamentally authored by KAWS, yet conceptually expanded through a deliberate and acknowledged aesthetic dialogue.

Introduction

No Future Companion adopts the now-iconic Companion figure, derived from cartoon archetypes yet fully reconfigured into KAWS’s own visual vocabulary. The character features a skull-like head with crossed-out eyes, rounded ears, articulated limbs, and gloved hands, elements that combine familiarity with subtle distortion.

In this 2008 edition, the figure is rendered in mirror-polished chrome, available in both silver chrome, highly reflective and luminous, and black chrome, darker and more industrial in tone. The surfaces are flawlessly smooth, eliminating any trace of the artist’s hand and aligning the object with industrial production, design, and luxury objects. The reflective quality transforms the sculpture into an active visual device: it absorbs and mirrors its surroundings, implicating the viewer within the work itself.

No Future Companion (Silver Chrome)

To fully understand the significance of this version, it is essential to situate the reference to Hajime Sorayama. Sorayama is a Japanese artist renowned for his “Sexy Robot” series, developed from the late 1970s onward. His work is characterized by hyper-realistic, mirror-like metallic surfaces, a fascination with the artificial body and industrial perfection, and a tension between sensuality, technology, and objectification. Over decades, Sorayama established a visual language in which chrome is not merely a material, but a conceptual device—a way of transforming the human or humanoid form into an idealized, synthetic object.

The explicit mention of “(Hajime Sorayama version)” on the packaging confirms that this is not a coincidental resemblance, but a deliberate and acknowledged association. However, the nature of this relationship must be precisely understood. The sculptural form is entirely designed by KAWS, and the work is produced within the Medicom Toy framework, with no evidence of a full co-authored redesign or dual artistic authorship. Instead, the work operates as an officially designated variant in which the chrome surface and finish directly engage with Sorayama’s aesthetic universe, and the reference is explicitly acknowledged without becoming structurally collaborative. This places the piece in a unique category, as a KAWS-authored work with a formally recognized aesthetic alignment to Sorayama.

No Future Companion (Black Chrome)

The introduction of chrome fundamentally transforms the Companion. In its traditional painted versions, the figure conveys a sense of vulnerability, introspection, and emotional ambiguity. In the chrome iterations, however, this emotional register is altered. The figure becomes cool, distant, and object-like, and the surface resists intimacy, replacing it with reflection. The viewer is visually absorbed into the work, completing it.

The title “No Future,” borrowed from punk culture, introduces a further conceptual tension. It evokes nihilism and disillusionment, standing in stark contrast to the polished, almost luxurious appearance of the sculpture. Through this contrast, the work engages with broader themes, including the commodification of culture, the tension between surface and meaning, and the transformation of identity within a world of manufactured images.

The No Future Companion occupies a foundational place in KAWS’s sculptural evolution. It represents an early moment in which the artist consolidates his character-based language into three-dimensional form, while simultaneously expanding its conceptual scope. The “Sorayama version” is particularly important in this trajectory, as it anticipates later developments in KAWS’s work, including an increasing engagement with material and surface, a movement toward object-based and design-oriented practices, and an exploration of industrial finishes and reflective materials. It also prefigures the more explicit collaborations that would emerge later in his career, including direct partnerships with Sorayama.

As an early edition of 500, the No Future Companion is considered a key work within the KAWS market. Its significance is reinforced by its early date, its role in establishing the Companion as a sculptural icon, and the presence of multiple chrome variations. The “Hajime Sorayama version” designation, particularly visible on original packaging, adds a further layer of desirability. It situates the work within a broader cultural and aesthetic lineage, appealing to collectors interested not only in KAWS but in the intersection of contemporary art, design, and Japanese visual culture.

The No Future Companion (Hajime Sorayama Version) represents a rare and nuanced moment in contemporary art, where authorship, influence, and material converge. It is, fundamentally, a KAWS sculpture—a key early edition that helped define his global visual language. Yet through its explicit reference to Sorayama, it also becomes something more: a work that acknowledges and engages with a parallel artistic lineage rooted in industrial perfection and the aesthetics of the artificial. In doing so, the sculpture transcends its status as a collectible object, positioning itself as a critical point of dialogue between pop culture, design, and contemporary art.

No Future Companion (Silver)

No Future Companion (Silver)
(Hajime Sorayama Version)

Medium: Silver chrome-plated metal
Year: 2008
Dimensions: 31x19x19 cm (12-1/4 x 7-5/8 x 7-5/8 inches)
Edition: 500
Co-Published by: Medicom Toy, Japan and OriginalFake, Tokyo

Stamped and numbered on on a metal OriginalFake label on the underside
‘OriginalFake® EDITION, KAWS.. Sorayama XXX/500, MEDICOM TOY 2008 MADE IN CHINA’

Auction Results

Phillips Hong-Kong: 25 November 2025
Estimated: HKD 40,000 – 60,000
HKD 36,120 / USD 4,645

LA Modern: 25 September 2025
Estimated: USD 5,000 – 7,000
USD 5,080

KAWS (Brian Donnelly, b.1974)
No Future Companion (Silver), 2008
Silver chrome-plated metal
Molded manufacturer’s mark to underside
‘Original Fake KAWS Edition 193/500 Medicom Toy 2008 Made in China’.
This work is number 193 from the edition of 500 co-produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo and OriginalFake, Tokyo
Sold with original packaging and shipping box

Heritage Auctions: 5 February 2025
USD 5,000

KAWS (b. 1974)
No Future Companion (Chrome), 2008
Coated metal
Edition: 366/500
Stamped on underside
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo

Heritage Auctions: 25 July 2023
USD 13,750

KAWS X Hajime Sorayama
No Future Companion (Silver Chrome), 2008
Metallized plastic
Edition: 57/500
Stamped on underside
Produced by Medicom Toy and OriginalFake, Tokyo

Heritage Auctions: 2 November 2022
USD 12,500

KAWS X Hajime Sorayama
No Future Companion (Silver Chrome), 2008
Metallized plastic
Edition: 198/500
Stamped to the underside
Produced by Medicom Toy and OriginalFake, Tokyo

Christie’s online: 22 July 2021
Estimated: USD 8,000 – 12,000
USD 12,500

KAWS x HAJIME SORAYAMA (B. 1974 and 1947)
No Future Companion, 2008
Metallized plastic multiple, with the original plastic packaging, box, hologram and cloth
Stamped ‘OriginalFake® EDITION, KAWS.. Sorayama 266/500, MEDICOM TOY 2008 MADE IN CHINA’
(on the underside)
This work is number 266 from the edition of 500
Co-published by Medicom Toy, Japan and OriginalFake, Tokyo

Heritage Auctions: 6 January 2021
USD 18,750

KAWS X Hajime Sorayama
No Future Companion (Silver Chrome), 2008
Metallized plastic
Edition:  80/500
Stamped to the underside
Produced by Medicom Toy and OriginalFake, Tokyo

Artcurial Paris: 23 February 2020
Estimated: EUR 8,000 – 12,000
EUR 14,300 / USD 15,515

KAWS X HAJIME SORAYAMA
No Future Companion (Black color), 2008
Metallized plastic, with original box
Stamped signed, numbered 28/500 and dated 2008 on the underside

Heritage Auctions: 7 November 2018
Estimated: USD 8,000 – 12,000
USD 27,500
AUCTION RECORD FOR NO FUTURE COMPANION (SILVER)

KAWS X Hajime Sorayama
No Future Companion (Silver Chrome), 2008
Metallized plastic
Edition: 168/500
Stamped to the underside
‘OriginaFake / Hajime Soryama / EDITION 168/500 / MEDICOM TOY 2008 MADE IN CHINA’

No Future Companion (Black Chrome)

No Future Companion (Black Chrome)
(Hajime Sorayama Version)

Medium: Black chrome-plated metal
Year: 2008
Dimensions: 31x19x19 cm (12-1/4 x 7-5/8 x 7-5/8 inches)
Edition: 500
Co-Published by: Medicom Toy, Japan and OriginalFake, Tokyo

Stamped and numbered on on a metal OriginalFake label on the underside
‘OriginalFake® EDITION, KAWS.. Sorayama XXX/500, MEDICOM TOY 2008 MADE IN CHINA’

Auction Results

LA Modern: 25 September 2025
Estimated: USD 5,000 – 7,000
USD 5,080

Hajime Sorayama X KAWS (Brian Donnelly)
No Future Companion (Black Chrome), 2008
Black chrome-plated metal
Molded manufacturer’s mark to underside
‘Original Fake KAWS Edition 063/500 Medicom Toy 2008 Made in China’.
This work is number 63 from the edition of 500 co-produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo and OriginalFake, Tokyo
Sold with original packaging and shipping box

Tom Hall Auctions: 15 December 2024
USD 9,000 (Hammer)
USD 10,350

KAWS x Hajime Sorayama
No Future Companion, 2008
Black Chrome metalized sculpture
Engraved on base, numbered 173 of 500
With bagged cloth face mask and box complete

Tate Ward Auctions: 18 September 2024
Estimated: GBP 7,000 – 9,000
GBP 8,750 / USD 11,550

KAWS & Hajime Sorayama (Collaboration)
‘No Future Companion (Black Chrome)’, 2008
Fully pose-able metal sculpture
Numbered from an edition of 500 to the underside of the removable base
Produced by Medicom Toy and OriginalFake, Tokyo

Christie’s online: 22 July 2021
Estimated: USD 8,000 – 12,000
USD 11,250

KAWS X HAJIME SORAYAMA (B.1974 and 1947)
NO FUTURE COMPANION (BLACK CHROME), 2008
Metallized plastic multiple, with the original plastic packaging, black box, hologram and cloth
Stamped on the underside
”OriginalFake® EDITION, KAWS.. Sorayama 213/500, MEDICOM TOY 2008 MADE IN CHINA’
This work is number 213 from the edition of 500
Co-published by Medicom Toy, Japan and OriginalFake, Tokyo

Heritage Auctions: 6 January 2021
USD 16,250

KAWS X Hajime Sorayama
No Future Companion (Black Chrome), 2008
Metallized plastic
Edition: 172/500
Stamped to the underside
Produced by Medicom Toy and OriginalFake, Tokyo

Poly Hong-Kong: 8 December 2020
Estimated: HKD 50,000 – 100,000
HKD 112,100 / USD 14,465

KAWS (AMERICAN, B. 1974) × HAJIME SORAYAMA (JAPANESE, B. 1947)
No Future Companion (Black Chrome), 2008
Metallized plastic sculpture
Inscribed, signed, editioned and dated
‘OriginalFake® KAWS..Sorayama EDITION 227/500 MEDICOM TOY 2008 MADE IN CHINA’
(engraved on the bottom )

Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 18 May 2020
Estimated: HKD 40,000 – 60,000
HKD 125,000 / USD 16,130

KAWS X HAJIME SORAYAMA
NO FUTURE COMPANION (BLACK CHROME), 2008
Metallized plastic, with original box
Incised with two artists’ signatures, numbered 427/500 and dated 2008 on the underside

Artcurial Paris: 23 February 2020
Estimated: EUR 8,000 – 12,000
EUR 14,300 / USD 15,515

KAWS X HAJIME SORAYAMA
No Future Companion (Black color), 2008
Metallized plastic, with original box
Stamped signed, numbered 69/500 and dated 2008 on the underside

Phillips Hong-Kong: 26 May 2019
Estimated: HKD 40,000 – 60,000
HKD 250,000 / USD 31,850
AUCTION RECORD FOR NO FUTURE COMPANION (BLACK CHROME)

KAWS x Hajime Sorayama
NO FUTURE COMPANION (Black Chrome), 2008
Black chrome coated metal
Signed and numbered ‘KAWS..Sorayama 157/500’ on a metal OriginalFake label on the underside
This work is number 157 from an edition of 500