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It is a stereotype that every anime fan should have a bunch of anime figures in their room that fill up an entire wall. Well, that is not true. But who doesn’t want to have that if they have the means? For real anime fans, these figurines are not displays of vanity, but an embodiment of passion. Figurines turn intangible fandom into tangible passions. They are a form of art that we use to decorate our living space. After all, who doesn’t want to live among the things they love?
Anime figures are a unique pastime, they are playable collections that you can enjoy however you want. If you own a collection of figures, you can show them to your friends who share your passion, or you can take your favourite anime character figure out on a trip and take many memorable photos that you would otherwise not have. Above all, figurines are just great gifts for friends or siblings who are anime fans. Have you ever received a figurine as a gift from someone close and cannot wait to get home and find a place on your shelf or desk for it?
The recent market trend shows that the demand for figurines is growing at a fast pace. The hobby of collecting figures is growing into a form of entertainment and a culture. Experienced collectors are out there hunting for every rare anime figure with great value, while real anime fans are paying close attention to the figurine pre-order of any trendy anime characters. This market can leave newbie collectors or fans who are just beginning to look for their first figure in a tough spot. Thus, you need to be prepared before you set out for your first anime merch shopping, making sure you don’t waste your energy on misguiding information and watching your favourite anime figures go out of stock. In this article, our fans at Sirius Gamez will do our best to introduce you to the world of anime figures and merchandise shopping, so you can shop confidently like a real anime figure pro. After all, knowledge is power, right?
What are Anime Figures?
Okay, first thing first, before you step into an anime store or search for an anime shop online, you need to know what you are buying. Are you looking for anime merchs that are made to display a specific anime art? Some figurines are designed to capture the signature look of a character or a cool scene in anime. They are usually stationary and don’t have moveable parts that allow you to change their pose freely. But they are easy to take care of and require less investment in associated accessories (Yes, those things are sold separately and often more expensive or hard to find than the figurine itself). These stationary figurines can be used as anime decor to brighten up your desk or shelvespace.
If decorative anime merch is not your thing and you prefer to have some freedom to play with it however you want, then you are better off looking for figurines that have moveable parts or can be modified with compatible parts. Needless to say, these figurines are more expensive to buy and maintain, but the price does come with a whole new experience. Essentially, people who decide to buy moveable figurines are more experienced collectors, confident in their ability to perform some level of “mini-surgery” on their anime figures to modify the looks.
Generally speaking, anime figures refer to any 3D model of a character designed to reanimate their looks in the anime (pun intended). There is a huge variety of companies in Japan that produce figures based on characters from popular anime series, One Piece, Naruto, Spy × Family, Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer, Bungo Stray Dogs, and Haikyuu…The list just goes on and on. Just go on Crunchyroll and look for popular animes, anything you can find, the chance is there are already anime figures made for the characters in them.
Modern figurines are mostly made with ABS and PVC, they are sturdy and easy to take care of. Most people choose to keep their figurines in glass cases to prevent damage and colour fading, but some collectors also consider the original package a part of that figurine and keep it unopened. Anyhow you like to display your anime figure, the key is to not let it be a burden to you. Don’t treat your figurine like Rapunzel and keep it out of reach or in some dark corner. Let your anime figure be part of your lifestyle, take it to a concert, road trip, museum tour, or friend gathering and enjoy its accompany. If the figurine gets some scratches or small damages in the process, well, think of it as a battle scar that reminds you about your adventure together. By the way, in Japan, they even have a folk belief called Tsukumogami, which refers to the object that gets loved by its owner so much that it becomes a magical being and comes to life (some also say Tsukumogami will even sacrifice itself to protect its owner from misfortune). Sounds familiar, does it not? Boy, they have thought this thing through a thousand years ago.
Type of anime figures
Anime figures can be categorized by their materials or design. There are countless types of anime figures in the market and it can be tough for beginners. Sirius Gamez has come up with a list to give you an idea of what each type is about to help you decide what to shop.
- PVC Figures – PVC is the material used for these figurines. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC or Vinyl) is a high-strength plastic. The majority of anime figures you find in the markets are made with this material. These figures are detailed and durable. Also, they have no funky smell, unlike other cheap materials. The only thing that you need to worry about is temperature. Since PVC is a form of plastic, exposing it to freezing temperatures for a long period of time might damage it and result in cracks on the surface, so be sure to store the figurines somewhere indoors.
- Nendoroid – Nendoroids are mini figurines that have big heads and cute faces with smaller bodies. They are manufactured by a company called Good Smile Company, and there are thousands of different characters in the market. Nendoroid is known for having changeable face parts that can show different expressions of the character. Some models also have moveable joints that allow you to change their clothes. If you are interested in reading a little more about Nendoroid, we have another blog article that talks about it in more detail.
- Figma – These are extremely popular in the market due to their functionality. They are lighter than PVC figures and have moveable joints and customizable looks. They are what we call “action figures” which means you can play with them to create poses that show dynamic movements. Figma often gives you options to buy accessories like weapons. Like we said earlier, if you regard yourself as an artist and are comfortable with action figures, then by all means, this is the right thing for you.
- Scale figures – Scale figures are a type of fixed-pose figure that is calculated based on the anime character’s “actual” characteristics. The difference here is size. Unlike PVC figures, scale figures are a bit “jumbo” in comparison, depending on the situation, this type of figure’s size has been reduced to a sixth or half of the character’s original size. These are for collectors who have the luxury of enough room to store them, and fairly speaking, it is going to cost you a fortune. However, these figurines do come with higher quality and much more detailed designs, they often come with accessories such as glasses, books, and even alternative faces. Hey, you will get what you paid for, and if a character is really your favourite, just think of this as an investment.
We trust all this information will give you a good idea of what to look for when you are shopping for anime figures. If you want to read more about companies that manufacture figurines, we have another article in our blog that gives a detailed guide.
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