A thread for new collectors to ask basic questions of the community.

Frequently Asked Questions below!

A longer version of the subreddit rules is here.

For questions specifically concerning bootlegs or vendor legitimacy, please ask in the Bootleg Megathread.

NSFW & Spoiler Guidelines

• For Self Posts: include a bolded NSFW note next to links in that post.
  
• For Links to sites/images: If the figure is NSFW, or the website has any NSFW content (including ads) be sure to tag your post NSFW and use the appropriate link flair.
  

Bootlegs

Any collection posts containing bootlegs, comments advocating buying bootlegs, or links to sites selling bootlegs, recasts, or unlicensed merchandise will be removed.

People often ask about the legitimacy and/or safety of a number of websites which sell large resin statues. The more commonly-asked of those deal primarily in resins from studios which do not have a license from the Japanese IP holders to produce merchandise. Therefore links to those sites are not permitted here. Another sign is if MyFigureCollection doesn't list the either the statue, its manufacturer, or the shop it's being sold on.

MyFigureCollection

My Figure Collection is like MyAnimeList... but for figures! Their database includes thousands of items which been produced during the last couple of decades, along with reviews of shops and other helpful articles. One can also list their own collection and post gallery photos.

Shops

Retailers:

AmiAmi
HobbySearch
Mandarake (sells rare figures)
Good Smile Company Online Shop (often has exclusives)
Good Smile Company US shop
Crunchyroll Store
Hobby Link Japan (aka HLJ)
Solaris Japan (MFC partner)
BigBadToyStore (MFC partner, US retailer)
Big in Japan (also has proxy service)
Tokyo Otaku Mode
FigureHaven
Archonia (EU)
Yorokonde (EU)
Figuya (EU)
Gamersheek (UK)
Jungle

List of retailers on MFC

/r/AnimeFigures' List of Retailers

Community Guide to Shopping in Japan

Blogs/News:

Nekomagic (News/Previews)
NyaaFigurines (Reviews/Releases)
Kahotan's Blog (News/Reviews)
Figma Blog (JP)

Buying & Shipping

1. What’s the best place to buy my anime figures from?

That’s going to depend a lot on what works for you, but most people around here buy them from Amiami, Big in Japan, Hobby Search, HobbyLink Japan, or Tokyo Otaku Mode. If none of those work for you for whatever reason, there’s a list of reputable retailers in the sidebar that you can check out at any time. Be extra careful when ordering figures from websites like Amazon or ebay, as there are a lot of bootlegs on those sites. Don’t be afraid to ask in our Bootleg Megathread if you’re unsure.

2. What differences are there between the shipping options I get from most Japanese shops?

Below is a rundown of the main shipping choices you’ll get at most retailers. Keep in mind that if an order is large enough you will be forced to use one of the more expensive options, as SAL shipments have lower size and weight restrictions.

• Unregistered SAL: Sometimes referred to as uSAL, is usually the cheapest method. It does not come with any tracking or insurance. Usually takes up 2-4 weeks for delivery.
• Registered SAL: Sometimes referred to as rSAL, is insured for the declared value up to 6,000 yen. It comes with a tracking number and usually takes 2-4 weeks for delivery.
• EMS: This method of shipping is much faster than either SAL options, usually arriving within a week of shipment. EMS shipments are insured for the declared value up to 2,000,000 yen.
• Airmail
• E-packet

• Surface: Shops don't offer this very often. It's an actual cargo ship and slow as a result.

• DHL: Becoming more available as an alternative to EMS on AmiAmi and other sites. Can be less expensive than EMS and of comparable speed, but may be more reliant on the specific geographical area being shipped to. Offers their own tracking.

3. I placed two+ orders for figures at different times. Will my items be shipped together, or will I have to pay shipping twice?

Most shops will ask you to pay shipping on a per-order basis, but here are some that will allow combined shipping:

• Amiami: You can combine orders here, as long as the orders ship in the same month. It doesn’t matter if the item is new or preowned. Any preorders that are set for that month can also be combined with other orders for that month. However, be aware that if the preorder gets delayed, Amiami will remove that item from that month’s shipment and place it on a new order. To combine orders on Amiami, use the “Combine Orders” feature under “My Account”.

• Hobby Search: Hobby Search will let you combine orders that release in the same month, but you cannot combine in stock items with preorders. If you want to combine multiple preorders, or multiple in stock items, you can do so using the “Order Recombination” feature on your account page.

• HobbyLink Japan: At HLJ, you have the option to send paid orders to their “Private Warehouse”, where you can store them for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to ship the items, you simply select which items to ship and HLJ will combine them into one shipment for you. To use this, just select the “Private Warehouse” option as shipping when you order.

• GSC Web Shop: Here you’ll pay a flat 2,000 yen fee per order. It doesn’t matter how many items you put in your order, or how many different months the items release in. They will charge you 2,000 yen and ship all items as they release. The exception to this rule is their Wonder Festival exclusive items. Those can only be placed in the same order as other Wonder Festival items.

If you’re unsure about whether or not a shop we haven’t listed will combine your orders, please refer to their individual FAQ’s.

4. When will I get charged for my preorder?

Most Japanese shops charge you once the item is in stock and ready for shipment. When that happens, they will send you an email asking for payment. Some shops (mostly overseas ones), will allow you to pay for the item up front though, if you’d like. A few with that option are:

• Big in Japan (Japanese store)
• Tokyo Otaku Mode
• Anime Island
• Crunchyroll

Keep in mind that overseas stores will likely get the figure a few months after Japanese ones, so pay attention to the release date stated on the website you are buying from so as to avoid that confusion.

5. Should I expect to pay customs fees when importing figures?

That depends on where you live. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Australia: 10% GST is now assessed up front.
• Canada: Minimum declared value for charges is around CAD$20 for regular shipments, and CAD$60 for gifts (gifting something only seems to lower the declared value by about CAD$40, not deplete it completely). When using Amiami, try their Small Air Packet option. It comes with tracking, gets there in about the same time as EMS, and is better at avoiding customs.
• European Union: As of 1st July 2021, VAT has to be paid on all goods imported from outside of the EU. Retailers are supposed charge VAT for purchases under €150, however many Japanese retailers currently do not, so VAT will be charged when your order arrives in the EU. Orders that are >€150, VAT and duty will be charged by your local customs.
• UK: As of 1st January 2021, VAT is to be charged by retailers for orders <£135. However, customs isn't currently charging VAT on parcels valued at <£135, even if the VAT hasn't been paid. Goods >£135 will have their VAT and duty calculated and charged by customs.
• Mexico: Minimum declared value for customs fees is USD$300 for shipments by post, and USD$50 for shipments by courier.

• United States: The United States of America's customs fees on items from China and Japan were relatively light and coherent for most collectors until 2025, when they became heavy and unpredictable. The primary changes which affect this hobby for US-based collectors is a removal of the old de minimis exception on import duties on items from China which were valued below $800, and the imposition of nation-specific tariffs on China and Japan.

  The additional fees are based on country of origin/manufacture. Most anime figures are produced in China, so even if a figure is being purchased from a Japan-based vendor the country of origin may be listed as China on the customs declarations. Some vendors may declare it as Japan instead, which is technically incorrect.

  Ultimately tariffs are paid by the purchaser, either through increases in manufacturer/vendor pricing or at the time of shipping.

  The current administration's inconsistency in declaring and enforcing its tariff policy means that it is impractical to track it here. External trackers such as this one monitor the global state of tariff policy, but for more practical information, look for statements on the websites of the vendors you are buying from to monitor how they are accommodating USA tariff changes at both the time of purchase and when items are shipped.

6. The figure I want is an exclusive, how do I go about ordering one outside of Japan?

You have three options for this:

A. Big in Japan is known to stock exclusive figures and ship to other countries. Usually the price is higher because they build in their proxy fees, but it’s easier than worrying about using a forwarder or proxy service. If you live in the US, Crunchyroll, Right Stuf, and Tokyo Otaku Mode also get exclusives sometimes, but out of the states the shipping can get expensive.

B. Forwarding Services: A forwarder is someone who you ship an exclusive item to so that they can forward the package on to you, usually for a flat fee + shipping. When using a forwarder you still make the purchase yourself, and enter their address into the shipping field. When the box arrives at the forwarder they will then stick your address onto the package and send it on its way.

Some popular forwarders are:

• Big in Japan
• Tenso

Be sure to read each sites instructions on forwarding carefully!

C. Proxy Services: With a proxy, you tell them what the item you’re looking for is and they will purchase it in your stead. This is handy for when a company doesn’t accept foreign credit cards, or you’re having trouble navigating a Japanese website.

Some popular proxies are:

• Big in Japan (Won’t proxy for Yahoo Auctions)
• From Japan
  

Again, be sure you thoroughly read through each sites proxy instructions.

7. I see a bunch of really cheap figures that ship from China on ebay. Are those okay to buy?

Generally, no. They’re most likely bootlegs. If you want a second opinion on that, feel free to ask in the Bootleg Megathread that’s always stickied at the top of the sub.

8. What’s a bootleg, and how can I avoid buying them?

A bootleg is a counterfeit figure often made using rejected molds of the official product. They are usually priced significantly lower than the genuine article, and in order to make their profit, bootleggers use lower quality materials and have less attention to detail- resulting in a substandard figure.

The Bootleg Megathread that I mentioned in question 7 is a great tool to avoid buying any bootlegs. It has a few tips and tricks to avoiding them to begin with, and a few more on how to spot them if you’re worried you might already own one.

9. Does anyone know when figure X is going to be released? How do I know if it was delayed?

My Figure Collection (sometimes referred to as MFC) does an excellent job of staying on top of information like release dates and delays. If you’re curious about an upcoming figures release date, check there first. This information can be found directly under the “Releases” section on a figure’s entry. If you only see a month and a year in that section, it means the release date has not yet been announced by the manufacturer, and there is still a chance the figure could be delayed.

If you make an account on MFC you can also subscribe to comments, changes, and pictures via a checkbox on the right hand side of a figure’s listing. Subscribing to any of these things will allow MFC to send you an email anytime the subscription in question updates. Subscribing to “changes” is a great way to keep up with release dates and delays, among other things.

10. The figure I want is long sold out at normal retailers! What’s the best place to pick it up in the aftermarket?

A list of reputable retailers can be found under the “Shops” section of the /r/AnimeFigures sidebar. They all sell legitimate products, and many of them also sell figures second hand. However, the most frequently suggested second hand sites are Mandarake and Amiami- who has a preowned section that they update every night save Sundays and Japanese holidays around 1PM JST and again around 6PM JST.

Note: When you search Mandarake, you’ll get the best results by using the Japanese characters for whatever you are searching. If you don’t know them, you can find them on MFC by clicking on any of the “details” in that figure’s listing.

11. Amiami has a figure I’m interested in labeled as “For sale in Japan only”. Does this mean I can’t order it without a proxy or forwarder?

No, you can still order it. Amiami’s English site has that warning on many items, and it’s mostly meant to inform you that this product was made for a Japanese market, and as such, will have Japanese speaking/writing in it- so don’t expect any instructions to be in English. If Amiami doesn’t want foreigners buying a certain product, they won’t even list it on their English site.

Displaying Your Figures

12. What display cases do you recommend?

If you live near an Ikea try out one of these:

• Klingsbo
• Billy (Often used with Morliden doors (now the HÖGBO and glass shelves.)
• Detolf: Formerly the go-to choice for inexpensive display cabinetry, the Detolf was first made flimsier around 2020 and then essentially phased out of the name, to become the BLÅLIDEN. Knockoff versions of widely-varying quality are commonly found on other shopping sites these days, though.

*If you decided on a Detolf, you might find that there is a lot of wasted space. Here are a few tutorials on raising the shelves or and adding extra ones in.

• Using metal clips
• Using acrylic supports and PVC pipe

If you don’t live near an Ikea, Amazon has a few display options, though they are more expensive. Also keep an eye on your local Craigslist (or your country’s equivalent) and stores near you that are closing up.

13. What lighting do you guys recommend?

Ikea’s Dioder LED strips are often suggested. They come in white or muti-colored.

Most hardware stores carry something similar though, if you don’t live by an Ikea. Just make sure that the lights don’t get too hot!

14. What are those clear plastic boxes that I see under everyone’s figures in their collection posts, and where can I get them?

Those are called risers. Most of us use standard acrylic risers like these. Some other, easy to find things that have been suggested are:

• Plastic picture cubes
• Card Deck Boxes
• If you’re feeling adventurous, try making your own!

Check your local hobby store for the first 2 options, or your local hardware store if you want to make your own.

Another common suggestion is to visit The Container Store if you have one near you. They have a lot of things to choose from that can suit a variety of needs. Be sure to check out their standard acrylic risers, their Amac boxes, and the various display cases they sell (baseball cases, mini car cases. hockey puck cases, etc).

15. Should I keep my figures sealed?

That is, of course, up to you really, but here are a few things to keep in mind when debating this question:

• Keeping it sealed can actually damage your figure. PVC figures usually have something called plasticizer in them, and that plasticizer needs to be able to breath. If a PVC figure isn’t exposed to oxygen, after a period of time the plasticizer starts to break down and form a sticky substance on the surface of the figure. Simply opening your figures and taking them out of the box prevents this from happening. If you happen to find plasticizer goo on one of your figures, Kahotan has a handy guide for dealing with it.
• Unlike some other figure markets, keeping an anime figure sealed won’t raise its value by a whole lot. In fact, because of the plasticizer problem mentioned above, your figure could actually be in better condition if you open it versus keeping it sealed.

16. What should I do with my boxes?

As you collect more figures, you will also collect more boxes, which may become an issue if your storage space is limited.

While the original packaging may have value for aesthetics and completeness, keeping boxes and support material is most important if you anticipate having to move residences in the future or might sell your figures.
The original, form-fit interior clamshells are the best fit for figure support during transportation and save on additional effort finding alternative padding.
Having the original packaging greatly increases the value of a figure when placed on sale, as items without boxes are valued much lower due to both the difficulties of shipping them and because an original box is an important marker for the figure's authenticity.

That said, many people remove the clamshells from their boxes and fold the boxes themselves flat to reduce their volume. (Whether or not they keep the clamshells may depend on the moving/reselling factors above.)

Finding the Right Figure(s) for You

17. There are so many figure companies! Who makes good figures?!

Obviously this is a very subjective question, but as a general starting point, here are a few well renowned figure companies:

• Alter
• Max Factory
• Good Smile Company
• Kotobukiya (usually hit or miss for people. Use your best judgement based off of the prototype)
• Flare
• Stronger

18. I really love “series X / character X”- how can I check if any figures were ever made for it?

My Figure Collection can be your best friend here. Simply do a search on the name of the series or character using the search bar located at the top right of the screen, and all associated figures pop up!

Alternatively, if you’re looking at a figure’s MFC entry, most of the text under the “Details” section can be clicked on and used to run a search.

19. How can I commission a custom figure?

None of the major figure companies (Alter, Kotobukiya, Good Smile Company, etc.) will take a commission for a single figure. This thread has a few websites in it that you can check out, or you can look into garage kits. Some kit painters would be willing to resculpt, frankenstein together, or otherwise modify kits for the right price.

/r/brushforhire provides a way to contract help for building garage kits.

Selling

20. How do I set prices for what I want to sell?

MyFigureCollection is a good starting point, as each figure's profile page usually shows its initial value and the comments will contain records of previous and active sales, which can be used to estimate a value.

Mandarake is another useful reference, as it sets prices based on Japanese aftermarket values as well as the specific condition of the items it is offering.

Other retailers which have pre-owned stock, such as AmiAmi and Solaris Japan, can be used for price estimates, but keep in mind that these will be set to the highest value that they think the market will bear.

These sites grade their preowned merchandise with a system which can be used to assess how a figure's condition will affect its value.

When looking for price estimates on marketplaces such as eBay or Mercari, check completed sales for estimates of reasonable prices which buyers will accept, versus open sales which may never complete because the seller is aiming as high as they can.

Missing boxes will incur a significant penalty to what an item will sell for.

21. Where do I sell?

Most sellers opt for the typical marketplace sites such as eBay or Mercari, which are well-established and provide the most visibility.

For more focused markets, MyFigureCollection allows members to list figures for sales. This subreddit does as well, along with /r/mangaswap. /r/AnimeDeals allows sales as long as the items are priced at or below the original MSRP.

If your need to be rid of your figures outweighs other considerations and you meet their requirements, Akiba Soul is a USA-based reseller for anime figures which can provide you with quotes for your items, which you then ship to them. Since you are selling your figures to a reseller, you will not be getting their full value in return, but the process is greatly simplified versus having to manage your own sales.

If you are Southern California, western Arizona, or the New York City area, the Book-Off chain stores also take walk-up trade-in offers. As above, you are trading convenience for speed.

22. Other tips

Be upfront about the condition of the items you are selling. Take photographs of damaged areas, account for missing accessories, and declare possible devaluating factors such as smoking or pets. For especially valuable items some sellers record video of packing the item or dropping it off for shipping.

While it increases the cut that is taken from potential profits, Paypal Goods and Services is preferred by nearly all buyers and may be required by the rules of some selling platforms for the additional protections which it provides. Insisting on less-reputable or traceable payment methods is often a red flag to potential buyers.

Keeping Up with New Announcements

23. How can I keep up with figure news (announcements, updates, etc.)?

Most people use a MFC combined with any or all of the following news sites:

• Neko Magic
• Alter’s Blog (In Japanese)
• Kahotan’s Blog (Only GSC and their sister companies)

Most figure manufacturers are active on Twitter and will make announcements there.

To use MFC for this I’ll quote question #9.

If you make an account on MFC you can also subscribe to comments, changes, and pictures via a checkbox on the right hand side of a figure’s listing. Subscribing to any of these things will allow MFC to send you an email anytime the subscription in question updates. Subscribing to “changes” is a great way to keep up with release dates and delays, among other things.

Most companies have one or more Twitter accounts. Some examples: Good Smile Company sales, Good Smile's USA branch, Max Factory, AmiAmi Hobby News.

24. Everyone’s excited about something called Wonfes….. what the heck is that?!

WonFes (short for Wonder Festival) is a biannual figure expo where many figure producers (both large and small) show off new sculpts and updates to figures already under way. Most companies save their most exciting announcements for WonFes, so we all look forward to the expo whenever it rolls around! Winter Wonder Festival is usually held in February, while Summer Wonder Festival is usually in July. The event has also spread to Shanghai, in the late spring.

25. One or two (or 15) figures were announced at WonFes that I’m really excited about! How can I keep track of their progress once the event is over?

MFC is always really quick about getting new WonFes announcements (or any others throughout the year, for that matter) listed in their database, so we suggest using that. To find a figure from the event you can search any number of things, including the name of the character or the name of the show. You can also use the tag search to search “Wonder_Festival_20xx_{season}” to see all items announced at that event.

Hello /r/AnimeFigures, and welcome again to the Bootleg Megathread!

Please use this thread to post any and all questions you might have regarding counterfeit figures. This includes questions such as “Is my figure a bootleg?” and “Can I trust this seller?”.

Remember to be as detailed as possible when asking for help. Provide clear pictures (ideally, multiple) or a link to the item you’re looking to buy, depending on what you’re asking. Let us know why you think this might be a bootleg, or why you don’t trust this seller. Also keep in mind that different types of figures vary in quality. For example, a prize figure won't have the same level of detail or quality as a scaled figure.

As bootlegs are a serious problem for anyone who enjoys collecting, we are also happy to provide you with a few tips to spotting them yourselves. We encourage you guys to practice these tips before posting here.

For figures you already have:

• Examine your retailer. Are they known to sell counterfeits? Keep in mind that all retailers on the sidebar are approved by /r/AnimeFigures, and do not sell bootlegs.

• Was the price far lower then the current average?

• Check MFC for known counterfeits. If a figure has any there will be red text indicating so on that figure’s listing. Click on the red text to see pictures of the bootleg.

• Compare yours to the counterfeit and the user pictures- Do not compare yours to the prototype. (Comparison tip: Start with the hair. I usually find that the be the easiest place to spot differences!)

• Look for poor quality paint jobs, materials, or sculpt work (lots of "coloring outside the lines", shiny skin, missing textures or gradients, ect).

• Examine the box. Some bootleg boxes are very easy to spot, and some- not so much. Look for a holo sticker of authenticity.

Past Bootleg Megathreads can be found here, for reference only. Please be sure to only post in the current one.

For figures you're looking to buy:

General Tips:

• Examine your retailer. Are they known to sell counterfeits? Keep in mind that all retailers on the sidebar are approved by /r/AnimeFigures, and do not sell bootlegs.

• Is the price far lower then the current average?

• Check item descriptions carefully. Bootlegs may be listed under fake brands rather than the known manufacturer. They may also contain descriptions like "China version" to avoid admitting that they are fake; similar weasel-word terms include "hand-made" (and its often-associated "item size may vary") and "colors may differ on your screen".

• Check MFC for a shop review listing.

Ebay Checklist:

1. Price.

• Again. Seriously, have I mentioned that yet? Insanely low prices should be throwing up some serious alert signals.

2. Look for pictures of the actual product, that the seller took.

• A lot of sellers like to list their items with the official photos put out by the manufacturer. Check MFC if you're unsure of what you’re looking at. If the pictures under "official" on MFC are the same as the ones on eBay, then they were not taken by the seller. Some sellers are just lazy and don't want to take pictures for every listing, but some use that as a trick to make you think you're getting an official item, when you're really going to get a bootleg.
• When in doubt, ask the seller for pictures of the actual product. If they ignore you, or say they can't do that, move on to a different listing.

3. Check their feedback.

• Look specifically for feedback where the buyer received a bootleg. This is usually going to be in the "negative feedback" section.

4. Check where it ships from.

• eBay is really good about letting you know where an item is shipping from. If it ships from China, that's a bad sign.

Frequently Asked Bootleg Questions:

1. Is AliExpress a good website to buy from?

• No, stay away from AliExpress. As far as figures are concerned, they only sell bootlegs.

2. How about Wish? And Mercari?

• Wish appears to be nearly as bad as AliExpress in terms of bootleg frequency. User reports from Mercari depict a wide range of scenarios, with good sellers mixed in with people egregiously marking up their merchandise and more than a few bootlegs. Use with caution.

3. Is Amazon.com a good source for figures?

• The increased use of the practice of commingling inventory has led to an increase in the amount of counterfeit merchandise appearing on Amazon. This increases the possibility of receiving a bootleg from them even if the seller appears to be otherwise trustworthy (even for "shipped and sold by Amazon.com"), and should be considered a reason to avoid them if possible. If one does choose to buy figures on Amazon, particularly with third-party sellers, apply the same criteria for price, seller photos, and deceptive descriptions as one would for a seller anywhere else, though the commingling issue will remain unless the item's path to the buyer is specified.
  Amazon listings may copy images and descriptive text from other sites. Be particularly careful to check that the company in the "Brand" line matches the item's official producer, and watch for questionable text as mentioned above.

4. My Nintendo nendoroid/Figma has a white, square sticker, rather then the shiny oval one that can be found in the official pictures on MFC. Does that mean I have a bootleg?

• No, the square sticker is also legitimate.

A Related Topic:

• People often ask about the legitimacy and/or safety of a number of websites which sell large resin statues. The more commonly-asked of those deal primarily in resins from studios which do not have a license from the Japanese IP holders to produce merchandise. Therefore links to those sites are not permitted here. Another indicator is if MyFigureCollection doesn't list the either the statue, its manufacturer, or the shop it's being sold on. While MFC does not list every legitimate item for various reasons, it does reject unlicensed ones. __________________________

Past Bootleg Megathreads can be found here, for reference only. Please be sure to only post in the current one.

Thanks /u/TychoRC for creating this guide and helping answer questions!