I can count on one hand how many fans of anime that I’ve met that don’t collect anime figures (i.e it’s a low number). I personally feel they go hand-in-hand! Watching anime and collecting the characters that bring you to tears or laughter. Whether you admire the craftsmanship, enjoy displaying figures, or see them as valuable collectibles, this hobby has something for everyone!

However, I personally know that starting a collection can feel overwhelming with so many figure types, price points, and places to buy from. I have definitely made some mistakes myself when it comes to hunting down my favorite characters in figure form, which is another reason why I started My Anime Box. This helpful guide will help beginners navigate the world of anime figure collecting with confidence!

This is definitely the first thing that threw me for a loop. I was so shocked to see how many different figures there are! The key to collecting is understanding the different types of figures and how you’ll use them to build your collection based on your interests and budget. Here are the most common types:

Scale Figures

These high-quality, detailed figures come in fixed sizes, such as 1/7 or 1/8 or 1/9 scale, meaning they are proportional to the character’s actual size. Usually these are produced in limited numbers making them great for retaining value. Also, many of these are hand painted which makes them extra expensive. I’ve seen some figures starting at $50 to more than $200, with some over $1,000!

Nendoroids

Cute, chibi-style figures with interchangeable faces and accessories, perfect for posing and customization. They have in recent years exploded and I suspect it’s due to the accessories that come with them. Also, many IP holders are limiting how many nendoroid characters they make which increases their value too!

Figma & Action Figures

Highly articulated figures that allow for dynamic poses, often including accessories and stands. These are more anatomically correct compared to the nendoroids if that is something that slightly annoys you about the chibi-style figures. I’ve seen some amazing dioramas using figma and action figures, especially for the Attack on Titan series! These are similar to the old school GI Joes and He-Man figures, but with more joints allowing for intense action packed poses.

Prize Figures

These are great figures to break into collecting as they are more affordable then the above. You can easily find these figures in arcade crane games in Japan, but it does take some skill to win them. While not as detailed as scale figures, they still have a professional polished look with minor defects. I find many of the non-popular characters as prize figures when compared to scale figures.

Garage Kits

With how affordable resin kits have become many collectors are going the unpainted, build-it-yourself resin kits for those that love customizing their collection. I think this is a great option for those that know exactly what they are looking for. However, some collectors have run into “non-licensed” kits, which depending on your specific goals for your collection can be a great value or not.

I thought starting my collection was simply buying a figure, but thats also how I found myself with a lot of fake figures. I suggest when starting your collection, don’t just jump in, but consider the following factors instead:

Choosing a Theme

Now, I think having a theme, something to focus your collection around is a great idea for beginners. And themes don’t have to be limited to a specific anime or character, you can create a collection around a studio or even focus on a single color! Don’t get too caught up if you can’t think of a theme, my advice is to go with your gut. If you don’t feel you need a theme, then don’t worry about it.

Setting a Budget

I haven’t meet a collector who has an easy time budgeting for their collection. It is hard to put an amount on doing something you love, but thats why My Anime Box exists. Trying to find figures that are affordable can be very tricky! Setting a budget on how much you want to invest in your collection can also be difficult. I suggest setting a monthly budget and if you happen to find a figure that is out side of that, save for a few months instead of splurging. I’ve had months where I didn’t keep within my budget as a young collector and it made things a bit harder for me, I don’t wish that on anyone.

Pre-orders vs. In-stock Purchases

When I lived in Japan, pre-order figures were king! If you didn’t get the pre-order you had to wait until someone sold their order, or you were just out of luck completely. A pre-order is usually a bit cheaper than purchasing the figure once it’s available on all the reseller sites. I suggest if you know a certain figure is coming out that you just 100% have to have, best to budget for it so once the pre-order is announced, you can pounce!

Now, this is super tricky to find the sources that won’t just steal your money and send you a sad knockoff. Another reason why I created My Anime Box was I was tired of seeing so many fakes on the market. I’m not just here to talk about my company, here are some great reputable companies to get fair prices for legit figures:

Trusted Online Retailers – You may have already heard of some of these, but they are a great starting spot for finding the best figures.

+ My Anime Box

+ Good Smile Company

+ Crunchyroll

+ AmiAmi

Physical Stores

Now, I absolutely love stores for finding the best figures because 1) you support local small businesses and 2) you get to connect with other collectors. Local anime shops provide the chance to see figures in person before purchasing. Also, they sometimes have figure swaps or sells where you can bring some figures from your personal collection to sell to other collectors. This is a great opportunity to find something that might not be made anymore! Some of my best figure finds were at events like that. These locations however are few and far between unless you live in a very large city.

Conventions

Since stores are difficult to find, conventions are a great for finding figures as stores from all over the United States (even internationally) are in one place. Most businesses that have a booth at a convention are legitimate, but in more recent years I’ve even seeing more and more knockoffs at conventions. So be aware that even conventions will have some lower quality figures. I once again suggest a budget when heading to a convention for figure hunting, as its so easy to get carried away with so many options! Keep your wits about you as you’ll see how easy it is to over spend.

Subscription Boxes

A easy method to get the figures you want, however most subscription boxes don’t provide figures based solely on your favorites which means you might get figures that aren’t necessarily known to you or even liked. However, it can be a great way to start collecting but I wouldn’t rely on a subscription box service for long term. Some subscription services don’t offer fully-licensed figures which means you’ll get bootlegged or fake figures. I highly recommend doing research into any company that offers figures in every box, if they don’t state they are licensed and come in boxes that clearly showcase that then I wouldn’t waste the money.

Avoiding Fake Figures

This has gotten a bit more difficult in the past years as the companies and individuals that produce fake figures have gotten better at producing them. However, there are still flags that help identify fakes when you are on the hunt.

Price

If the price just sounds too good to be true, then that’s a flag you might be looking at a fake figure. Suspiciously low prices are the signs of someone wanting to make a fast profit on something that probably didn’t cost them much to make. However, don’t stop here. A low price doesn’t always mean a fake figure.

Official Logos

When a figure is created those that create the figure must purchase a license from those that hold the license on the intellectual property (IP). An example is if I decided to make an in house figure from Dragon Ball Z, I would have to pay the IP holder who in this case is Shueisha (a Japanese publishing company). Any boxes featuring this new figure would have to clearly state who the IP holder is as I have just licensed the IP to make the figure. I don’t OWN the IP is the main point here. Any boxes lacking official logos of IP holders or of the IP itself is a big red flag!

Colors, Pant Quality

Some fake manufacturers have even started faking the logos, but they can’t fake the quality. This is where you’ll see little differences in colors like shade or tone. Something about the character just seems “off”. Same with details, maybe a piece on the outfit is missing or not correct. Sometimes even the hair on the figure can be wrong. This is where knowing your favorite characters pays off as you’ll know whats right and what is wrong.

I love looking at my figure collection and knowing why each figure is included. My Sailor Mercury is there cause she was part of the first anime I ever saw! While next to her is a little figure of Chi Yamada from when I was trying to learn to read Japanese. Every collection has a different meaning for every collector. It makes them so special, so unique that even looking at someone’s collection helps you learn about who they are. Its very intimate once you see a full collection, which I why I love seeing new collectors in the hobby. I hope that my guide has given you a starting point for when you decide to get your first figure. I won’t lie if I hope you get it through My Anime Box, but even if it isn’t I can’t wait for you to share a photo of it. Happy collecting and I can’t wait to see what you find!