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| What my figure collection currently looks like |
The general answer is: the Internet! I'm not close to any hobby stores (although I love going to Anime Jungle and Kinokuniya when I'm in LA) and can only afford to go to conventions once a year, so I buy the vast majority of my figures off the internet. Here are some of the more popular sites where you can order not only figures, but other anime merchandise as well. I don't have experience buying from all of these places, but they're all great websites to shop for figures.
This is the website for anime merchandise. Don't be put off by the part that says *for sale in Japan only.* AmiAmi ships worldwide! Also, if you have an account, there is a point system for purchases and the ability to track items through a wishlist system. Plus, their pre-order prices are pretty good. I realize that I sound a bit like their advertiser, but this is my favorite place to buy figures. It's always my first stop when I want to buy a figure.
However, AmiAmi is a very popular site, so they tend to run out of popular preorders very fast. That's when I turn to my other favorite website for figure buying: Hobby Link Japan! Also known as HLJ for short, their stock and prices can easily compete with AmiAmi's. Also, their frequent sales make this my favorite website to go look for figures that were released a long time ago that are hard to find elsewhere. Also, I love their warehouse system. You can purchase a figure and then choose when it will be shipped to you, allowing you to control when your packages will arrive. For instance, you can avoid the holiday rush but still take advantage of end-of-the-year deals! I've had nothing but good experiences with HLJ, and I highly recommend them.
Due to the popularity of their Nendoroid line and working hand-in-hand with Max Factory on a lot of their products, Good Smile Company is a familiar name to everyone in the figure collecting hobby. Thanks to that level of recognition, it makes sense that they have their own store. They sometimes even offer preorder bonuses with certain items if you buy them straight from the shop (such as a special base for the Attack on Titan figmas). This is also where they sell their WonFes-exclusive figures to the rest of the world. However, all international purchases (read: outside of Japan) only get one shipping option: 2,000 yen for EMS. If you're buying multiple figures that's actually quite the deal, but if you're only interested in buying one or just want a character strap, it's hard to justify that price. I would probably buy from them more often if they offered more shipping choices.
Hobby Search is very well-known, and has been around for a while. They had a point system in place long before AmiAmi offered theirs (and still has the better version, in my opinion). However, I personally find that their prices range from "that's pretty good" to "haha, no." Still, it's good to look at multiple sites before committing to a purchase, and Hobby Search's prices are competitive enough to keep coming back.
This is the website I go to for hard-to-find prize figure orders and limited plushie releases (like when Gift decides to limit things to their website instead of giving them a standard release *shakes fist*). I also like their proxy service, which allows you to buy things that really are restricted to Japan, and they will forward them to you. However, those hard-to-find items tend to sell out quickly here, so if you see something you like, grab it before it's gone!
For secondhand shopping, Mandrake is the place to go. Also known inside the figure community as "Manda," the website represents the physical store chain in Japan that deals with secondhand otaku merchandise. The shipping can get expensive, but there are some chances for really great deals. Keep in mind that a lot of the items are listed in Japanese, so if you're looking for something specific, search for it under the Japanese name!
Q: Why didn't you mention Ebay?
A: Ebay is great for a lot of things, but the vast majority of figures sold there are bootlegs. That's not to say that's all that you'll find (there are a few websites that offer their official items for sale through there as well), but since it's very easy to take official photos off of websites and place them on an Ebay listing, there's no guarantee that you're getting the real thing and not a bootleg.
Q: But what about [website name]?
A: This post only covers a small number of figure sellers out there. Changes are, if they sell anime goods, then they sel figures! But as a general rule, do your research before buying from anywhere! Not all figure sellers are reputable or follow good business practices (such as keeping in touch with you about your order), so it's important to make sure you know the reputation of the website or the seller. MFC has a whole club and board dedicated to figure shop reviews. It's also easy to search through Google for reviews or to see if anyone has posted their experience with the shop on the internet.
Q: This seller says that it's the "Chinese Version," but the photos are all official. That means it's the same figure but just sold in a different region, right?
A: Nope! That means it's a bootleg.
Q: They're so expensive! How can I afford this? I'd rather just get a bootleg since it's cheaper...
A: Yes, figure collecting is an expensive hobby. The only way I've been able to keep up with it is by creating rules for myself and setting a strict budget so that I do not go overboard. That said, if you really want the figure but the price is a bit much, don't go for the bootleg just because it's cheaper! Not only are you not supporting the industry (anime makes a lot of its money on merchandise sales!) but you're also getting a subpar product. They might look the same at first glance, but when placed next to the real thing, the difference is night and day. You get what you pay for! If you really want the figure, it's worth it to save up and get the real thing. And if you're in a financial situation where you can't do that... It's more important that you take care of yourself than to buy figures.
Q: How do I know if a store is selling the real thing versus a bootleg?
A: Again, research! If you're buying directly from Good Smile or a store with a very good reputation like AmiAmi, you can be sure that you're getting the real thing. Otherwise, if you feel a bit suspicious, MFC does a good job of listing whether or not bootleg versions of a product exist, and provide photos when they can. I like to laugh at them in my spare time. (Check out bootleg Nendoroid Levi. You're welcome.) If you're looking at the figure in person, such as at a convention or a hobby shop, it's also good to know what warning signs to look out for so that you know the figure you're purchasing is the real thing. The numerous bootleg videos on YouTube can give you a good idea of what to watch out for (this video is a good start).
I hope you all enjoyed this column and learned something new! If there's a question you'd like to ask that I didn't answer here, feel free to do so in the comments below!
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