Any anime fan (and even most non-anime fans) are aware of what anime figures are. They’re usually seen as collectibles that only the most devoted fan would collect. A few years ago, they were hard to collect, as most figures were sold overseas, usually only in Japan. Getting your hands on one usually meant high shipping fees, or shopping via a proxy in Japan.

Today, there are several resources and websites available to help you purchase your first figure. J-List has a great collection of anime figures that you can view here. At first glance, it may be overwhelming to see such a wide variety of choices. 1:8, 1:7 figures, Nendoroids, Figmas… what exactly are they?

In this guide, I’ll go through the different types of figures, how to find and purchase one that’s suited to you, and some manufacturer’s to consider when purchasing your first few figures.

But, first off…

What Are Anime Figures?

It’s hard to see the appeal of collecting anime figures. They’re essentially overpriced plastic, and there’s not much you can do with them after purchasing. Despite this, there’s a blossoming community that’s heavily engaged in sharing collections and taking high-quality professional photos of figures. Personally, I like to display them behind glass on a shelf, but I’ll eventually take pictures of my collection and start sharing them.

Purchasing anime figures is also a way to show monetary support to the studio that produced the series. The main source of income for several anime studios primarily come from merchandise, so it’s a way of giving back to the studio for their work. Commonly, a series that see a high number of merchandise sales are often a green-lit for continuations, so purchasing anime figures can have a direct impact on whether or not your favorite show gets a second season!

Just like with anime, there’s a figure out there for everyone. They come in a variety of poses, with faces that can appeal to different fans. There are figures that are sexy, cute, cool, or plain funny. Part of the fun is finding a style of figure that appeals to you! It’s a highly customizable hobby that can shine a light on your personality.

Types of Figures

Speaking of different styles of figures, there are several different types as well. Nendoroids, scale figures, prize figures, and Figmas are all options for getting into this hobby!

Nendoroid

Nendoroids are easy to recognize, chibi sized figures of characters. They’re cute, cheap, and fun to collect! I would highly recommend getting started with a Nendoroid if you want to get into collecting figures. The price tag for even the most popular Nendoroids won’t break the bank, and there’s a wide selection of characters to choose from. J-List carries a large collection of Nendoroids that you can find here!

Nendoroids can also be posed, so you can get creative with them! It can be a lot of fun to set poses between characters of the same series to recreate a scene from a show. For example, you can pose Alice from Sword Art Online: Alicization in her attack pose from the show!

Nendoroid parts and props can also be interchanged between other Nendoroids. Many Nendoroids come with several different faceplates, so the options for customization are huge! There’s a lot of fun to be had to collect Nendoroids, and even a small collection is rewarding.

Scale Figures

Scale figures are one of the most common types of figures you’ll see in any collector’s display. These are often scaled down versions of characters. Unlike Nendoroids, scale figures are static, meaning that they can’t be posed. It doesn’t mean they’re not customizable — some scale figures come with removable props, and some have faces you can swap out.

Scale figures come in different shapes and sizes. The most common size is 1:8 Scale (around 22cm), such as this Saber scale figure from Fate/Grand Order. Their size makes them easy to display and collect, while still allowing for a high quality of detail so we can enjoy 3D representations of our favorite 2D characters.

There are plenty of other sizes, such as this 1:7 Scale Rem from Re:Zero, 1:6 Scale Rikka from SSSS Gridman, or if you want to go smaller, there’s a 1:12 Scale Vanilla from Nekopara.

Due to the size and level of detail on these figures, the price tag for a scale figure is significantly higher than a Nendoroid, and prices can still vary. For those who don’t want to pose your figures, scale figures can be a great option for you! Personally, I prefer collecting scale figures since I’m not much of a creative type when it comes to posing Nendoroids or Figmas.

Prize Figures

Prize figures are the type of figures you see in claw machines, begging to be grabbed. It’s easy to confuse them with scale figures at first glance, but the quality of prize figures are lower than that of scale figures.

That’s not to say they’re not great options. Prize figures have very attractive price tags that make them a great choice for beginners and seasoned collectors alike, at around $15 – $30. If you’re not one to try your luck on the claw machines, you can usually buy prize figures new or second hand from various shops around Akihabara, or online.

They’re usually very hard to get internationally, since they have a short life span in the arcades, and new ones are constantly being released. J-List has a prize figure in stock featuring Bulma from Dragon Ball Z. Taito and Sega are some of the most prominent brands that produce prize figures, and are worth checking out if you’re ever visiting a Japanese arcade!

Figma

Figma figures are action figures that can be easily posed, while still retaining a high level of detail that stays faithful to the original design. They’re often connected by joints, allowing for a full range of movement when posing limbs and the body, making them extremely dynamic!

They’re similar to Nendoroids in that they can be posed and are highly customizable, but the main difference is that Nendoroids have a chibi design, while Figmas are closer to scale/prize figures in terms of design.

Figmas are right in the middle of the pricing scale, between scale figures and Nendoroids. They usually hover around the $70 – $90 price tag and are great options to liven up your collection with some cool poses.

There are plenty of options to collect Figmas, such as this Kizuna Ai Figma where you can pose her playing games or jumping for joy! Or, this amazing Ann Takamaki Figma from Persona 5 in her iconic pose, too.

Do you have a preferred type of figures design, or do you have a favorite figures or one that you’re eyeing at the moment? Leave your comments below and let me know what you think!