Figure Buying: Beginner's Guide!

So if you're at all interested in beginning a figure collection, here's a guide that should (I hope) at least help get you started!

I assume you are responsible enough to evaluate whether or not you have enough money and/or space to handle your new addiction. That's up to you.



Need-to-Know terms:

Cast-off- This means that some or all of the clothes of the figure can be removed

PVC- Standard figure build material

Die-Cast- Some or all of the figure is made of metal

Statue- non-pose-able figure. No joints or articulation.

Action figure- can be posed

Bootleg- Non-licensed figure produced and sold illegally. https://anime-faction.umforum.net/t874-counterfeits-and-bootleg-guide-discussion-under-construction

Kit- Usually mean you have to build and/or paint the figure yourself. Gundams usually come like this.


First, you need to know where/how to find figures. The best source for finding upcoming or released figures is http://myfigurecollection.net/

There's over half a million pictures of figures on the site and numerous options to sort it down to what you like. The site is a massive database of practically every figure ever released, it also has manga, artbooks, blurays, box sets, clothes, and dolls in its archives. Hundreds of pictures are added daily and each picture is linked with the exact figure that is contained within it. It's also a great site to keep track of figures you own, have ordered/preordered, and figures on your wishlist. There is a sale section of the site where users sell their own figures, but it isn't 100% trustable.

Another great source is a site like http://1999.co.jp/eng/ or http://www.amiami.com/ . both of these sites update daily with new figures up for preorder. Other great sources to check out are all listed in the Useful Figure Links Thread https://anime-faction.umforum.net/t859-useful-figure-links .

Once you begin browsing for figures you'd like to get, there are many brands to watch out for. I'll list the main brands I know of and what I know of them.

Alter

Their quality is usually impeccable, prices of new figures usually average around $80-100. The figures are a good size (^Stocking is just about 8 inches tall) and they are usually super-detailed. They make only non-poseable statues.

Bandai
Bandai is a tricky brand, it's products quality and prices vary wildly from product line to product line.


Their Soul of Chogokin line is a super-high quality line of die-cast (solid metal) pose-able figures (mostly mechas). Prices for new ones are about $70 and some older ones sell for as high as $300. These are the best poseable figures you can buy if they are available. The line is very limited to usually older mecha anime, but there's some new ones out.



The "Figuarts" line is pretty good, the quality is good for the price (usually about $40 each). This line is highly bootlegged by Chinese companies, so beware.

Any other Bandai line is about equivalent to the Figuarts line in terms of overall quality. Don't expect any Alter-level quality from them.

Good Smile Company

Excellent-quality PVC statues, prices about $80-100, comparable to Alter. Also the producers of Nendoroids:


Nendoroids are chibi versions of characters in figure form. They are fairly poseable, but are prized for their ability to swap parts with other "Nendos". Price is about $40-50 for new ones and they stand about 5-6 inches tall. There's also nendoroid petites which are just tiny nendoroids.


Kaiyodo / Revoltech

Revoltech is a long-running line of super-poseable action figures. The majority of them are mecha's but character figures aren't too uncommon. Wide variety of source material, from Monsters Inc. to Evangelion to Iron Man. Quality is great, price is about $40 for new ones, though older ones can sell for as much as $150. They are fairly small, about 5 inches tall, but usually make up for it in an excessive amount of accessories and changeable hands. I highly recommend this brand if you're looking to collect mechas.

Kotobukiya

Makers of the popular "Bishoujo" line ^^^ they also make standard anime PVC figures. vvv

Most of their figures cost about $70 and are great quality.

(continued due to image limit)
Max Factory

Their main PVC line is great, they cost about $80-100 each and are huge (based on the ones I own^^) they stand almost a foot tall. Qualities and details are great.

They also make the Figma line

which is a super-poseable action figure line (similar to Revoltech) but more detailed and more focused on female anime characters

Orchid Seed

Usually ecchi or cast-off (removable clothes) figures. Great quality and detail. Cost is about $90 and the figures are about 8 inches tall.

Sega

Their PM figure line is really good for great deals. Price is about $40 new and the figures themselves are really good quality. Some of the older figures in the series have a bit more questionable quality though. The figure pictured stands about 10 inches tall.

Square Enix

Almost exclusively make the Play Arts Kai line. These are poseable action figures with good quality and nice details. Price is about $70 and they are 8-10 inches tall.

Yamato

Their PVC statue line is excellent. Cost is about $100-120 for their Creator's Labo line. Size is about 8 inches tall. Extremely detailed figures with incredible paint quality. ie: on the rei figure pictured, they used special paints for the skin and plugsuit to make them feel realistic. Can't recommend this company enough.

i'll have my eyes on
Good Smile Company, Kotobukiya, Max Factory, Orchid Seed and Yamato

posting for future reference

great thread, will help when i live forever alone

MikuHatsune wrote:great thread, will help when i live forever alone

you didn't already? :o

Isn't there a way to check all figures from one specific company in E2046.com ?
I tried the advance search just selecting the Manufacturer but it doesn't show anything


well i can in 1999.co.jp
Why do they leave figures that have been sold out or even long sold out ?

are they supposed to come back or something ?