Collectibles Lexicon

A figure manufactured at a proportional ratio to the character's height. 1/8 (~20cm), 1/7 (~24cm), 1/6 (~28cm), 1/4 (~42cm). The scale determines size, detail level, and price.

Good Smile Company's chibi-styled figures, ~10cm tall. Interchangeable face plates and accessories. Affordable entry point to collecting (4,000-7,000 JPY retail).

Max Factory's articulated action figures, ~13-15cm. Posable with interchangeable hands and face plates. Lowercase 'f' is the brand convention.

Figures from Japanese arcade crane games. Lower cost, simpler sculpts, but quality has improved dramatically since 2018. Banpresto, Sega, Taito are the main producers.

Resin model kits sold unassembled and unpainted. Requires advanced modeling skills. Often produced in small batches at events like Wonder Festival.

Good Smile Company's affordable fixed-pose line, ~17-18cm, 3,800-4,800 JPY retail. Shorter production lead times. No stand included.

Bandai's premium articulated action figures, ~14-15cm. Extensive articulation across anime, tokusatsu, Marvel, Star Wars. Web exclusives are common.

Fixed-pose display pieces, often larger, heavier, and made from polystone or resin. Limited runs, premium prices. Prime 1 Studio, First 4 Figures.

Small figures (~5-8cm) sold blind as part of a set, intended for trading to complete collections. Sold in convenience stores and hobby shops.

Kotobukiya's female character statue line sculpted by Shunya Yamashita. Covers anime, Marvel, DC, Star Wars.

A figure with removable clothing or armor parts. Common in 1/4 scale figures. Always noted in listings due to NSFW implications.

Polyvinyl chloride — the standard material for mass-produced figures. Allows fine detail but susceptible to yellowing, tackiness, and heat warping over time.

Hard, rigid plastic used for structural parts and joints. Listed alongside PVC on box specs. Standard for articulated joint systems.

Casting material for garage kits and high-end statues. Heavier and more brittle than PVC but holds extremely fine detail. Drops cause chips.

Metal alloy (zinc) used in mecha/robot collectibles for weight and premium feel. Common in Soul of Chogokin and metal build lines.

Soft, hollow vinyl figures made by roto-casting. A Japanese toy tradition. Modern sofubi is often produced by independent artists in limited runs, hand-painted.

Sold fully painted and ready for display. The default for retail figures. Stated on packaging to distinguish from model kits.

Mint In Sealed Box — factory sealed, never opened. Highest condition standard. Commands highest aftermarket prices.

New In Box — original box, appears new, but seal has been broken. Contents may have been inspected. Confirm seal status with seller.

Figure only, no original packaging. Typically 30-60% of boxed price. Common for arcade prize figures where boxes are discarded.

Japanese condition standard. A (美品, near-mint), B (良品, good with minor wear), C (可, acceptable with noticeable wear), D/Junk (ジャンク, major defects).

PVC discoloration from UV exposure or age. White/light parts turn yellow. Irreversible. Check photos of light-colored parts carefully on pre-owned listings.

Figure tilting from intended pose due to heat, weight, or PVC softening over time. Common in dynamic poses with thin ankles.

Surface tackiness from plasticizer migration. More common in older figures and hot/humid storage. Temporarily cleanable but tends to recur.

Packaging with a transparent window to see the figure. Standard for scale figures and Nendoroids. The window itself can yellow over time.

The secondary market where items are resold after original retail availability ends. Prices can be significantly higher or lower than MSRP.

Manufacturer's suggested retail price at initial release. The baseline for evaluating aftermarket value. Japanese prices are listed tax-included (税込).

Reserving before release, typically 6-18 months ahead for scale figures. Pre-orders frequently sell out. Cancellation policies vary by retailer.

Services that purchase from Japanese domestic retailers for international buyers (Buyee, ZenMarket, FromJapan). Necessary because many JP retailers don't ship internationally.

Available only through specific channels: event exclusive (イベント限定), shop exclusive (ショップ限定), or web exclusive (ウェブ限定). Often the rarest aftermarket items.

A subsequent production run. Crashes aftermarket prices of the original. Not guaranteed — many figures never get re-released. Closely watched by collectors.

A collector's most desired, hard-to-find item. Out of production, rare, expensive. Subjective — varies by collector.

Price crash below MSRP due to overproduction, waning popularity, or surprise re-release. Buying opportunity for budget collectors.

Amount aftermarket exceeds retail. A ¥15,000 figure selling for ¥45,000 has a 3x premium. "Pure-ne ga tsuku" = it commands a premium.

Sealed opaque box with one of several possible figures, unknown until opened. Core mechanic of Pop Mart, Sonny Angel, and trading figure lines.

A figure not shown on box art, revealed only upon opening. Typically the rarest and most valuable. May or may not be announced before release.

A rare alternate version — metallic, pearlescent, or glow-in-the-dark variant of a standard figure. Lower pull rate than standard.

All standard figures in a series collected. Short for コンプリート (complete). Usually does NOT include secrets unless stated. Slight premium over individual prices.

Probability of each figure in a blind box. "Assort" (アソート) = distribution ratio in a case. Buying sealed cases can guarantee near-complete sets.

Purchasing an entire sealed retail case (12-24 boxes). Maximizes chance of completing sets based on known assort ratios.

Wall-hanging fabric print featuring character art. Sizes: B2 (515×728mm), A2 (420×594mm), A3 (297×420mm). Common merch type at events and online shops.

Cylindrical pin-back badges with character art, typically 5-7cm diameter. Sold blind (trading) or as sets. One of the most common and affordable anime merch types.

Enamel or metal pin-back badges. Higher quality than can badges. Often event exclusives or premium merchandise.

Flat acrylic cutout of a character mounted on a base for desk display. Abbreviated as 'akusuta' in Japanese. Extremely popular merch format since ~2019.

Trading Card Game — collectible cards for play and collecting. Major lines: Pokémon TCG, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece Card Game, Weiss Schwarz. Graded cards (PSA, BGS, CGC) command significant premiums.

Small-format character photo cards, often included as bonuses or sold in trading packs. Common in idol and game merchandise (NIKKE, K-pop crossovers).

Character art printed on aluminum or steel sheets. Durable alternative to paper posters. Common in A3 size.

Collection of official illustrations, concept art, and production materials. Often released alongside anime/game milestones. Collector value depends on artist and print run.

Self-published works (manga, novels, art) created by fans or independent artists. Sold primarily at Comiket and online. Can be original or fan-derivative. Content ranges from all-ages to adult.

Body pillow with printed character cover, typically 150×50cm. Covers range from SFW to explicit. The pillow insert and cover are sold separately. Cover material quality (2-way tricot, peach skin) affects price.

Gashapon / Gacha

ガシャポン / ガチャ

Capsule toy dispensed from vending machines for 200-500 yen. Small figures, keychains, or accessories. "Gashapon" is Bandai's trademark; "gacha" is the generic term. Monthly rotation schedules.

Plastic model kit requiring assembly (snap-fit or glue). Gunpla (Gundam plastic models) is the dominant category. Grades: HG (1/144), MG (1/100), PG (1/60), RG (1/144 detailed). No paint required for most modern kits.

Stuffed character toys. Ranges from small keychain mascots (~10cm) to life-size hugging pillows. Major lines: Sanrio, San-X (Rilakkuma, Sumikko Gurashi), Pokémon Center exclusives.

Bandai's lottery system sold at convenience stores and hobby shops. Buy a ticket (~700-900 yen), draw a letter (A-G), receive the corresponding prize. Top prizes (A, B) are premium figures. Last One Prize goes to the person who draws the last ticket.

Brand new, unused item. The highest condition in Japanese marketplace listings. Equivalent to MISB or NIB depending on whether the box is sealed.

Mercari's second-highest condition. Opened or briefly displayed but shows virtually no signs of use. Equivalent to 'Like New' in Western grading.

No visible scratches or stains. The item shows minimal wear. Equivalent to 'Good' condition. The most common grade for pre-owned displayed figures.

Some scratches or stains present. Noticeable but not severe wear. Equivalent to 'Fair' condition. Sellers should photograph and describe specific issues.

Clear damage or stains visible. Significant wear. Equivalent to 'Poor' condition. Priced well below market for the same item in better condition.

Sold as-is with major issues — broken parts, heavy damage, missing components, non-functional. For parts or repair only. Often listed at very low prices. Check photos carefully.

Generic term for pre-owned/secondhand items. Used by shops like Mandarake, Suruga-ya, and AmiAmi's pre-owned section. Doesn't specify condition grade — always check the specific A/B/C/D rating.

The item has been opened from its original packaging. Doesn't mean displayed or used — may have been opened for inspection only. Distinguished from 未開封 (unopened/sealed).

Factory sealed, never opened. The most sought-after packaging state. Tapes, stickers, or shrink wrap intact. Commands the highest premiums on aftermarket.

Japan's largest figure manufacturer. Creator of Nendoroid, owner of Max Factory (figma). Operates the Good Smile Online Shop for web exclusives.

Bandai Spirits

バンダイスピリッツ

Division of Bandai Namco handling collector-grade figures and model kits. Brands: Tamashii Nations, Banpresto, Ichiban Kuji, Gunpla.

Brand under Bandai Spirits. Dominant prize figure manufacturer. DXF series. Most commonly encountered items in the anime collectible market.

Known for Bishoujo statues, ARTFX+ line, Frame Arms model kits. Strong Western licensing (Marvel, DC, Star Wars). Major Akihabara retailer.

Reputation for the highest sculpt and paint quality. 1/7 and 1/8 scale specialists. Meticulous prototype-to-production consistency. Higher prices, slower schedules.

GSC group manufacturer specializing in 1/4 scale bunny figures (B-style). 40-50cm tall, ¥20,000-35,000+. Among the most recognizable product types in the market.

Bandai Namco subsidiary. Portrait of Pirates (P.O.P.) One Piece line, G.E.M. series, Variable Action Heroes. Strong in shonen anime.

Medicom Toy

メディコムトイ

Creator of BE@RBRICK and MAFEX. BE@RBRICK sizes: 100% (7cm), 400% (28cm), 1000% (70cm). Collaborations span anime, fashion, art, music.

Pop Mart

POP MART

Beijing-based blind box company. IPs: Molly, Dimoo, Skullpanda, Labubu. Tiered rarity system. Dedicated retail stores globally.

AmiAmi

あみあみ

Japan's largest online anime figure retailer. Pre-order hub for new releases with competitive pricing. Also has a massive pre-owned section with A/B/C/Junk grading. Ships internationally.

Mandarake

まんだらけ

Japan's largest chain of pre-owned anime/manga/figure shops. 12+ physical locations (Nakano Broadway, Akihabara, etc.). Online store ships internationally. Known for rare/vintage items and strict condition grading.

Major Japanese pre-owned retailer with a vast online catalog. Known for competitive prices on used figures. A/B/C/Junk grading system. Ships domestically; requires proxy for international.

Japan's largest anime merchandise retail chain. 120+ stores nationwide. Carries figures, goods, manga, music, TCG. Known for exclusive bonuses on pre-orders (tapestries, acrylic stands, bromides).

Good Smile Company's direct-to-consumer web store. Primary source for GSC web exclusives (Nendoroids, figma, scales that are not available at general retailers). Ships internationally but popular items sell out fast.

Major proxy/forwarding service for buying from Japanese marketplaces (Mercari JP, Yahoo Auctions JP, Rakuma). Provides a Japanese address, purchases on your behalf, consolidates packages, and ships internationally. Service fee per item.

Proxy and forwarding service for Japanese online shopping. Supports Mercari, Yahoo Auctions, Amazon JP, Rakuten, and direct store purchases. Lower fees than Buyee for some services. Package consolidation available.

Proxy buying and forwarding service specializing in auction sites (Yahoo Auctions JP). Also handles direct store purchases. Known for detailed item condition reporting before forwarding.

Biannual hobby event in Chiba, Japan (summer and winter). The largest garage kit and figure convention in the world. Manufacturers announce new products; indie artists sell garage kits under one-day licenses. Event exclusives command extreme aftermarket premiums.

The world's largest doujinshi fair, held biannually in Tokyo Big Sight (summer C100+ and winter). 500,000+ attendees over 3 days. Primary source for fan-made manga, art, and merchandise. Corporate booths also sell event exclusives.

The largest English-language figure collecting database and community. User profiles track owned/wished figures. Reviews, photos, and market price tracking. Entries for virtually every commercially released anime figure. The de facto reference database for collectors.

Retail box inside a shipping box with cushioning. The minimum standard for figure shipping. Not double-boxing risks damage claims and negative feedback.

Clear formed plastic shell holding the figure inside the box. Standard interior packaging. Can crack or yellow over time.

Plain brown outer box protecting retail packaging during shipping. "Chabako" in Japanese. Having it intact adds marginal value for mint collectors.

Multiple items sold together, usually at a discount. "Matome" listings are common on JP marketplaces. Verify individual item conditions carefully.