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I don’t claim to be the biggest anime fan in the world, but I’ve always enjoyed seeing the craftsmanship that goes into each of the models.
Plus I’m starting to think a highly detailed Cowboy Bebop figurine is everything my desk is missing…
What to look out for when buying Japanese anime figures?
To get the best experience possible when buying products like these from Japan, you need to figure out which sort of buyer you are.
Buying as a gift: If you’re buying an anime figure a gift, chances are high that you’ll want an easy to navigate website and quick shipping times. I would suggest looking on Amazon or any of the website below that are based in your country.
This should ensure you get your products as quickly as possible and get any questions you may have answered in a timely fashion.
Casual Buyer: Maybe you’re just looking to get into anime figures and don’t really know where to start. Solaris Japan seem to have the biggest catalogue and great shipping options no matter where you are in the world.
Unless you’re looking for anything more specialised, it’s a great place to start if you don’t really know what you’re looking for.
Experienced Buyer: After trawling through all the websites on this list, if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, it’s time to look elsewhere.
ZenMarket and other Japanese proxy buying services will be your best option going forward. They may not have exactly what you want all the time (as most are auction houses) but if you hang around long enough then you’re bound to find something similar to what you were looking for.
1. Solaris Japan
Perhaps the biggest and most well known online shop to buy Japanese anime figurines.
This place literally has it all. Figurines from every anime imaginable, and a whole host of merchandise to go along with it.
So whilst your shopping trip may start with the intentions to buy a single anime figure, it’ll no doubt end with a basket full of vinyl, limited edition PS2 games, and several packs of rare trading cards from Japan.
Solaris ship thousands of anime figures from their online store every year to almost every country around the globe, so you know your merchandise is in safe hands.
You’ll have the option to chose from three different delivery methods:
| SAVER | REGULAR | EXPRESS |
| $ | $$ | $$$ |
| 2-12 Weeks | 5-10 Days | 2-5 Days |
| No Insurance | No Insurance | Insurance |
| JP Post | JP Post | EMS |
If your order isn’t that expensive and you don’t mind waiting a while, you’re probably best off picking the saver option.
If your order costs a fair amount or you absolutely want it insured, or you just can’t wait for that figure of Detective Conan then why not splurge on the express delivery!
To summarise, Solaris Japan is the place I would head to first out of any of these Japanese shops to buy anime figures online.
The process is extremely straightforward, the prices are good, and the catalogue is huge.
What more could you want!
2. Otaku Mode
First of all before you do anything, read this letter written by the founder, Tomo Kamei.
Not only is it extremely heartfelt and slightly emotional, but also inspiring to anyone interested in starting their own company.
Probably something I should have read before starting this blog!
Tokyo Otaku Mode’s online shop features an incredibly large amount of manga and anime memorabilia including dolls and figurines.
Their Facebook page has other 20 Million followers who all crave high quality anime content from Otaku Mode.
And that’s exactly what they get.
Unlike a lot of the entries on this list, Otaku Mode is a vast ecosystem of information, shops, news, and photos surrounding Japanese nerd culture.
Truly worth diving into it if that’s something you’re interested in!
3. Amazon
It’s time for amazon to rear it’s slightly ugly head once more in one of these lists!
Although I highly recommend supporting independent stores when you can, sometimes buying from amazon is honestly the simplest way. But, that’s something for you to decide.
To find Japanese Anime Figures on amazon, all you have to do is the following:
1. Head over to this amazon page
2. Type in ‘X anime figure’ (with X being the name of the character or anime of your choice)
3. Order way more than you ever thought possible, and cry at your bank balance in the morning (This step seems pretty compulsory as far as I’m concerned)
The list of anime figures may not be as specific or niche as you need it to be, but amazon is a fantastic place to start your journey of buying nerdy Japanese products online.
4. Otaku Hype
Otaku Hype is a family run business that started in the UK in 2015.
But don’t let their humble roots deceive you.
The shop is packed full of 100% official anime figures imported from Japan.
And they claim to have been watching anime and reading manga for over 15 years, so you know they’ll only have the very best stuff in their shop.
One small note, they online ship within the U.K.
Don’t worry if you live in the U.S, there’re still many other options on this list to satisfy your anime addiction!
5. Lunar Toy Store
Based out of New York, Lunar Toy Store is an independent anime figure and hobby shop.
It’s a great option for anyone living in America as they offer a $5 flat rate of shipping. A refreshing shipping system, especially for anyone used to buying from online Japanese stores.
Unlike some of the other options on this list, Lunar Toy Store sells hobby supplies including tools and paint cans to complete the creation of your gundam.
Once again, they have a huge catalogue to chose from including plushies and pre order items (So you know you’ll never miss out!).
6. Tokyo Toys
Tokyo Toys is another fantastic independent store operating out of the U.K.
Not only do they have a huge range of anime and manga figurines, but also an entire section dedicated to gaming merchandise.
At this point if my Yu-Gi-Oh! collection gets any bigger, I’m going to have to move house…
Also if you haven’t heard already, Japan loves cute things. Tokyo Toys knows this, and once again have an entire section devoted to it, so cute!
7. Charming Sushi
Charming sushi is an online Japanese collectible shop based in the U.K.
They’ve got anime and manga figurines (of course!) Clothing, Plushies, and even homewares.
Definitely the first shop on the list to feature a homewares section, that’s for sure!
Another thing that really excites me about this shop is that they have a section of goods under £5.
So if you often find yourself short of money, there’s still no excuse not to add to your collection.
According to their ‘about’ page, the speciality lines of charming sushi include: Ichiban Kuji prizes, Nendodroids, and gachapon miniatures (from the vending machines).
8. AnimeGami
Founded in 2015 by José Airosa, Anime Gami community dedicated to anime, manga, and other Japanese items.
Excellent reviews on trust pilot, thousands of items in stock, and a great delivery service make AnimeGami a great choice for buying anime figures and other gaming merchandise online.
9. Zen Market
Finally, time for something a little different!
I’ve already discussed zen market in detail here, but in short it’s a Japanese proxy service which helps you buy things from Japan.
Some of the places Zen market help you buy from include: Rakuten, Japanese amazon, Wholesale markets in Japan, and Yahoo Auctions (in Japan).
So, it’s a great option if you want to find something unique or retro that other shops on the list aren’t like to stock.
The stuff you find on here is very unlikely to appear anywhere else on the internet. Well, at least nowhere else that you’ll be able to find and order it.
Also, you can find pretty much anything from Japan on this site if you do a bit of digging. It’s not just limited to anime figures, but it’s an absolutely great place to find them!
Don’t fancy paying the ¥300 service charge? Why not shop at Zen Market’s sister site, ZenPlus!
10. amiami
Last but certainly not least on our list of the best places to buy Japanese anime and manga figures online is ‘amiami’.
They have a couple of shops over in Japan and one in HongKong. Prices are all in JPY and as you’d expect they do charge a fair amount for shipping depending on where you live in the world.
The catalogue of items in extensive including figures, toys, trading cards, and gaming merchandise amongst other things.
The user experience may not be as ideal as some of the other websites, but you can be sure the products you receive are 100% authentic as they’ll come directly from Japan.
Conclusion
Whilst a lot of the options in this article may have seemed slightly similar (…try writing about them!), there are small differences that would make your experience as a buyer more pleasurable.
Ultimately that decision can only be up to you.
But one things for certain, there’s bound to be a place to fit your needs!
