29 Jul 2010 23:23:47
Alright, Glory recently requested me to write some articles to serve as a sort of guide to getting into the figure-collecting hobby. I'm filing these under Private Stuff since they involve this site more than figures or otaku stuff. Also, don't ask why the post icon is completely unrelated - I couldn't think of a fitting one, so I just chose an image from my figure folder at random.
Greetings, new Shelfers! If you're reading this, you're probably relatively new to collecting figures (or at least new to this site). Anyway, hopefully this series of articles will help you get a collection started!
Why collect figures?
Because it's a fun hobby! It's a really cool feeling to be able to display and play with 3D representations of your favorite characters from various anime, manga, video games, and pretty much anything (there's a Figma of a Japanese baseball mascot and a gay porn star, among other things). This site specifically focuses on Japanese figures, but its database contains figures from a vast number of origins, from K-On to Alien.
So do you keep them in box, or what?
Personally, I feel that opening figures is definitely the way to go - these things were made to be enjoyed and played with! However, some people prefer displaying the figures in their packaging. If you're thinking of keeping your figures sealed just to increase their value, it's not really necessary - the truly valuable gems will still fetch insane prices even if they've been opened (I've seen an opened Soul of Chogokin Gunbuster go for over $200). Basically, there's no need to keep them sealed - so long as you still HAVE the packaging, the price won't be affected.
Should I collect articulated figures, or statues?
This is really a matter of preferences. I'll list a few facts about each:
Articulated figures are:
-posable
-usually smaller
-considerably cheaper
-a bit more fragile
-usually have a larger assortment of male/non-moe characters
Statues (AKA PVCs) are:
-bigger
-usually more detailed
-considerably more expensive
-somewhat more durable
-usually have more female/moe characters
Overall, it really depends on personal preference. If cost is an issue, posables are the way to go, at around $20-$35 a pop (compared to PVCs running for around $40-120). However, PVCs are usually a fair bit larger, more detailed, and impressive-looking. If you enjoy playing with and making silly scenes with your figures, posables are the obvious choice; but some people are bothered by the joints. By the way, for the most part, male or non-moe characters like Kyon (Haruhi) or Kamen Riders are more likely to get posable figures, whereas female/moe characters such as Yui Hirasawa (K-On) and Hatsune Miku have a larger assortment of PVCs. Tl;dr - just go with what you like.
Are bootlegs a major risk in this hobby?
Counterfeit figures DO exist. However, avoiding them isn't too tough - just do your research beforehand. I'll be publishing another article going more in-depth on the topic of bootlegs.
Basic terms you'll hear a lot in this hobby:
PVC (as a noun), completed model, scale figure: a statue
Pre-order: to reserve before the item's release date. The figure industry is quite similar to the video game industry, with its emphasis on preorders.
Cast-offable: able to remove parts (usually articles of clothing) from a figure.
Chogokin: Die-cast metal.
QC: Quality Control - basically, making sure the figure has no defects. If a lot of people get a defective figure, then it's generally assumed to have bad QC. Examples of this include Figma Rider and Ultra-Act Ultraman.
Otherwise, there's also a lot of terms (moe, gattai, kawaii, loli, shouta, henshin, etc.) that came from the anime fandom.
So, yeah. I hope you found this article informative! There are more on the way - happy collecting!
Was this the kind of thing you were thinking of, Glory? I had plans for a few more articles, including:
-Manufacturers
-Materials
-Figure lines
-Where to buy
-Model kits
-Bootlegs and how to spot them
-Maintenance/repairs
Greetings, new Shelfers! If you're reading this, you're probably relatively new to collecting figures (or at least new to this site). Anyway, hopefully this series of articles will help you get a collection started!
Why collect figures?
Because it's a fun hobby! It's a really cool feeling to be able to display and play with 3D representations of your favorite characters from various anime, manga, video games, and pretty much anything (there's a Figma of a Japanese baseball mascot and a gay porn star, among other things). This site specifically focuses on Japanese figures, but its database contains figures from a vast number of origins, from K-On to Alien.
So do you keep them in box, or what?
Personally, I feel that opening figures is definitely the way to go - these things were made to be enjoyed and played with! However, some people prefer displaying the figures in their packaging. If you're thinking of keeping your figures sealed just to increase their value, it's not really necessary - the truly valuable gems will still fetch insane prices even if they've been opened (I've seen an opened Soul of Chogokin Gunbuster go for over $200). Basically, there's no need to keep them sealed - so long as you still HAVE the packaging, the price won't be affected.
Should I collect articulated figures, or statues?
This is really a matter of preferences. I'll list a few facts about each:
Articulated figures are:
-posable
-usually smaller
-considerably cheaper
-a bit more fragile
-usually have a larger assortment of male/non-moe characters
Statues (AKA PVCs) are:
-bigger
-usually more detailed
-considerably more expensive
-somewhat more durable
-usually have more female/moe characters
Overall, it really depends on personal preference. If cost is an issue, posables are the way to go, at around $20-$35 a pop (compared to PVCs running for around $40-120). However, PVCs are usually a fair bit larger, more detailed, and impressive-looking. If you enjoy playing with and making silly scenes with your figures, posables are the obvious choice; but some people are bothered by the joints. By the way, for the most part, male or non-moe characters like Kyon (Haruhi) or Kamen Riders are more likely to get posable figures, whereas female/moe characters such as Yui Hirasawa (K-On) and Hatsune Miku have a larger assortment of PVCs. Tl;dr - just go with what you like.
Are bootlegs a major risk in this hobby?
Counterfeit figures DO exist. However, avoiding them isn't too tough - just do your research beforehand. I'll be publishing another article going more in-depth on the topic of bootlegs.
Basic terms you'll hear a lot in this hobby:
PVC (as a noun), completed model, scale figure: a statue
Pre-order: to reserve before the item's release date. The figure industry is quite similar to the video game industry, with its emphasis on preorders.
Cast-offable: able to remove parts (usually articles of clothing) from a figure.
Chogokin: Die-cast metal.
QC: Quality Control - basically, making sure the figure has no defects. If a lot of people get a defective figure, then it's generally assumed to have bad QC. Examples of this include Figma Rider and Ultra-Act Ultraman.
Otherwise, there's also a lot of terms (moe, gattai, kawaii, loli, shouta, henshin, etc.) that came from the anime fandom.
So, yeah. I hope you found this article informative! There are more on the way - happy collecting!
Was this the kind of thing you were thinking of, Glory? I had plans for a few more articles, including:
-Manufacturers
-Materials
-Figure lines
-Where to buy
-Model kits
-Bootlegs and how to spot them
-Maintenance/repairs