Tips for Hunting Anime Figures

I’m sure you’ve found yourself scouring the internet for that one elusive figure you are hunting for. Maybe you are looking for your grail figure. Were you successful on your hunt? Did you know where to look? Are you scared you might buy a bootleg? We’ve got you covered.

We offer a figure hunts service to help you hunt for that specific figure that you want.

If you want to do it on your own though, we offer a helping hand! Read on to learn more.

The First Step to Hunting Anime Figures: Find Basic Information on the Figure

Before you start on your hunt, you need to know some basic information about the figure you are hunting for. First and foremost, you’ll need to know the name of the figure and the manufacturer.

Where to Look for Basic Information on Anime Figures

Head over to MyFigureCollection.net or more commonly known as MFC. It is a database of figures. Think of it like MyAnimeList but for anime figures. It is a treasure trove of information. Use MFC’s search feature to search for the figure you are hunting for and take note of the details of the figure.

When you find the page for the figure you are hunting for, you can scroll down to the comments section to see MFC partner stores that could still be selling it. If you find what you’re looking for at the right price, then good for you. You might also find some other people selling the figure you are hunting for in the comments. Remember, be careful when buying from strangers. Use a mode of payment that offers customer protection like Paypal so you can file a dispute in case you get scammed. Never pay with Bitcoin, direct bank transfer or ewallet transfer!

Where Do I Hunt for Figures?

The answer to this question depends on what figure you are looking for. There could be a couple of scenarios.

1. The figure you are looking for is still in pre-order
2. The figure you are looking for has recently closed preorders but is not yet released.
3. The figure you are looking for has been released recently (2-3 months ago)
4. The figure you are looking for has long been released
5. The figure you are looking for is an exclusive release

Let’s address them one by one.

1. The figure you are looking for is in pre-order.

If you are new to figure collecting and not yet familiar with how everything works, you can actually find yourself hunting for a figure that has not been released yet. If this is the case, then you’re actually in luck. This means you can pre-order the figure at the original pre-order price and avoid the bloated after-market price. The bad news though is you have to wait several months or even up to a year.

You can check our preorder section if the figure you want is there. If not, send us a message and we’ll see if we can stock it.

2. The figure you are looking for is in pre-order but the pre-order period has closed.

A little stroke of bad luck if pre-orders have already closed. It’s not the end of the world though. In most cases, you can still find them in stock at some stores. You can contact us, and we can check if we can still get the preorder you want. The other option is to scour JP stores if they might have extra slots. Sometimes people cancel their pre-orders and that’s a pre-order slot up for grabs.

Also, keep tabs on the specific date when the figure is scheduled for release. Set a reminder and many stores might have extra units in stock if anyone cancelled their preorder.

3. The figure you are looking for has been released recently (2-3 months ago).

A few months after the release of a figure, many stores might still have them in stock because of cancellations. At around 2 to 3 months after release is also the prime time to be hunting for used figures in the aftermarket. Hopefully, the price has not shot up too much yet. If you’re lucky, you can buy a used one in good condition for lower than the preorder price!

4. The figure you are looking for has long been released.

If it has been more than just a few months or a few years since the figure you want was released. It might be a bit more difficult, but all hope is not lost. Even if a figure is no longer in production, you can still buy one pre-owned However, be wary that after-market prices can take a real toll on your wallet. It’s not uncommon for popular figures to be double or triple their pre-order price. At this point, it would be best to look at used figure stores. Here are the stores that we can recommend for used figures. If you need help purchasing from these stores, send us a message.

• Amiami – They have a massive pre-owned section.
• Mandarake – This is a Japanese site but just click on the “English” text at the top of the page to convert the site to English. They have various branches all over Japan so you can only combine shipments that come from the same branch.
• Solaris Japan – They have a wide selection of pre-owned figures but their pricing is not friendly on the wallet.
• Jungle of Japan – They don’t have as wide a selection as Mandarake, Amiami, or Solaris Japan. In addition, they charge a 5% handling fee for international orders. Not an ideal first choice but, we’ve ordered from them many times when hunting specific figures.
• Akiba Soul – We have not had the buy anything from Akiba Soul because they refuse to sell to the Philippines. They are legit though so you have nothing to worry about if their are open in your country.
• J-Figure – They have a good selection of pre-owned. The price isn’t always ideal but they’re legit.

If the figure price has increased so much in the aftermarket and is beyond your budget, you have two options. Increase your budget or hope for a rerelease.

5. The figure you are looking for is a limited/exclusive release.

There are those regular figures that go for pre-order on various sites and then there are those exclusive releases. Some may be sold only at specific events. Some are prizes from a lottery. Some may have a very limited production number. These ones can be really hard to find.

Nowadays, manufacturers just willy-nilly slap a limited/exclusive tag on their figures even if they are mass-produced. This actually diminishes the novelty of having a “limited” or “exclusive” figure.

On the bright side though, not having exclusives might actually be a good thing.

For hunting the real limited and exclusive releases, you can check out the sites that sell pre-owned figures.

If you’ve had no luck up until this point, you can also check these other hunting spots.

Other Hunting Spots for Figures

Amazon JP

With the Amazon Global program, it should be easier to order from Amazon JP. It could be a reliable option for hunting those grails. Items on Amazon JP are extremely overpriced though since this is where the normies usually shop. Also, buying on Amazon JP can get you some bootlegs. Don’t buy bootlegs!

Social Media Groups and Pages

The local anime figure collector groups in PH are very active. There are buy and sell posts on any given day. So, depending on where you are, this might be a good option for you. You can search for your local figure-collecting communities on Facebook or whatever is the popular platform where you are.

Your Local Hobby Stores

Perhaps the pandemic has made us so accustomed to buying stuff online. However, when hunting figures, don’t count out your local figure retailers. You’ll never know when they might still have a grail figure available at retail price.

eBay

eBay can be a treasure trove or your worst nightmare. eBay is probably the last place I’d be checking out when hunting for figures. Many users try to list their items on eBay and price it way above the market price just to earn a quick buck. Also, eBay is a prime spot for bootlegs. I have heard plenty of stories of people buying bootlegs on eBay and being denied refunds. Even when eBay offers customer protection, it’s still risky.

Figure Auction Sites

There are also auction sites for anime figures, but this isn’t the ideal destination for hunting. But if you’re desperate and the figure you want is up for auction, then go ahead. You might get lucky! There’s a good chance that the price can get high and fast. Just know your limit and don’t spend beyond your means.

If you know of any other places that are great for hunting figures, let me know in the comments so I can add it to the list.

And remember, if you need help with figure hunts, you can send us a message!