Figure Types
- Scale Figure (ในใฑใผใซใใฃใฎใฅใข)
- 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.
- Nendoroid (ใญใใฉใใใฉ)
- Good Smile Company's chibi-styled figures, ~10cm tall. Interchangeable face plates and accessories. Affordable entry point (4,000-7,000 JPY retail).
- figma (ใใฃใฐใ)
- Max Factory's articulated action figures, ~13-15cm. Posable with interchangeable hands and face plates. Lowercase 'f' is the brand convention.
- Prize Figure (ใใฉใคใบใใฃใฎใฅใข)
- Figures from Japanese arcade crane games. Lower cost, simpler sculpts, but quality has improved dramatically since 2018. Banpresto, Sega, Taito.
- Garage Kit / GK (ใฌใฌใผใธใญใใ)
- Resin model kits sold unassembled and unpainted. Requires advanced modeling skills. Often produced in small batches at events like Wonder Festival.
- Pop Up Parade (ใใใใขใใใใฌใผใ)
- Good Smile Company's affordable fixed-pose line, ~17-18cm, 3,800-4,800 JPY retail. Shorter production lead times. No stand included.
- S.H.Figuarts (S.H.ใใฃใฎใฅใขใผใ)
- Bandai's premium articulated action figures, ~14-15cm. Extensive articulation across anime, tokusatsu, Marvel, Star Wars. Web exclusives are common.
- Statue (ในใฟใใฅใผ)
- Fixed-pose display pieces, often larger, heavier, and made from polystone or resin. Limited runs, premium prices. Prime 1 Studio, First 4 Figures.
- Trading Figure (ใใฌใผใใฃใณใฐใใฃใฎใฅใข)
- Small figures (~5-8cm) sold blind as part of a set. Sold in convenience stores and hobby shops.
- Bishoujo Statue (็พๅฐๅฅณในใฟใใฅใผ)
- Kotobukiya's female character statue line sculpted by Shunya Yamashita. Covers anime, Marvel, DC, Star Wars.
- Cast-off (ใญใฃในใใชใ)
- A figure with removable clothing or armor parts. Common in 1/4 scale figures. Always noted in listings due to NSFW implications.
Materials & Construction
- PVC (ใใชๅกฉๅใใใซ)
- Polyvinyl chloride โ standard material for mass-produced figures. Allows fine detail but susceptible to yellowing, tackiness, heat warping over time.
- ABS (ABSๆจน่)
- Hard, rigid plastic used for structural parts and joints. Listed alongside PVC on box specs.
- Resin (ใฌใธใณ)
- Casting material for garage kits and high-end statues. Heavier and more brittle than PVC but holds extremely fine detail.
- Die-cast (ใใคใญใฃในใ)
- Metal alloy (zinc) used in mecha/robot collectibles for weight and premium feel. Common in Soul of Chogokin and metal build lines.
- Sofubi (ใฝใใ)
- Soft, hollow vinyl figures made by roto-casting. Modern sofubi often produced by independent artists in limited runs.
- Pre-painted (ๅก่ฃ ๆธใฟ)
- Sold fully painted and ready for display. The default for retail figures.
Condition & Packaging
- MISB
- Mint In Sealed Box โ factory sealed, never opened. Highest condition standard. Commands highest aftermarket prices.
- NIB
- New In Box โ original box, appears new, but seal has been broken. Contents may have been inspected.
- Loose (็ฎฑใชใ)
- Figure only, no original packaging. Typically 30-60% of boxed price.
- A/B/C/D Grade (็ถๆ A/B/C/D)
- Japanese condition standard. A (็พๅ, near-mint), B (่ฏๅ, good with minor wear), C (ๅฏ, acceptable), D/Junk (ใธใฃใณใฏ, major defects).
- Yellowing (้ปใฐใฟ)
- PVC discoloration from UV exposure or age. White/light parts turn yellow. Irreversible.
- Leaning (ๅพใ)
- Figure tilting from intended pose due to heat, weight, or PVC softening. Common in dynamic poses with thin ankles.
- Sticky/Tacky (ในใใคใ)
- Surface tackiness from plasticizer migration. More common in older figures and hot/humid storage.
- Window Box (ใฆใฃใณใใฆใใใฏใน)
- Packaging with a transparent window to see the figure. Standard for scale figures and Nendoroids.
Market & Commerce
- Aftermarket (ไบๆฌกๅธๅ ด)
- The secondary market where items are resold after original retail availability ends.
- MSRP / Retail (ๅฎไพก)
- Manufacturer's suggested retail price at initial release. Japanese prices are listed tax-included (็จ่พผ).
- Pre-order (ไบ็ด)
- Reserving before release, typically 6-18 months ahead for scale figures.
- Proxy / Forwarding (ไปฃ่กใป่ปข้ใตใผใใน)
- Services that purchase from Japanese domestic retailers for international buyers (Buyee, ZenMarket, FromJapan).
- Exclusive (้ๅฎ)
- Available only through specific channels: event exclusive (ใคใใณใ้ๅฎ), shop exclusive (ใทใงใใ้ๅฎ), web exclusive (ใฆใงใ้ๅฎ).
- Re-release (ๅ่ฒฉ)
- A subsequent production run. Crashes aftermarket prices of the original.
- Grail
- A collector's most desired, hard-to-find item. Out of production, rare, expensive. Subjective โ varies by collector.
- Shelf Dive (ๅคๅดฉใ)
- Price crash below MSRP due to overproduction, waning popularity, or surprise re-release. Buying opportunity.
- Price Premium (ใใฌๅค)
- Amount aftermarket exceeds retail. A ยฅ15,000 figure selling for ยฅ45,000 has a 3x premium.
Blind Box & Gacha
- Blind Box (ใใฉใคใณใใใใฏใน)
- Sealed opaque box with one of several possible figures, unknown until opened. Core mechanic of Pop Mart, Sonny Angel, and trading figure lines.
- Secret (ใทใผใฏใฌใใ)
- A figure not shown on box art, revealed only upon opening. Typically the rarest and most valuable.
- Chase Variant (ใใงใคใน)
- A rare alternate version โ metallic, pearlescent, or glow-in-the-dark variant. Lower pull rate.
- Full Set (ใณใณใ)
- All standard figures in a series collected. Short for ใณใณใใชใผใ (complete). Usually does NOT include secrets.
- Pull Rates / Odds (็ขบ็ใปใขใฝใผใ)
- Probability of each figure in a blind box. 'Assort' (ใขใฝใผใ) = distribution ratio in a case.