Anime Figures Glossary

An acrylic stand is a printed character artwork item on a clear acrylic panel that stands upright on a matching base. They are compact, lightweight and affordable. Acrylic stands are popular desk accessories for anime fans and are commonly sold at anime events and through hobby merchandise retailers.

Yes. Acrylic stands are a practical, affordable gift for anime fans. They display characters prominently on a desk or shelf without taking up much space. They pair well with other small character goods such as keyrings or trading cards. Check the Hobbyco anime merchandise section for available character titles.

Banpresto is a brand under the Bandai umbrella that produces anime figures and collectibles. Originally producing prize items for Japanese arcade machines, Banpresto now sells figures directly through retail channels. Their Ichibansho and Vibration Stars lines cover major franchises including Dragon Ball, One Piece and Demon Slayer.

Banpresto figures offer a solid quality-to-price ratio. Their more recent lines (Ichibansho, Vibration Stars) have significantly improved in sculpt and paint quality. They are a practical way to collect characters from your favourite series without the premium price of scale figures.

A blind box is a sealed package containing a random collectable from a fixed range of designs. You do not know which variant you will receive until you open the box. Blind boxes are common in anime merchandise including trading figures and character goods. The element of chance and the incentive to complete a set make blind boxes popular.

Blind boxes suit collectors who enjoy the surprise and the process of completing a set. If you are after a specific figure, blind boxes can be costly as you may receive duplicates before getting the one you need. Some retailers sell open-box singles or allow you to pick specific designs. Consider your goal before committing to multiple blind box purchases.

A chibi figure is based on a drawing style where characters have large heads and small, round bodies for a cute, exaggerated look. The term comes from Japanese slang. In collectible figures, chibi styling is used across Nendoroids, SD Gunpla, deformed-style prize figures and many trading figure series.

Yes. Chibi figures are accessible, compact, widely available and generally more affordable than life-scale figures. Nendoroids are the most popular premium chibi figure line. Prize figures in chibi style cover most major franchises at very accessible prices.

A display case is a clear protective housing used to display figures while keeping them dust-free and protected from accidental knocking. Individual acrylic cases are available for single scale figures. Multi-shelf display cabinets suit larger collections. Display cases also slow UV-related PVC discolouration.

For premium scale figures, a display case is strongly recommended. Dust on PVC and painted surfaces can be difficult to remove without risk of scratching. A simple individual acrylic case is an inexpensive way to protect a higher-value figure. For a full collection, a dedicated display cabinet with UV-filtering acrylic is a worthwhile investment.

A figma is an articulated action figure produced by Max Factory (a Good Smile Company subsidiary). Figma figures stand around 12 to 15 cm tall and use a smooth joint system for a wide range of dynamic poses. They come with multiple accessories, effect parts and hand parts and cover characters from anime, games and live-action properties.

Nendoroids are small, chibi-styled and focused on expressive character display. Figma figures are more realistically proportioned and designed for dynamic action posing. Both are produced under the Good Smile Company umbrella. If you prefer a life-like action-focused display, figma is the right choice. If you prefer a compact, cute display, Nendoroid suits you better.

A Nendoroid is a small (approximately 10 cm) chibi-style collectible figure produced by Good Smile Company. Each figure comes with multiple interchangeable face plates showing different expressions, along with accessories and body parts for different poses. Nendoroids are produced for an enormous range of anime, game and pop culture characters.

Yes. Nendoroids are one of the best starting points for anime figure collecting. They are smaller and more affordable than full-scale PVC figures, widely available and easy to display on a desk or shelf. Good Smile Company's quality control is consistently high across the Nendoroid range.

Prize figures were originally produced for Japanese UFO catcher arcade games and have since become a mainstream retail product. They are manufactured in higher volumes than scale figures, which keeps prices lower. Major brands include Banpresto (Ichibansho, Vibration Stars, Grandista) and SEGA (Luminasta, PM figures).

Yes. Modern prize figures offer impressive detail and character accuracy for their price. They are an accessible way to collect characters from popular series without the higher outlay of premium scale figures and work well as gifts for anime fans building a first collection.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is the plastic material used for most commercially produced anime figures. PVC allows smooth, detailed sculpting and accurate factory paint application. It is flexible enough to avoid breakage of thin parts like hair and accessories. Virtually all prize figures, Nendoroids and most scale figures from major manufacturers use PVC as the primary material.

PVC figures are safe for normal display. Keep figures out of direct sunlight as UV exposure causes PVC to discolour over time. In rare cases older or lower-quality PVC figures may develop a slight oily surface over years (called PVC migration), which can be gently cleaned with a dry cloth.

Most premium scale figures from companies like Good Smile Company and Tamashii Nations are produced in limited quantities matched to pre-order numbers. If a figure sells out during its pre-order window, additional stock may not be produced. Pre-ordering from a retailer like Hobbyco secures your copy at the standard retail price before the figure is released.

Pre-order as early as possible once you have confirmed you want the figure. Pre-order windows typically open 3 to 6 months before the release date. Popular figures from major franchises can sell out during the pre-order period. Check Hobbyco's pre-order listings regularly for new upcoming releases.

An anime plush is a soft stuffed toy representing an anime character, mascot creature or franchise animal. They range from small keyring-sized versions to large cushion-style plush. Plush are popular merchandise items and work well as gifts for fans of all ages.

Popularity follows current major anime franchises. Long-running series with large fanbases including Dragon Ball, One Piece, Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen tend to have consistent plush availability. Check Hobbyco's current anime merchandise listings for in-stock character plush.

A scale figure is a detailed collectible made to a specific ratio of the character's in-universe height, most commonly 1/8, 1/7 or 1/4 scale. Most scale figures are pre-painted PVC, produced in limited quantities and designed purely for display. They are the premium tier of anime figure collecting, produced by brands such as Good Smile Company, Tamashii Nations and Banpresto.

Think about which character you want, the manufacturer's reputation for paint quality and sculpt accuracy and how much shelf space you have. Larger scales (1/4, 1/7) have more detail but need more room. Good Smile Company, Alter and Max Factory are consistently praised for quality. For popular figures, pre-ordering is the recommended approach.

Tamashii Nations is the collector figure division of Bandai. They produce several premium figure lines including S.H.Figuarts (highly articulated action figures of anime, game and live-action characters) and Chogokin (die-cast metal character figures). Tamashii Nations figures are at the premium end of the articulated figure market.

S.H.Figuarts is Tamashii Nations' flagship articulated action figure line. These figures have exceptional articulation and detail and come with multiple accessories and effect parts. They cover subjects from Dragon Ball, Naruto, My Hero Academia, One Piece and many other major franchises.