Why do you collect or want to collect Figures?
Please give me your reasons, opinions or advices even if you don't own any figures. Thanks.
Most people will usually give one of two answers to this question:
• For financial gain
• For pleasure and enjoyment
Me? I collect figures for the enjoyment. I feel a great satisfaction to watch them.
But deciding what you're going to collect is an important decision and you should take your time. Here are 4 easy steps to start or build up your collection:
STEP 1: Decide on what to collect
It is important to focus your time, money, and attention on one subject, one niche now, before you get to far into your collection and end up wasting a lot of all three!
If you don’t focus your collection you’ll end up with an assortment of nice looking action figures not a collection.
Without a central theme or common thread your collection will be nothing more than a handful of toys.
But with a central theme, a common thread your collection will get together as one and will fit together. They will belong together and will compliment each other instead of clashing against each other.
Me? I choose the "Sexy Heroines Vs Killers From Hell" theme because I want to see the contrast between the two (like "The beauty and the beast").
STEP 2: Choose your niche
A niche is like a sub-topic of a larger topic, it is more concentrated and specialized.
Choose a niche that is tight enough to enable you to:
• Build your collection
• Complete each release/series
• Keep costs down
• Increase your enjoyment and satisfaction
• Take pride in your collection
• Give your collection uniformity
• Build on a theme
To put simply, take your time in deciding on your niche now, then stick with it. If you find it's too narrow a niche, you can always broaden it later or move onto one of your other choices.
Me? My niche would be "Shunya Yamashita", "DOA Extreme" and "Cinema Of Fear" figures.
STEP 3: Decide whether to collect 'em all
You are probably thinking, "Of course I do"
But wait a minute...
...and think it through before committing yourself.
This decision will greatly influence how much you are going to spend on your collection and it will give you a better focus on what to look out for.
Me? I know for sure that I cannot afford to collect them all unless I win the lottery.
STEP 4: Decide whether to buy new or second-hand
• Do you want to collect new or second-hand?
• Do you want carded or uncarded?
• Do you want mint, near mint or...?
• Do you want to keep them boxed or display them?
All these decisions again will affect the final price you will have to pay for your figures.
If you're a budget collector then your best bet would be to go for second-hand figures and save buying the new ones for special figures or ones that you particularly like.
If you're into customizing your figures then second-hand figures is also an obvious choice. But if you have the spare cash and want your figures in pristine condition to display then new figures is the way to go.
But if you're a perfectionist and wish to ensure they stay in absolute mint condition and retain their value you will probably want to buy two of each.
Me? I don't mind second-hand figures and I enjoy having most of my figures on display.
By the way, I only talk about the pre-painted figures in here because I am too clumsy with the Model or the Garage kit figures. But if you are handy, why not have more fun and save more money with the kit ones?
Anyway, start small then have fun building up slowly your collection.
Thanks again for your comments.
Good Luck Otaku!
Posted on 2008/05/15 05:08
Engineer
Registered on 2008/02/18 10:35
Operations Manager, Jartrans
Registered on 2007/12/25 00:51
Nice article!
I collect figures for the pure enjoyment of it. My collection mainly consists of Shana from Shakugan no Shana, and Haruhi Suzumiya figures. They go well together because both sport school uniforms, and are just cute-to-the-max!
I'd like to eventually add some Rin figures from Fate/Stay Night. and top it off with some Clannad figures. Tomoyo if i can find her, shes my favorite!
Id love to get my hands on a nice Spike from Cowboy bebop, but I usually only see Faye or Ed. I can't think of too many other male figures i'd like.
In fact, i don't many people who buy many male characters.
Take Care,
Phil
Creative Director
Registered on 2008/02/18 01:49
I collect action figures for the enjoyment. Usually it is a figure from a show I've seen or I really like the sculpt/character (quality).
Only things I consider at this point are Price (new or sold out if I'm being gouged, I will pass). Size... do I have space and quality.
Of course their is always those impulse buys. Damn! those impulse buys.
Hey, enjoy.
High School Student
Registered on 2008/03/31 05:46
I plan to start buying figures once I get a job this summer... I can't wait.
Going to start my collection with Lucky Star Figures, starting with the Nendoroids. I've been keeping a look out for them since I say them on Dancho.
Whats the best site/source to get figures from?
Engineer
Registered on 2008/02/18 10:35
Here what I do:
1. I look for the figure in Danny Choo or Amazon websites.
2. When I find the figure that I would like to add to my collection. I begin to search for the cheapest price possible via Ebay, Amazon, Yahoo, Google, and other sites. And I don't mind if it is second-hand as long as it is still in good shape.
That is it!
mechanic
Registered on 2007/07/31 10:27
well danny for me it is due to the fact that i just love the detail they put into them, i am so impressed on how exact some of the companies can get the figures to look just like the charachters in the anime/manga series they are using for an example. well im more into the moe, and sexy figures myself, though i like alot of the ones that are non cast off as well. i usually import mine from a reputable company, and if they send it fast and secure then ill do repeat buisness...i have bought some locally from a book store, but they only have a limited selection. well basically i collect since its anime related.
ソフトウェアエンジニア
Registered on 2007/12/30 07:26
i collect because i am a terrible impulse buyer. ^_^; aside from that... mostly to add to my room's atmosphere. it's nice to come home and have random goodies from anime/manga/games i've enjoyed on display.
Student
Registered on 2007/11/25 01:28
I just collected a Haruhi figure last night :D.It was the one with the stripe bikini design ^__^ it was very lucky of me as this is my first time using the Gachapon and instantly got Haruhi!!
Test Engineer
Registered on 2007/12/22 21:34
At first, it was about showing my POWERLEVELZ.
But then the maid thingy comes in, which ended i has few maids variation :D
IT Client Support
Registered on 2007/09/12 21:33
Actually, I do all the above already.
I collect for the enjoyment, but unlike most other collectors here, I specialise in mecha kits (mostly gunpla) and resin figures.
For me, it's more about the building process more than the end product, which is why I don't usually buy completed PVC kits. Even if there is one available, I would rather get a resin and make it my own. even if the colour scheme is the same, mine would be unique. They don't really follow any particular theme, but they are all from anime shows I watch and, i think, portray the character in the most fitting way, given their behaviour and mannerisms in the show/game/whatever. But they all tend to be sexy.
Of course, when original resin kits cost anywhere between £50 and £300, you find yourself thinking about every purchase since its unsustainable, even if you're made of money. The time requirement comes into effect too. a resin kit takes me at least 2 months to finish from start to end and I already have a large backlog consisting of a C.C, Ignis, Shirley Fenette, Rozen maidens, Yoko and (now) Fate Testarossa. And that's not including my Mecha kits.
Those of you who have read my blog may know this already, but I have 4 rules when collecting resin Figures.
1) Kit must be Female or mecha (lets face it, 99% of all figures, resin or not, are of female characters anyway)
2) No H Kits
3) I have to know the character and at least a little bit about their background. If the kit is original, then I scrutinize more harshly
4) only 1 figure per character (although I have broken this one having 2 Yoko kits and 2 C.C ones too, even though the remaining 2 have yet to be built)
Those rules plus my own ideas on the characters provide good stops to prevent impulse buys.
but lets face it, when you spend the kind of money I do on a kit, it's cos you really really like it, even after some thought!
Medical Lab Researcher
Registered on 2008/04/20 12:26
Almost the same here except I'm still living with my parents so I don't exactly display my figures out of box. This is indeed a very addictive hobby and requires quite some income to make up. Altough there aren't any figures on my buy-list in the next several months, I do find some older ones (MF 1/8 Naru) are pretty adorable, but they're extremely rare and expensive to come by.
Medical Lab Researcher
Registered on 2008/04/20 12:26
Sorry, I meant to reply to lsio83's comment. Just happened to click the wrong link.
Student
Registered on 2007/11/25 06:34
I just started collecting figures about 6 months ago... and it is very addictive^^.
For me, I correct them for fun and enjoyment; I feel satisfied when I display them in my room.
student
Registered on 2008/01/09 00:24
Seconded.
I spend my money on the figures I like and that's all there is to it.
I couldn't care less about things like a theme, collector's value etc. It's just a hobby not rocket science. ^^
Engineer
Registered on 2008/02/18 10:35
I know that collecting figures is a hobby. I just try to give some suggestions (from my mistakes) to save you money and time.
student
Registered on 2008/01/09 00:24
For someone really spending a lot of money for his figures these suggestions really make sense. It's just that I buy maybe 2 figures a year (at most) so I don't see the need for myself to think this far. I didn't want to offend you. :-)
Engineer
Registered on 2008/02/18 10:35
No problem. Like I said "Start small and have fun build up your collection". Size (i.e. number of figures) does not matter :-)
Poor College Student
Registered on 2008/03/14 09:02
i dont have any figures and there arent any figures i want.i only am interested in robots(i am also interested in women)
Retail
Registered on 2007/08/03 11:17
When I pick a figure its got to be something that makes me happy. Most of them so happen to be from anime/manga I love. I really don't have that many figures, it's not my biggest thing I do, manga my mine thing. I'll get picture of my figures and maybe post them here some day.
Studio Photographer
Registered on 2008/05/10 10:50
I definitely collect figures for enjoyment although there were one or two impulse buys that I got just to resell. I did manage selling them at a higher price but only because they were of limited edition and I don't recommend everyone do this all the time because as said, you could very well be digging your own grave.
It is good to limit yourself in any case. I keep myself to one figure per character and max 3 figures per month but I try to keep it to 1-2. Rules like that help control overspending.
2D Girls Inspector
Registered on 2008/05/14 03:32
I collect figures because I really like watching them and enjoy each one of their details :D
Besides, they give the shelves and the whole room a atmosphere I really like.
student
Registered on 2007/09/02 20:42
High quality resin only, they need to be characters that I like, in dynamic poses. I don't want to flood my house with figures, to stay sane and to be able to 'see' the ones that I have chosen.
Although the last few weeks I've been tempted to get a few PVCs... they're cheap now, and the quality looks to be ok on some of them.
3D Artist
Registered on 2007/12/03 01:20
Honestly, I'm the kind of guy who buys figures that's worth showing off to my friends that are mostly not-anime-fans. So I got lots of mecha's (gundam, etc) and the closest figure that are humans are busou shinki's.
Student by day, Superhero by night.
Registered on 2008/05/04 13:52
I just recently started this figure collecting hobby and so far it has mostly been those trading figures for me, I end up with lots of spares though. And I don't really know what to do with them. :/
Evil King in Vlaardingen, the Netherlands, Earth
Student and full-time otaku
Registered on 2007/12/19 00:24
Well, that's one way to go about it. I collect them for enjoyment, but figures are inherently an investment: you can allways sell 'em later on for a good price if you take care of them. Although I don't plan on doing that anytime soon.
My theme is pretty simple: pretty girls. They have to look nice, be cast-offable preferably, and I have to know something about them. Finally, I want them to have something special/nice about their outfit, like Kureha, Nagi, Pachira and Haruka; but in the end, the only limitation is the size of my wallet and the space in my room XD
Student
Registered on 2008/01/08 13:26
I would say I belong in the enjoyment section but I am very tight on spending to spoil myself so I don't really have a collection with a specific theme. I always aim for cheap/reasonably priced figures with good sculpting/shape. Most I have spent on a figure is $65.
student
Registered on 2008/02/07 01:13
doesn't like collecting figure... somehow the only pride u get is u buy them, and that's it
or i just don't love my chara good enough (since there are barely PVC lucky star anyway -_-)
i rather buy gunpla, because i love building it and finishing it
merchant
Registered on 2008/05/13 01:10
Great article, great collection. Mine is very similar, I love to collect sexy heroines just for the fun of watching them. I must confess, at first I make some mistakes but now I really think before buying a figure.
merchant
Registered on 2008/05/13 01:10
Does anyone now if you can post your collection here?. Thanks
Engineer
Registered on 2008/02/18 10:35
Yeah...share your collection with us. It is not a competition of who has the most figures, but your art of collecting figures.
merchant
Registered on 2008/05/13 01:10
I will but not yet, I want to get some other figures and a display cabinet. Can you tell me how to do it. Im new on this site sorry to bother.
Engineer
Registered on 2008/02/18 10:35
Here are the steps:
1. Register.
2. You will need to be registered for more than 14 days and have commented more than 50 times in order to post an image.
3. Take a picture of your collection. Your picture should be less than 2 MB and jpeg/jpg format only.
4. when step 2 is fulfilled. Click the "UPLOAD" button in the "Member News" and follow the directions.
I hope it help.
merchant
Registered on 2008/05/13 01:10
Software Engineer
Registered on 2007/08/30 06:10
Regarding the theme topic, i like to have some small themes or sub-collections based on a theme. For example i like to put together figures of girls with sword (Ignis, Claire, Saber) on a shelf and girls with guns on another (Jo, Meg...). Also got two Saint Seya Cloth Myth to put along the Figma Saber. More like a royal guard to her ^^ I really enjoy to place them in a way that seems as a diorama. Of course i will not drop the chance of getting a figure i want just cause it doesent fit with the others. Most often it will make me find another one to get that goes along with the prevoius one :P. And i really recommend to have at least one figure on your working table. It´s really relaxing ^^
Engineer
Registered on 2008/02/18 10:35
Meimi132 in Back end of nowhere, aka Norfolk, England
Student and Mcdonalds Grease monkey.
Registered on 2007/12/04 04:17
Oh I agree about having the figure on your workspace/desk. Although sometimes I just keep looking at them and don't get what I meant to do done. They're calming, but distracting too lol. I've now got Haruhi pointing at me and I keep looking up at her marvelling at the gorgeousness.
Network Op
Registered on 2007/11/28 07:40
I love your collection!!, but it must be a mess to clean it up XDD
What´s the name of the figure on the top right of the pic, kneeling under Ayane?
Thnx
merchant
Registered on 2008/05/13 01:10
She is Dancing Girl Nile, dont now who is she thougt.
Hey can anyone tell me the name of the blonde on top of ps2 games. Thanks.
Artist
Registered on 2008/06/09 11:01
I collect figures because they look nice on my desk. I try to keep myself from buying figures that exceed $40.
So no fancy figures for me. I'm somewhat of a penny-pincher.
Business Analyst
Registered on 2008/07/07 17:32
Don't collect figures, only mecha. Reason? You can play with mecha, not figures (unless it's a candy girl lololol).
Also, mecha usually need to be constructed, or are transformable toys, so once you get them, it's not like you rip em out of the box and then sit them on the shelf never to touch them again (unless to dust).
Meimi132 in Back end of nowhere, aka Norfolk, England
Student and Mcdonalds Grease monkey.
Registered on 2007/12/04 04:17
Nice collection.
I have to admit, theres no real theme to my collection, nor do I believe there has to be a theme. There shouldn't be rules for something like this. You should collect them because you enjoy collecting them, and enjoy looking at them, as you do, and I do aswell. If there had to be a theme for mine, looking at them I'd say short skirts/schoolgirls. 9 out of my 16 big figs are wearing uniforms with short skirts. I honestly just pick the characters that appeal to me. That I see and go 'OMG MEGA-WANT!' or along those lines. I don't always have to have seen the series they're from. If I see one I like online, I'll do some research into the background of the character and series they're from. But in many cases, I just bought them because they appealed. I don't think my collection clashes as such. They're all cutesy/innocent figures, not smexy or deadly or anything. Kasumi is my only figure which might class as deadly, being from a fighting game and all. I got her cos she was cheap and I'd just started regularly reading Danny-san's blog and I wanted a FIGURE, a cute one, and this Kasumi was cute.
I used to try and buy cheaply, but I've almost completely given up, and am accepting just how damaging this hobby is.
I'd love to get loads and loads of figures from To Heart 2, but there are literally loads, and I dont like all of the figures or characters. Quality does matter, I wouldn't buy a CCSakura figure that looked pretty lame just because I love CCSakura for instance.(When I first started out I bought one for £12, not very good quality, was UFO prize, but my Poyoyon Asuka which I also got for £12 was much better quality.)
Items currently being read right now...
