What comics shaped your childhood? For generations, the answer in Japan has been “Shonen Jump!” This manga juggernaut first starter publishing their Weekly Shonen Jump manga anthology in 1968, making it the longest-running such magazine. Due to its status and influence, Weekly Shonen Jump is being duly celebrated, including a three-part series of special exhibits featuring titles from the the three main eras of its half-century existence: Weekly Shonen Jump Exhibition Vol. 1 - from the first issue until the end of the 80s (July 18 to October 15, 2017) Weekly Shonen Jump Exhibition Vol. 2 - > Read More
15/02/2018
Best Japanese Anime Figure Brands for Beginning Collectors
Japanese anime figure brands have a knack for encapsulating the essence of your favorite characters into covetable collectibles. With thousands of figures to choose from, however, how is an English-speaking otaku to navigate the vast world of possibilities? While our list is far from conclusive, it represents the most time-honored and best-selling figure series manufactured in Japan. Read on to decide which series to begin your collection with! Max Factory Established in 1987, Max Factory first gained fame as a garage kit manufacturer. While it still produces model kits through its PLAMAX > Read More
31/01/2018
Cosplay Wig Tutorial: Tips for Buying Your First Wig
Cosplaying as your favorite anime characters is a special part of otaku culture, and when it comes to putting the finishing touches on your costume, a wig can make or break your look. After all, many of anime’s most popular figures can be recognized by their hair alone—just think of Sailor Moon’s twintails or Goku’s gravity-defying spikes. To help you pick the perfect wig for your performance, check out FROM JAPAN’s cosplay guide on choosing the right head of hair! Choosing a Cosplay Wig Once you’ve decided on a character, it’s time to choose a wig that will do him or her justice—but where > Read More
14/12/2017
10 Popular Anime Figures to Warm Your Heart in Winter 2017/2018
Each year, the return of winter brings with it toasty traditions, New Year’s nostalgia, and a seasonal selection of top-tier collectibles! From long-awaited re-releases to upcoming limited editions, this list spotlights 10 of the most popular anime figures that are sure to warm any otaku’s heart—even during the coldest months of the year. Stronger – Puella Magi Madoka Magica “Rebellion” Movie Ultimate Madoka 1/8-Scale Figure (December 2017) This flying figure of Ultimate Madoka sculpted by shojo virtuoso Katsuyoshi Miyajima is a 1/8-scale Stronger masterpiece that flows with delicate > Read More
07/12/2017
Fullmetal Alchemist Merchandise Worthy of Transmuting into Your Collection
One of the most popular shonen series of all time, Fullmetal Alchemist has conjured a legion of fans worldwide with video game spin-offs, anime adaptations, light novels, and more trailing in the wake of its original 2001 manga release. With a live-action film coming out December 2017, now is a great time to begin building your transmutation circles to summon FMA merchandise and figures into your collection. Hook on your automail arm and prepare your pyro-powered snap, because our list of collectibles is fit for a State Alchemist! Fullmetal Alchemist Figures Back in summer 2017, we > Read More
30/11/2017
Christmas Anime Figures 2017: Give the Gift of Anime!
Winter is here, presents are near, and Japan has a sleigh full of anime figures to bring home for the holidays! It’s time to get in the Christmas spirit with our wish list of 2017’s most festive releases. Good Smile Company – Nendoroid & Figma Multi-Use Muffler (January 2017) If your favorite anime character doesn’t have a holiday figure variant, there’s no reason to have a blue Christmas! Good Smile Company’s limited-edition Multi-Use Muffler can instantly warm up almost any Nendoroid or Figma figure throughout the winter months. Simply place the knotted scarf between the figure’s > Read More
24/10/2017
Osomatsu-san Merch Fit for a Family Reunion
Japan’s most famous sextuplets, the Matsuno family, first tumbled onto television screens in 1966. Fifty years later, the brightly-colored brothers brought new fans to their family reunion for the 2015 reboot titled Osomatsu-san, in which the siblings’ silliness matured alongside the title characters. If your latest matsu men marathon has you craving a little more brotherly mischief and mayhem to mix up the mundane, you’re in luck. The NEETs have a world of merchandise to their name, so read on for our list of 11 Osomatsu-san collectibles no fan should forego! Osomatsu-san > Read More
15/09/2017
9 High-Quality Anime Figure Releases to Own in Fall 2017
Whip out your wish lists, because fall 2017 is an absolute exhibition of anime and JRPG figures, especially for static collectible enthusiasts! Featuring best-selling series like Sword Art Online, Yuri!! on Ice, and Free!, this season’s list highlights nine of the most anticipated high-quality anime figures coming out of Japan, including new releases, re-releases, and exclusives sets. Alter – Love Live! School Idol Festival: Eli Ayase 1/7-Scale Figure (September 2017) Based on her post-Idolized Maid Café card in the Love Live! School Idol Festival game app, Eli’s apparel is a mesmerizing > Read More
05/09/2017
Cu-Poche – adorable pocket-size action figures
Do you know Cu-Poche? These adorable action figures are pint-size perfection! Standing around 110 mm tall, they offer fourteen points of articulation to give you near-infinite posing options. Cu-Poche, or キューポッシュ in Japanese, are named for their two key qualities - they’re cute and they fit in your pocket, or poche in French. As well as being fully poseable, Cu-Poche parts are also interchangeable, opening up even further possibilities for brand-new remixes and situations. With a wide selection of both Cu-Poche versions of your favorite anime and game characters as well as original designs and > Read More
31/08/2017
Pokemon Gashapon: “Gacha Gacha” Catch ’Em All!
We’ve searched the “tall grass” for the most popular Pokemon gashapon and created this list of collectibles worthy of adding to your Pokedex of playthings. Select your starter and pin on your Gym Badge, because these wild gashapon have appeared—and you’ll want to “catch ’em all!” Pokemon Gashapon Figures 1/40 Scale Real Pokemon Figures XY For Pokemasters with a penchant for scaled-down sculptures or the XY generation, Takara Tomy’s Real Pokemon Figures (currently in its fourth series) are the perfect way to upgrade your collection. Each colorful Pokemon is proportionally sized at 1/40 > Read More
