Anime Figurine Collecting New Hobby For Americans

Anime Figurine Collecting New Hobby For Americans

anime figurine

Why Anime Figurine Collecting?

When I think of collecting figurines I think of Lladro, Hummel, or Swarovski figurines and not Anime figurine collecting.  All are artistic works of art and add decorative beauty to any house or office space. Many are patterned after an animal, character, or religious figure.

Anime figurines are similar however they add the element of their characters being part of Japanese literature and pop culture.  Strange as it seems Anime figurine collecting is more a continuation of the literature to movie to television to retail pop culture than most other types of figurine collecting.

Anime figurines can range from $5 to well over $200 in retail price.  Typically the low cost relates to toy characters and are aimed at children similar to what is sold at your typical American toy store such as Walmart.

However Anime figurines are typically aimed at the adult buyer from the age of 13 through 49.  In this age range the most popular figurines are in the $100 to $150 price range making them far from a children’s toy.

Anime and Manga

Anime is loosely termed for all types of animation in Japanese and follows the french word also called anime.  Japanese anime typically followed some form of written literature called Manga.  Manga are closely related to illustrated books or comic books.  While similar they are highly stylized art forms with highly integrated characters and written episodes.

While comics and cartoons are aimed at children the characters in manga and anime are targeted towards the adult population.  Anime is very intertwined into the Japanese culture with most Japan citizens having grown up with anime movies and television shows being the majority of evening family entertainment.

The Japanese use the term otaku which is similar to the work geek when describing someone who is an over the top fan.   Unlike most figurine collecting the story and movie behind the art places the anime figurine into the Japanese lifestyle.

Disney characters for Americans were usually aimed toward children.  Anime characters are part of the Japanese conscious similar to characters in Mission Impossible, Star Trek, or Avatar are part of adult escapism and entertainment.

This article will attempt to show you a whole new world behind those little plastic anime figures.  Whether you are an experienced anime viewer, casual observer, or new to the media, there will be something for everyone in this article.

What is Anime?

In the western definition, Anime is any animated media from Japan.  Anime covers a style of animation that developed in Japan starting in the 1920′s and 1930′s.  Big eyes, colorful hair, elongated bodies, and stylized facial expressions are key features in most anime today.  Most anime figurines share all these same features.

There is also a set of typical tropes and stereotypes present in most anime that helps distinguish it as a medium.  Over the top plots, characters and action sequences are infamous, as well as an endless collection of character and story archetypes that have become fairly ubiquitous.

Even most of here in the west have seen some famous anime such as Pokemon, Digimon, Sailor Moon, Gundam, Inuyasha, Dragonbll Z and Cardcaptors.  They are popular and give the impression that anime is for kids.  However some anime in the US have gone from cartoon, to children’s television, to movies such as Transformers and Speed Racer.   If you saw Escaflowne, Death Note, or Cowboy Bebop on television you would have an entirely different impression of anime.

Then there are also the series that bridge the gap and can be watched by children and older people alike, which help countless new fans get into the fandom. Some of these series and movies include Naruto, Bleach, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Full Metal Alchemist.

What makes anime worth watching?

Think of Film and Literature as having genres, styles, and offerings when you think of anime.  Action adventure, sci fi, comedy, horror, or inspiration are equally apparent when watching Japan styled anime.  Anime is slightly different in that most is produced and targeted at a specific audience with special names and distinctions.

Shonen – “boy”

Shonen is made for 8-19 year old guys typically, and often features a lead male character going on an adventure to become the best at some skill or profession, possibly in conjunction with trying to battle the forces of evil. Examples include Pokemon, Shaman King, and Yu-Gi-Oh!.

Shoujo – “girl”

Shoujo is made for 8-19 year old girls typically, and often features a lead female character and focuses on her emotions, relationships and journey through life. Examples include Sailor Moon, Fruits Basket and Cardcaptors.

Seinen – “young man”

Seinen is made for 20-30 year old men typically, and features more mature, realistic subject matter. Often with a strong emphasis on good story and characters, Seinen anime can be some of the most powerful and gripping in the field. Examples include GANTZ, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and Welcome to the NHK!.

Jousei – “young woman”

Jousei is made for 20-30 year old women typically, and features more realistic portrayals of romance, adult life, and dealing with our society today. With its focus on a more subdued and a less romanticized look at life, Jousei series often don’t reach a large audience, but are well received by those interested. Examples include Honey and Clover, Paradise Kiss, and Nodame Cantabile.

In addition, anime has it’s own set of special genres, in addition to the traditional fantasy, action, sci fi, horror, thriller, romance, drama, supernatural, and comedy genres.

These are:

Epic referring to some type of fantasy world where there is adventure for the characters.

Slice of Life refer to a character or set of characters and a particular event or part of their life.

Mechas are frequently sci fi dominated by character humanoid robots which battle misslies, guns, light sabres, etc.

Magical Girl features female cast members who have magical abilities for female empowerment.

Of course we all seem to have seen anime with females featuring sexually revealing female characters.  Moe, Ecchi, and Harem anime will feature attractive females.  Harem has a main character who is male surrounded by three or more options for female companionship.

In Japan the culture is more openly sexually suggestive on television and in print than is common in western cultures.  As such the sexually suggest anime is frequently family type entertainment such as a James Bond movie might be in the west.

There are many more genres and classification but this will start off our discussion for today.

What makes good anime?

At it’s best, just like film and literature, anime can tell an unbelievably compelling and beautiful story, as well as introduce multidimensional, strong character studies. The themes anime explores are often overlooked in American culture, with revelations that feel refreshingly different than you’re usual Western movie or book. Combine this with the fact that anime can show absolutely gorgeous visual design, allowing audiences to peek into worlds not easily doable on film, and not visible in books.

Anime allows action scenes with superhuman powers being released to look crisp and visceral, while at the same time allowing battles in the deep reaches of outer space to look just as stunning. Add in memorable character designs with wild hair and body proportions, and you have a medium that can take the best of traditional art, comics and graphic design and blend it with the best of film, movies and television.

Anime also has a diverse range of musical scores, soundtracks, plus opening and ending songs which enrichens the experience. It can even bring the series to a whole new level in cases like Cowboy Bebop, which undoubtedly couldn’t have been done in the same way if it were in Manga (Japanese comic book) form.

 Where to find anime?

1.  Buying and renting DVDs – At your local video store, online website, Amazon.com, or through major city anime conventions.

2.  Streaming – Lots of anime can be found online in streaming sites. Crunchyroll.com and Funimation.com are great places to start.

3.  Fansubs – These are fan created subtitled translations of an anime series, and can be downloaded in many places on the internet.

4. Anime clubs – Join one of many Anime clubs sponsored through local colleges.

How to choose what to watch?

Animenewsnetwork.com   Interesting website with the latest news and an active voice with anime forums.

Anime-Planet.com   Primarly a forum site with fan interaction.

DesuDesBrigade.com – A great site for the newbie enthusiast who wants to understand through reviews what is happening on specific shows.  It has excellent reviews for the new person covering Vixen, Arkada, Professor Otaku and others.

Youtube.com: There are many You Tube reviews and snippets of anime available on You Tube.

My personal favorite site is Nyaa Figurines which features about 100 reviews of characters and figurines.  A great site for the new anime figurine collector. I recommend you take a good look at this site.

Conclusion

Anime is nether childish or pornographic.  It can be what television and movies have become in the west.  Simply put Anime is entertainment.  It now comes in english or translated subtitles.  It can be controversial, political, or sexually suggestive.

In the last 25 years it has grown into a pop culture around the world with hundreds of anime conventions and hundreds of animated movies, television shows, video games, and internet videos.

You do not need the background on each anime character to enjoy your anime fugurine.  However it you know the character it can add greatly to the enjoyment of an anime figurine.

Related posts:

1. About Figurine Collecting: How to Collect Anything for a Hobby
2. List of Figurine Manufacturers and Figurine Brands
3. North American Anime Conventions List of Events
4. Book Recommendations: Best Books on Figurines and Figurine Collecting
5. Precious Moments Figurines: Figurine Collecting Articles and Information