Many people believe that when they buy anime figures and keep them in mint condition, the value for these items will shoot up somewhere down the line. This is why collectors justify their purchases by calling these figures “an investment.”
Some rare, hand-painted anime figures can hold or even increase their value. However, mass-produced ones are most likely to depreciate over time, as they are common and easy to purchase. Anime figures that have been removed from their original packaging will also incur markdowns.
Still, we have heard of anime figures that are resold with a 1,000% mark-up. In this post, we will look at the figures that command such prices and consider the factors that contribute to the increase in value. Let’s get to it!
Which Anime Figures Hold Their Value?
Anime figures that are limited edition are known to hold their value. Old anime figures from popular series also appreciate in price, especially when they remain in mint condition.
To understand this better, here is a table of several anime figures that held their value:
| Anime Figure | Description | Retail Price | Resell Price |
| Godaikin Tetsujin 28 | Released in 1984 | $80 | $3,000.00 |
| Attack on Titan Eren vs. Armored Titan 1/3 Scale | The item sold out during pre-order | $1,899.99 | $3,000.00 |
| Naruto Tsume X-Tra Prain Figure | Only 3,000 pieces were produced in 2013 | $49.99 | $1,000.00 |
| Death Note Light And Ryuk Resin Statue | Limited release of 999 copies | $749.99 | $1,899.99 |
| Vocaloid Hatsune Miku, Trick Or Miku Figure | Exclusive release in Japan for a one-time run | $150.00 | $500.00 |
| Devilman Life-Size Figure With A Pedestal | Released on a made-to-order basis in 2016 | $3,688.00 | $7,948 |
| Nendoroid Jumbo Hatsune Miku (Metallic Ver.) | Free for 50 users that spent at least ¥70,000 on their Hatsune Miku VISA Card in 2016 | $0 | $624.99 |
With the number of anime figures being produced, it would be wrong to presume that all anime figures go up in price eventually. This table should then give you an idea of the anime figures that go up in price.
How Do You Determine the Value of Anime Figures?
The value of anime figures are determined by three factors, namely:
- Quality
- Rarity
- Demand
Quality
As it is with any other consumer good, anime figures range from poor quality to high quality. Those on the latter end of the scale fetch considerably higher prices than those on the former end.
Anime figures considered high quality typically have an astounding amount of details and use polyvinyl chloride, a stronger type of plastic. In contrast, low-quality anime figures use plastic materials that are brittle and fragile.
Storing conditions are also considered when assessing the quality of an anime figure. Mint anime figures that have been stored away from sunlight are considered higher quality than those that have been opened and aired out.
Fun fact: High-quality anime figures are hand-painted, which only adds to their value.
Rarity
As mentioned earlier, limited edition figures are more likely to fetch a higher price because the circumstances of their release already make them rare. In fact, if they come in very limited numbers, some buyers are willing to pay a higher price even when the original packaging is no longer intact.
This is especially true for figures that are already decades old. While having them in mint condition will command extremely high prices, some collectors are willing to pay a premium even if the figure is merely presentable. There is no guarantee that they could ever find another copy, so they buy what they can.
Demand
It doesn’t quite matter how rare an anime figure is if there is no demand for it. Your anime figure could be only one of ten in the world, but if the other nine are still unsold, then you can’t expect the one you bought to retain its value.
Meanwhile, it doesn’t matter if an anime figure has high demand if there are enough units to go around. If 10 million people sought after an anime figure and 10 million copies were produced, then there is no scramble for supply.
Hence, rarity and demand must work hand-in-hand.
This is where the law of supply and demand comes in. If there is high demand but low supply, then the price of your anime figure will go up. If there is low demand and high supply, then the price of your anime figure will depreciate even more.
There is no ballpark figure for the value of your anime figures because they are worth as much as people are willing to pay for them.
What Anime Figures Could You Purchase as Investments?
Since anime has driven up in popularity over the past decade, the fan bases have also increased in number. This means that there is, quite possibly, an increase in demand for well-valued anime figures.
Now that you have an idea of which anime figures hold their value, you can actively seek out the ones that would do well as investments.
There are different types of anime figures, namely: prize figures, scale figures, and nendoroids. Scale figures usually generate the most demand, as they are created based on the actual sizes of anime characters. Because of the amount of detail required, these are usually the most expensive
Limited-edition figures from popular anime
A good practice is to keep yourself updated on pre-order releases from popular series, as these typically sell out before they are even distributed.
In fact, some single-release figures from anime like Demon Slayer, Naruto, and One Piece that have sold out can immediately be found in the resale market for at least double the price.
Still, it would be best if you remembered that not all anime figures going through pre-selling would go up in value. Some end up depreciating because of inflation and a decline in demand. As such, you must remain mindful about purchasing ones that you foresee will remain popular and well-loved.
Anime figures released via lottery
There are also very limited anime figures that are sold or won by lottery. I say very, because usually, no more than 100 copies are released through this method. An example of this is the Nendoroid Jumbo Hatsune Miku included in the table above.
The mere fact that there needs to be a lottery already means that there is a demand greater than the supply. Hence, when you hear of figures being released under these circumstances, double-check if the anime is popular, try to get an entry in, and keep your fingers crossed.
“Kuji” means lottery in Japanese. This is an extremely common form of promotion in Japan, and all sorts of items are always being raffled by various companies.
Nonetheless, while purchasing anime figures as an investment is a good idea, there is nothing like actually enjoying the hobby you take on. At the end of the day, having fun with what you’re doing and finding delight in the items you’re collecting is priceless.