Collecting Japanese figurines and merchandise is a popular way for fans to show their passion for their favorite anime series. An anime online store is a good place for both foreign and Japanese fans to collect rare items. If you are a big fan of such fantastic things, these are anime online stores that you have got to know!
Why Purchase Anime Merchandise from Japanese Online Stores?
If you are out of Japan, you will be limited to access to the available collection for sale. Therefore, many foreign buyers choose to buy their items from Japanese anime online stores.
This will enable you to shop from thousands of options. Besides, you can also pre-order to get the most sought-after items as soon as they hit the market. Even if you are a big fan of uncommon or older products, you can also look for them from the best anime stores.
Top Anime Studios and Official Retailers
Aniplex Plus
Aniplex Plus (or Aniplex+) is the official website of Aniplex company and a famous anime online store. It was founded in 1995. Since then, they have planned, created, and released several popular anime shows, including Darling in the FranXX and Banana Fish. They also distribute all of Sony Computer Entertainment’s video game music and soundtracks.
Find out more: How to Buy from Square Enix Store Japan with Japan Flow
The Aniplex Plus provides not only anime DVD/Blu-ray releases but also unique bonus items to the website. These DVD/Blu-ray releases are accessible online only. They offer a variety of products, including digital media collection, food, stationery, novelty figures, and much more. Sometimes they sell things that are exclusive to certain occasions.
Pokémon Center Online
The Pokémon Center Japan is a collection of Pokémon-only stores. It includes not only physical locations throughout Japan but also online Pokémon Centers. These Pokémon Centers can be reached on their website or Japan Flow.
The Pokémon Center Online Japan is famous for its abundant variety of Pokémon goods and memorabilia. The Pokémon Company is managing this site and they guarantee that all items here are 100% authentic.
They even provide extremely rare goods. Besides, they also offer many popular items, such as Japanese Pokémon Cards, Pokémon Manga, figurines, and Pokémon plush toys.
If you're interested in shopping there, be sure to check out our guide on how to buy from Pokémon Center Japan Online.
Kyoani Shop (Kyoto Animation)
Japanese people know Kyoani as a famous Japanese anime online store because of their high-quality and attractive visuals. Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, Violet Evergarden, and Tsurune are their most famous series. If you want to buy their exclusive items for their anime series, you have to pre-order or visit their shop directly.
General Websites for Japan-Exclusive Anime Merchandise
Japan Figure Store
Japanese people think about Japan Figure Store first when they want to buy Japan-exclusive anime merchandise and figures. They mainly provide rare and unique items, including limited edition and exclusive figures.
Even you can find many items that can not be found anywhere else. There is a big plus of this site, which is the ability to ship internationally. Now, with Japan Figure, you can shop any exclusive anime products straight from Japan.
You can access Japan Figure by clicking here.
Premium Bandai
Bandai is one of Japan’s and the world’s leading toymakers. They have obtained exclusive licensing rights to well-known brands while other businesses are unable to get them. Sailor Moon licensing rights are an example.
They have utilized this strength to offer many goods from these famous properties. They also get super-limited partnerships with other Japanese firms. Besides, it is quite famous for its Gunpla kits. They often provide them in limited editions on their website.
Have a look at this best anime shop if you love Gunpla, fashion & accessories, collectibles, and exclusive figures!
Amazon Japan
Amazon Japan is also a convenient anime online store like Amazon Worldwide! Indeed, they offer many exclusive products that only can be bought in Japan. You can buy anything here: figures, books, music, and more. Because many third-party sellers are active there, the merchandise is so abundant.
You can find the most unique piece of merchandise that you have been searching for! However, if you are a foreign buyer, double-check before making an order because many sellers here do not offer international shipping. Highly recommend you use our proxy purchasing service to buy items from this Japanese platform.
For more information, you can also check out our article on how to buy from Amazon Japan while overseas.
Surugaya
Suruga-ya is one of the best anime merch websites. They specialize in products from Japanese pop culture. This includes clothing, manga and anime memorabilia, Japanese CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Rays.
You can pre-order the items which have not been released yet. However, they are very famous for their large collection of second-hand items. If you are looking at every corner but have not found your favorite items, then visit Suruga-ya. You must find them here.
Find out more: How to Buy from Suruga-ya
Kotobukiya
Kotobukiya is a top-of-mind anime online store for figures and plastic model kits. They provide a lot of figures based on anime and manga series.
Additionally, they are among the few Japanese-based figure producers who have acquired licensing for Western franchises like DC, Marvel, and Star Wars film franchises! They produce not only figures but also plush toys, rubber straps, keychains, and other things.
Many people know about Kotobukiya because of its line of Zoids model kits and the Frame Arms series. If you are a figure collector or model kit enthusiast, Kotobukiya is the place for you.
Animate Online Shop
Animate is the biggest manga, video game, and anime online store in Japan. They own more than 100 physical store locations. All goods in these stores are available on their website as well.
The products for hundreds of series such as My Hero Academia, Love Live!, Uta no Prince-Sama, and much more are always available. You should definitely check out the Animate Online Shop because it offers special products that are only available here!
AmiAmi
AmiAmi is a popular anime online store in Japan. They provide fans with an extensive range of figures, accessories, plush toys, and more. The greatest thing is this site is updated every day and offers fantastic daily prices.
AmiAmi provides an affordable way to buy figurines and related items, so they are loved by many fans. The shipping fee is just about 500 JPY. You can shop freely without worrying about domestic shipping costs.
Lashinbang
Lashinbang is a standing-out anime online store. Its branches are commonly located in Nipponbashi and Akihabara. In inception, they focused on trading collectible cards. Now, the company offers a wide variety of used anime and manga products in both its online and physical locations.
Lashinbang usually provides items in better condition due to its specialized nature than in Surugaya and Book Off. However, Lashinbang has the intention to concentrate more on contemporary products and larger niches.
Good Smile Company
Good Smile Company is famous for its cute Nendoroid figures. The authentic Good Smile items are usually more affordable and you can directly pre-order and purchase them from their store.
However, it is necessary to pre-order many of their products for several months if you want to buy them. Besides, there are many products from various other brands on their website.
Gamers
In inception, the Gamers store chain was a retail outlet for Broccoli which was famous for the Uta no Prince-sama series. Now, it is owned by the Animate umbrella. They provide a variety of things, such as video games, DVDs, CDs, toys, collecting cards, and other items related to manga and anime.
Where to find Doujinshi and fan-made creations?
Comic Toranoana
Comic Toranoana is also a large anime online store that mainly provides doujinshi products. They provide a wide range of items, so you can find many things on their website, including video games, manga, and light novels. Even MP3s as CDs or digital downloads can be bought here. They include original soundtracks, J-pop, Vocaloid, or fanworks. You can also look at this Japan anime shop for rare doujinshi.
Find out more: How to Buy from Toranoana Japan?
Melonbooks
Melonbooks is one of the best anime merch websites in Japan that mainly sells doujinshi products.
There is an available big selection of both new and second-hand products on the website. Hundreds of series of masterpieces from different circles and doujinshi are available here. Melonbooks sells eroge games, periodicals, anime CDs, dakimakura, and more.
Pixiv Booth
If you love doujinshi, you definitely need to visit the anime online store named Booth pm. There are many Japanese artists selling their works on this. Along with doujinshi, phone cases, totes, and acrylic keychains,
T-shirts are the most unique fanworks on Booth! Many artists would just use Booth to re-release one of their earlier pieces. Sometimes, they use Booth to launch preorders for their doujinshi because it enables them to establish their own store!
Where to shop for rare second-hand anime items?
Mercari Japan
People can use Mercari as a mobile application or a website that allows users to sell to other users. Mercari is very famous in Japan because of its uncommon stuff.
Many anime lovers sell their spare items so other fans can purchase them. However, Mercari does not offer international shipping.
You can not use proxy accounts because Mercari has banned most of them. You can just place an order if you have your own Japanese address. So, what should you do if you are a foreigner?
Recommend you make an order on Mercia through Japan Flow. The following image will show you how to buy items from Merica through Japan Flow.
Yahoo Auctions Japan
Yahoo Auctions is the most well-known auction website in Japan. It is also the best platform for Japanese people to sell their items. Yahoo Auctions is undoubtedly one of the best sites to check out because many resellers of collectibles and rare goods only sell through it.
Mandarake
Mandarake is a good anime online store in Japan that provides used products. They have a reputation for having a ton of old manga and/or anime merchandise. You can choose many different language options.
However, it is better if you search on the Japanese website because there are more items on the Japanese website than in the other languages!
Purchase your favorite anime merchandise with Japan Flow
Step 1: Go to the website you want to purchase
Go to the anime online store you want to buy products.
Recommend you access the website by Chrome because it will help to translate if you do not know Japanese.
Step 2: Search for Items
Search for your items in the search box.
Step 3: Check Product Details
Click on the image or title of the product to direct to the product URL. You can see product details on this page. It is very important to check all the information to make sure that is what you are looking for.
Step 4: Copy and Paste Your Item Links on Japan Flow
Step 5: Complete your order with Japan Flow
- Click “Create a buy request” to get it done.
- Make the 1st payment including the cost of the product and service fee.
- After you make the payment, we will process your order. The product will be at our warehouse in the next 2-3 days.
- We notify you and you need to make the 2nd payment including the packing and shipping fee
- After receiving the notice of successful payment for 2nd charge, we will start to ship your order.
The blog has listed the best anime merch websites where fans of anime and manga can buy their favorite items. Although many of them do not provide international shipping, you can still order items from them with the help of Japan Flow. No matter where you are, as long as you use Japan Flow, you will simply place orders from any anime online store so easily. Now, if you need assistance placing your anime product order, get in touch with us!