Your Poison
- I want to know where you spend the most money on figures/ gunpla/ dollfie/ etc.
Ranking the specific locations and/or sites would be cool and don't be shy, add more than 3 if you want.
Japan (Akihabara)
1. Yodobashi AKA "Black Hole"
2. AsoBitCity
3. Kotobukiya
Online
1. HLJ
2. Hobbywave
3. Every other site
USA (CA)
1. Happyland
2. Animejungle
3. House of Hobbies
This information will go towards discovery of new* "Black Holes"
-btw where do you guys go for exclusives in akiba?
pics taken from myself and Shibuya246 (Koto pic only)
He has an awesome site too
http://shibuya246.com/2009/10/31/otacool-in-akiba/
Part time student, part time worker, full-time geek.
USA -
Kinokuniya - Finally got my manga habit to <$200 a week
Image Anime
hlj
Brigade Leader-in-Training
Where I am (Japan)
Animate- Ahh Animate. I get to go there a few times a month but I almost never leave without something in my hand.
Online
Amazon - My parents don't really know about other sites other than Amazon so I just use Amazon for online shopping.
Education and art
http://ladyusada.deviantart.com
Hope you don't mind, but I'm throwing doujinshi stores in as well, since I tend to spend as much for my favorite artists as I do for my favorite figures. XD
Japan (Kanazawa)
1. Animate
2. KAC-Shop (doujin)
(I really miss going to these places in person! It's hard to leave Animate without buying something new~)
Online
1. Otacute
2. Toranoana and Youclub (doujin)
3. HLJ
USA (central)
1. Asylum Anime
2. Anime Palace
3. Kinokuniya
(I live in a small town though, so I mostly only shop during conventions)
Laptop Tech
AmiAmi once
HLJ once
Mostly Anime Stop (local store) (could also be called Anime Cygnus X-1)
College Student
http://k4glimit.deviantart.com/
Indonesia
Hobby Japan (Citraland-Jakarta)
To be honest, i never bought anything from there (since the price is kinda expensive, one figure cost around Rp. 700,000,- or around US$ 70).
Procrastinator Extraordinaire
http://necrophadian.blogspot.com/
Local: ImageAnime for gunpla, paints, and random stuff
Online: HLJ, Hobbywave, Amazon, AmiAmi, Hobbysearch
Japan
1. Mandarake
2. Animate
3. Kotobukiya
Online
1. Otacute/AmiAmi
2. HLJ
3. YAJ
USA (Northern California - Where I live)
1. Anime Palace
2. Kinokuniya
3. Various Anime Conventions
If I'm visiting the LA/Southern California area - Little Tokyo, Anime Jungle, VOLKS store, Book Off
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
http://puppy52art.com/
I think I lost the most money to a shop in Nakano broadway ^^; other than fabric shopping :P
Otaku Graphic Designer
http://neoprolacus.spaces.live.com
Mmmm... Not in US so only online...
1. Amiami
2. Otacute
3. Hobby Search
^_^
Student
Online:
1.Mandarake
2.Hobbyfan
3.Amiami
US:
1.Imageanime
2.Kinokuniya
3. Conventions
Student Otaku (ITM Student) and ACG NA Staff
http://koiaichaku.com/
Lets see...
Since I've been to Japan so I thought I add mine.
Planning on heading back to Japan in August...for Comiket...
Japan: (Akihabara)
1- Animate
2- Yodabashi Akiba
3- K-Books
Online:
1- Hobby Search
2- AmiAmi
3- HLJ
Canada (Toronto)
1- AnimeXtreme
2- Gundam Base
3- Fantasy Box
Not sure
http://shibuya246.com
thanks. you can use pictures whenever you want. no problem ^_^
student- university servant
dood, sorry i did not even ask... and i hope that was not sarcasm
but thanks anyways
Reemployed machinist.. But definately a college student too.
http://tsunchan.wordpress.com
I spend.. most of my money.. On Bills!!!
Ugh.
Engineer
http://purpleandgreen54.blogspot.com
Online:
1.Hobby Search
2.HLJ
3.Amiami
US(Southern California)
1.Kinokuniya
2.Anime Jungle
3.Orbit Anime(Small local hole-in-the-wall anime store. Friends w/ the owner)
Have yet to make a trip to japan -_-
Mage
Southern California (Los Angeles)
1-Frank and Sons in Pomona (Open Wednesdays 3-9pm and Saturdays 10-5pm. You never know what you are going to find.) It's like a Hobby Swap Meet. From sports, comics, cards, to movies, anime, vintage video games and figures. Great place.
2-Toylet (Online and store pickup)
3-Power Anime (Online and store pickup)
4-Small Wonders in Westminster mall
5-Anime King in Westminster, CA (They have an eBay business)
6-Mitsuwa in Torrance, CA (small anime shop and book store)
7-ABC Toy 4 Me-somewhere in Torrance, CA
Slacker, Student, tutor
http://www.songofchaoszero.blogspot.com
1) Frank and Sons FTW!!!(glad do know im not the only one here down in so-cal we should all meet up at franks some time LOL)
2)hlj.com
3)Toylet
Engineer
http://purpleandgreen54.blogspot.com
Ah I'm with you on Frank & Sons. I don't go there very often since it's a bit far of a drive for me. But you do run into some rare finds there sometimes.
Prepress Operator, 触手 wrangler, H-Man
http://lightningsabre.blogspot.com/
Haven't been to Japan ever since I was a kid and couldn't buy any of these things, so I can't say anything about that. I seem to buy a lot of manga, figures and anime, in that order.
For 'Online', I stick to the big three:
1. Hobby Search
2. HLJ
3. AmiAmi
Vancouver & Lower Mainland (I usually only buy from to these two ^^;)
1. Sakura Media
2. Soul of Anime
Student, Ouendan member
http://www.5wwwww5.com/bcob/
I do plan on going to Japan with three million yen's worth when I finally get a job at Games Workshop, so this will be a very useful thread for me, too.
So far, I've spent around $8000 on Bionicles and Transformers at TRU since 2001, $250 at SakuraMedia, and $400 at the ol' Ages3andUp (now Metropolis Comics, which I have yet to buy from). My parents visit often, so I HAVE to refrain from buying all those bishoujo figures I want, so all my money's been going to Giant Robots since I was eight.
Nothing atm
Japan (Akihabara)
1. K-book
2. Mandarake
3. Liberty
Online
1. Hobby Search
2. Amiami
3. Dengekiya
Otaku-in-training
http://aim-terrorhunt.blogspot.com/
Where I am (Malaysia):
1. Jusco, Bukit Tinggi.
2. XL-Shop, MidValley.
3. Toys R Us, MidValley.
Video Reviewer of Anime Figures, Mecha and Merch (youtube.com/user/Actar576295)
http://actar.wordpress.com
I spend the most money on figures/poseable figures/1/6 scale dolls/Mecha figures
Where I am (Singaopre)
1. U-Toys/Ng's Collection
2. KKnM
3. LaTendo
Japan
1. Radio Kaikan (Akihabara)
2. Animate (Ikebukuro)
3. Gamerz (Akihabara)
Online
1. AmiAmi
2. HLJ
3. Hobby Search
Student
Strange,i've never seen those shops around here except latendo.Where are they located?
http://drcow.wordpress.com/
Pretty much only online buying here... Going to conventions is expansive already let alone buying stuff there.
Online shops are:
Hobby Search
HobbyLinkJapan
AmiAmi
Otacute
Arachonia
Dollfie Dream collector
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dollfiedreams
Online :
1. Volks USA
2. Yahoo Japan auctions
3. HLJ
there goes half my paychecks!
Photographer
Fun thread! Let's see for me it was...
Tokyo:
The Otaku tower thats right near the Akiba train station. (I know theres a name for it)
Mandarake
Animate
and Sakuraya (RIP. Anime, figures, video games and cameras. Also duty free and spoke english. I'll miss this store)
Mailorder;
Hobbysearch
AmiAmi
Mandarake
Otacute
Do we count Ebay?
Where I am: (NYC)
Forbidden Planet
Midtown Comics
Toy Tokyo
Kinokuniya
Mitsuwa market
Misc. Chinatown Shops
http://blossoming.livejournal.com
Online:
- Mandarake
- AmiAmi
- HLJ
Where I am (US)
- Toys N' Joys
- Kawaii Kon (local con)
teacher-to-be :D
Malaysia:
xl-shop (the worst offender. can be quite cheap, especially during sales)
gactvision (so far they never failed me)
No more NEET, engineering student now...
http://saiseki.blogsome.com/
Singapore
-KKnM
-Kinokuniya
Don't think I spend anywhere else ^^; Don't have any cards so can't order online .___.
Digital Artist (Illustrator)
http://skyzen.deviantart.com/
haven't tried buying online yet..^^;
local shops (metro manila, Philippines)
1.greattoys - customer always gets 5% discount..:D
2.wasabitoys
3.bestoys
Mr. TOP Company Computer Guy
http://www.back2gaming.com
I buy things online but hobby stuff... not yet ^^
Same here, Manila. 1) Great Toys 2) Special Toy Center
Student/Amateur Artist
http://poisondusk.wordpress.com/
Japan
1. Volks
2. Liberty
3. Tora No Ana
Online
1. Amazon JP
2. HLJ
3. eBay
Student
mandarake and toranoana are the top killers
Pords on top of Gachapon kaikan.
Liberty
i don't spend money in aus =(
Student
Online:
Archonia.com
That's about it to be honest.
Anti-NEET/workaholic to earn MONEY!! & play games especially SRW
in hobby shop (philippines)
1)Great toys
2)wasabi toys.
i don't know how to buy in online shop,i just request to my friend to get me some figures & game at:
1)asobi city
2)animate
^Y^ just think budget things first before buy some useless!!
All Decade's Fault
http://wavehawk.weebly.com
Australia--I go to lots of stores...
...but I can tell you my paycheck and savings are probably what keep BANDAI afloat, what with my Gunpla and S.H. Figuarts purchases these past few months.
http://quentinlau.blogspot.com
Hong Kong:
Local stores as well as malls like Oriental 188 and Sino Centre.
(A lot of good stuff, especially gunpla can be bought at same price as Japan, so I do not have to resort to online shops or Akihabara, but you do need to know where to find them in the first place)
Japan:
Liberty (chain store, each branch sells different stuff)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quentinlau/3778243968/
Figure Hobby Kan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quentinlau/3778244286/
Places like Animate etc are okay, but they usually only sell them at official retail prices. If you're fine with that too (especially with people from outside Asia) then I suppose they're worth visiting too.
I got my first one (Play Arts Tifa) while on a trip to Orlando (Universal Studios) even though it is a cheap one I couldn't stop picturing how cool would it look in my room and didn't even knew anything about final fantasy or even anime and I just bought it. Imagine my frustration when I head back home in Colombia trying to find more >.> after looking everywhere end up buying the few ugly bootlegs I found.
Then of course had to go online first Amazon US, then after DC I went nuts with HS and HLJ which is what I currently use, would love to walk in a store and buy them some day.
NEET (no, student, AND employed min. wage)
Online:
1.) AmiAmi
2.) Play Asia
3.) Hobbywave and Gundam Store and More
When I am in Japan:
1.) Yodobashi
2.) Uncle's used Game Shop
3.) ANYWHERE I can find things
Boukenger
This is my fave!
online
Archonia ( locale webshop :p )
HLJ
AmiAmi
Otacute
Ebay
NEET
Online:
1. Bigbadtoystore.com
2. Amazon.com
3. Toysnjoys.com
Local:
1. A-kon
2. Anime Fest
3. Lone Star Comics
4. Walden Books
5. Barnes & Noble
My location: USA
Online: Hobbywave, Gundam store and more, Treasure Island Sports Inc., Bonzanzle, Hobbywave, HLJ.
Local: Micheals art and supply store.
http://samuraisushi.deviantart.com/
I pretty much buy all my stuff online, takes forever for my local store to get anything + by the time they get it they wouldn't have gotten it because its already discontinued xD
Online Store(s)
HLJ.com (my number one favourite // mainly figs but also some artbooks)
yesasia.com (psp games // FSN/Colosseum etc + haruhi suzumiya novels)
jpqueen.com (artbooks)
sasugabooks (artbooks)
e2046 (figuires/models)
rightstuf (manga)
Local Store(s)
Empire Toys (got most of my manga here)
JB Hi Fi (they have anime section ... thank gawd)
demon hunter
http://www.j-fan.com
what about www.1999.co.jp/eng
Mage
Adding on to my original post.
Southern California (Los Angeles County)
Little Tokyo area:
Anime Jungle
Kinokuniya
Book-Off (Westminster Mall)
Mage
Kinokuniya in Costa Mesa