Anime is becoming one of global pop culture that is massively growing even outside Asia. Fanbases from various franchises have emerged, creating a community with the same hobbies. They not only discuss anime, but also buy and sell merchandise. Buying and selling merchandise is no longer unfamiliar to the anime community. Apart from showing love for the anime, buying and selling merchandise is also done to make a community alive.

There are many kinds of anime merchandise, from official ones issued by franchises such as figurines to fan-made ones such as photocards. Let's breakdown some of them!

Official Merchandise: Figurine/Nendoroid

Nendoroid (GoodSmile Company)
Rukappu/Look Up (Megahouse)

Figurine or Nendoroid is mini statue of a character from anime/manga/game. It is typically made by PVC with variation of size. Nendoroid usually consist of body, 1-3 faceplate expression, additional arms/legs, and a holder to store it. This type of merchandise is suitable if you have a showcase gallery, considering that it needs extra care so it doesn't get moldy.

Nendoroid has many types to explore, name it Standing Figure, Rukappu (Look Up), Onemutan, and many more. The price range usually starts from IDR 500.000.

Official Merchandise: Doll

Fuwakororin (Max Limited)

Lovable plush doll of characters are also available for collection. These plush dolls frequently have exaggerated characteristics like large eyes and heads and are created in a cute and chibi (super-deformed) style. Their sizes range from tiny keychains to enormous snuggle cushions.

Plush dolls also have many types according to the model, one of the most best-sellers is fuwakororin, with the price usually starts from IDR 150.000. 

Official Merchandise: Standee and Badge



Standee is a tiny acrylic cut-out of an anime character that can stands on a surface  It is a common way to showcase a characters on a desk, shelf, or anywhere you like. While badge, is work same as the name but it is exaggerated by adding the picture of the character. It usually made of metal or plastic and have a pin on the back so you can attach them to your clothes, bags, backpacks, or any other fabric surface. The price range from IDR 30.000 to up 1 million.


Fan-made Merchandise: Sticker and Photocard

ri_mumu on X




Anime sticker fan-made merchandise is exactly what it sounds like - stickers featuring anime characters or designs, created by fans and sold independently. While photocard is considered new to anime collection, the k-pop culture of collecting photocard is adopted in the anime community as well. 

Is fan-made merchandise are bootleg?
In collecting anime merchandise, you may find unofficial merchandise that created by fans. it is wise to note that fan-made merchandise is different from bootleg stuffs. Bootleg stuffs are unlicensed, mass-produced imitation of official merchandise, sold by non-fans to fans solely for gaining money. Meanwhile, fan-made merchandise are limited and made by fans to fans, usually in form of artwork/fanart. 

Diving into the world of anime merchandise can be exciting, but with so many options, it's good to have a plan. First, consider what kind of items you'd like to collect, whether it's figures, dolls, or even photocard. Second, find trusted sellers. Official merchandise usually only produced in Japan, so you can use proxy service to order it from Indonesia. You may find fan-made merchandise in anime convention event such as Impactnation and Comifuro, but you can try by looking on social media community. Happy collecting!