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Exploring the Top Anime Figure Brands: A Comprehensive Guide

By MyFigureList

•Created September 4, 2024•Last Update October 21, 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Good Smile Company
2. Kotobukiya
3. Bandai Spirits
4. Alter
5. Max Factory
6. Megahouse
7. Aniplex
8. FREEing
9. Flare
10. Phat! Company
Conclusion

Anime figure collecting is a beloved hobby for fans worldwide, with a variety of brands offering high-quality figures that cater to every taste and budget. Whether you're a seasoned collector or just starting out, knowing the top brands in the industry is essential for building a collection you'll cherish for years. This guide will explore some of the most popular anime figure brands, each known for their unique styles, specialties, and quality.

1. Good Smile Company

Good Smile Company Logo

Overview: Good Smile Company (GSC) is one of the most well-known and respected names in the anime figure industry. Founded in 2001, GSC has built a reputation for producing high-quality figures with exceptional attention to detail.

Key Products: GSC is famous for its Nendoroid and Figma lines. Nendoroids are small, chibi-style figures with interchangeable parts, allowing collectors to pose them in various ways. Figmas are highly articulated, making them perfect for dynamic poses. GSC also produces scale figures, which are known for their accuracy and craftsmanship.

Why Collectors Love Them: Collectors appreciate GSC for their consistent quality, wide range of characters, and the creativity that goes into each figure. The company’s collaborations with various artists and studios also make their figures highly desirable.

2. Kotobukiya

Kotobukiya Logo

Overview: Kotobukiya is a Japanese manufacturer that has been producing figures since the 1980s. They offer a diverse range of figures, from anime and manga to video game and movie characters.

Key Products: Kotobukiya is best known for its ARTFX J series, which features highly detailed, dynamic figures of popular anime characters. They also produce the Bishoujo line, which reimagines characters from various media in a more stylized and attractive form.

Why Collectors Love Them: Kotobukiya is praised for its attention to detail and the dynamic poses of its figures. The company often takes creative liberties with character designs, offering unique interpretations that stand out in any collection.

3. Bandai Spirits

Bandai Spirits Logo

Overview: A subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings, Bandai Spirits is a giant in the toy and figure industry. They produce a wide range of products, including action figures, model kits, and collectible figures.

Key Products: Bandai Spirits is best known for its S.H. Figuarts line, which includes highly articulated action figures of characters from popular anime, manga, and tokusatsu series. They also produce Gunpla (Gundam plastic models), which are beloved by fans of the Gundam franchise.

Why Collectors Love Them: Bandai Spirits offers something for everyone, from detailed model kits to fully articulated action figures. Their products are often more affordable than other high-end brands, making them accessible to a broader audience.

4. Alter

Alter Logo

Overview: Alter is a premium figure manufacturer that focuses on producing high-quality scale figures. Founded in 2005, Alter has quickly gained a reputation for its exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Key Products: Alter is known for its 1/7 and 1/8 scale figures, which are highly detailed and capture characters in lifelike poses. They often focus on popular anime and video game characters, with a particular emphasis on female characters.

Why Collectors Love Them: Alter figures are highly regarded for their quality, with collectors often praising the lifelike poses, intricate detailing, and high-quality paintwork. While they tend to be more expensive, the investment is often considered worth it for the quality offered.

5. Max Factory

Max Factory Logo

Overview: Max Factory is another prominent name in the anime figure industry, closely associated with Good Smile Company. Founded in 1987, Max Factory produces a wide range of figures, including action figures and scale figures.

Key Products: Max Factory is best known for its Figma line of action figures, which are highly poseable and come with a variety of accessories. They also produce high-quality scale figures, often in collaboration with Good Smile Company.

Why Collectors Love Them: Max Factory is loved for its versatility, offering both poseable action figures and detailed scale figures. The Figma line, in particular, is popular for its durability and the ability to recreate iconic scenes from anime.

6. Megahouse

MegaHouse Logo

Overview: Megahouse is a Japanese toy and figure manufacturer that has been in the industry since 1997. They are known for producing figures and toys based on popular anime, manga, and video games.

Key Products: Megahouse is famous for its Portrait of Pirates (P.O.P) series, which features highly detailed figures of characters from the One Piece anime. They also produce the G.E.M. series, which includes figures from various anime series, often with dynamic poses and detailed sculpts.

Why Collectors Love Them: Megahouse figures are known for their high-quality sculpts and attention to detail, particularly in capturing the personalities of the characters. The P.O.P series, in particular, is a favorite among One Piece fans.

7. Aniplex

Aniplex Logo

Overview: Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, is not just a producer of anime but also a creator of high-quality figures. Their figures are often based on popular anime series that they have produced or licensed.

Key Products: Aniplex's figure line, Aniplex+, features high-end scale figures that are often produced in limited quantities. These figures are known for their high quality and are often based on characters from hit anime series such as Fate/Stay Night, Demon Slayer, and Sword Art Online.

Why Collectors Love Them: Aniplex figures are highly sought after due to their limited availability and connection to popular anime series. Collectors appreciate the high quality and attention to detail, though the figures are often on the pricier side.

8. FREEing

Overview: FREEing is a Japanese figure manufacturer known for producing large-scale figures, particularly their popular 1/4 scale figures. They often collaborate with other companies, and they belongs to Good Smile Company, to produce their figures.

Key Products: FREEing is best known for its B-Style series, which features 1/4 scale figures of popular anime characters, often dressed in bunny outfits. They also produce a range of other large-scale figures that are known for their impressive size and detail.

Why Collectors Love Them: The large size and quality of FREEing figures make them standout pieces in any collection. The B-Style series, in particular, is popular among collectors who appreciate the unique and eye-catching designs.

9. Flare

Overview: Flare is a smaller figure manufacturer known for its collaboration with famous sculptors and artists. While not as widely known as some other brands, Flare produces high-quality figures with a focus on unique designs and artistry.

Key Products: Flare's figures are often based on characters from popular anime and video games, with a focus on delivering artistic and detailed sculpts. They are known for their collaborations with well-known artists and sculptors in the industry.

Why Collectors Love Them: Flare's figures are often considered art pieces due to their unique designs and high level of craftsmanship. Collectors who appreciate artistry and unique interpretations of characters are particularly drawn to Flare's offerings.

10. Phat! Company

Phat Logo

Overview: Phat! Company, often stylized as PHAT!, is a Japanese figure manufacturer that produces a wide range of figures, from small trading figures to large scale figures. They are known for their collaborations with other companies and their diverse range of products.

Key Products: Phat! Company produces a variety of scale figures and Nendoroid-style figures known as Parfom, which are highly poseable and come with interchangeable parts. Their scale figures are known for their dynamic poses and detailed sculpts.

Why Collectors Love Them: Phat! Company offers a diverse range of figures, appealing to both casual and serious collectors. Their collaborations with other companies and artists result in a wide variety of unique and high-quality figures.

Conclusion

The anime figure industry is vast and diverse, with each brand offering something unique to collectors. Whether you’re looking for highly detailed scale figures, poseable action figures, or unique artistic interpretations, there’s a brand out there that caters to your preferences. Understanding the different brands and