The first figure!
All hobbies start with the first step and, as mentioned before, there are many types of hobbies. Perhaps a single figure or two on the table next to the screen will suffice, at the other extreme of the showcases will quickly begin to accumulate an impressive collection - the most important thing is to find a unique way to do it. Is the theme of the collection a specific character? Or a certain series? Or maybe all the figures from a particular product line from a manufacturer? Even these themes may well begin to become more flexible as the collection lives.
Life cycle of premium figures
The manufacturers of the figures all work on a fairly similar formula, the manufacturing process is interesting but the enthusiast is most interested in the delivery process.
Figures are typically purchased either by pre-ordering, which is the surest way to get the desired figure. Even after the release, it is often still possible to acquire stock pieces from reputable manufacturers' partners (if the entire manufacturing batch has not already sold out in advance), and after these are sold out, the "used" trade begins. Since it is a collecting hobby and figures are always produced in limited quantities, the prices of popular figures typically rise sharply when demand exceeds supply. In between, unfairly acting "scalpers" who have acquired figures for themselves and then sell them at unreasonable prices to inexperienced enthusiasts often come in between; on the other hand, this is done in many contexts for limited but desired products (e.g. sold-out concerts, PS5, the latest graphics cards...). At this point Finanime strives to help enthusiasts and help with affordable sourcing!
Collecting figures wouldn’t be so fascinating if the figures were always available indefinitely and manufacturers have realized this - but sometimes the demand gets so huge that the manufacturer reacts to it and makes a new batch of the desired figure (re-release). This usually returns the price level to normal for a while as re-release approaches.
Life cycle of preferred figures
The life cycle of the Game Prize, Pop Up Parade and other figures produced with a simpler manufacturing process works in much the same way as premium figures, but with an accelerated schedule. The interval between the announcement and the start of deliveries is usually considerably shorter, about 4 to 6 months. In this way, the time interval from pre-order to delivery is much shorter. The rise in prices is still noticeable after the final sales, especially with the Pop Up Parade figures, but the figures are generally quite available due to the large production volumes. (However, during the 2020 pandemic, all production volumes have decreased). Game prizes are also special in that they are available in Japan mainly by winning from arcade machines.
Figures raised… Showcase or shelf?
The easiest way is to place the figures directly on a shelf or other level. However, this leaves them unprotected and exposes them to dust and traditional fall to the ground during cleaning or other damage. If the shelf is the only option but it is still necessary to protect the figures from dust, transparent protective cases, a kind of plastic minivan, have been developed as a solution to this problem.
Another way to display the figures in the apartment is to place them in a display case whose glass protects the figures. Dust will also find its way into the display case if it is not completely airtight, but the dusting interval will be considerably reduced. Glass, on the other hand, brings reflections and should also be kept clean, but a display case is probably the most common and maintenance-friendly way to display figures. The decor is a matter of taste, but a good display case has as much glass as possible - including shelf panels.
In the future, we will publish presentations through a few examples. Decorating is indeed a matter of taste, so in our article we focus mainly on lighting - a good figure looks mediocre in a bad light and vice versa, and of course it also depends a bit on the figure what kind of lighting brings out its best features.
Vocabulary and concepts
Finally, a few concepts - most are easy to deduce but some may need to be picked up on the surface beforehand.
Base - a stand to which the figure is usually attached with pins or otherwise
Blister - a shaped plastic frame inside the box, which is used to protect the figure and other parts during transport - valuable figures usually come from the factory really well protected.
Window - a viewing opening (window!) In the transport box, protected by a transparent plastic film, from which the figure can be seen without opening the box.
Re-release - the manufacturer produces a new batch from a previously published figure
scalp - an operator who sells a desired sold-out figure at a really unreasonable price
turn table - a rotating platform which makes it possible to admire the figure effortlessly from all angles, mainly with a small electric motor.
We will expand this article in the future - very nice hobbies !!!