Action Figuers in Tokyo

Hi all!

I will be in Japan for my very first visit towards the end of March / beginning of April. I am interested in action figures, and mainly Grendizer.

Mandarake will be on my shopping list, and as I read, the Nakano Broadway store is the largest. Is it true, or is the Shibuya store larger? Are prices the same throughout Mandarake stores? For Grendizer, would Mandarake be the best option, or will I find better deals at smaller stores? If so, where should I look?

Thanks for your usual help :)

If I recall correctly, Mandarake is a re-sale shop, meaning it sell used merchandise. If this is true, then the items are going to differ from store to store so I tend to believe the prices will differ as well.

Thanks John; so this means that what I may find at one Mandarake store may not be at another of their stores.
So, which one is the bigger store?

I wish I could help you. I've only been to one store, the one in Shibuya. I cannot comment on any other one.

http://www.mandarake.co.jp/en/shop/sby.html

Please alot plenty of time in Akihabara. I made the mistake of telling myself that I'll just do a quick walk up and down Chuo Dori and be on my way.I ended up in just one store for two hours.But well worth it. I used to be an avid collector before I got a mortgage so it was difficult for me to keep my wallet in my pocket. If you come out of Akihabara Station at the exit next to the AKB48 Cafe and Gundam cafe, you should be facing a huge SEGA Center. Walk towards the SEGA Center towards the main street. On the right hand side of the walkway there is a 5 or six story store. Sorry I don't remember the name. They have new figures as well as cases that are consigned that are filled with stuff.Their method of buying or handling the consignment stuff is a little confusing. It involves filling out a little form and taking it to an employee. Just ask for help if you need it. They are very helpful. Also I suggest going to Kotobukiya.http://main.kotobukiya.co.jp/store_info/akihabarakan.html
If you don't already know, they have some of the most awesome figures you can buy. Have fun and keep an eye on your budget.

@John: Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.

@propglenn: Thanks for the detailed info. This means I'll end up spending more time (and money) in Akihabara. I'll definitely have to keep an eye on the budget. Kotobukiya seems like a super place, I had never heard of it, thanks!

Akihabara and Nakano Broadway are probably your best bet but as already mentioned, make sure you leave plenty of time in your itinerary for browsing - some of the stores are huge and/or packed with stuff!

Thanks! By browsing, do you mean I may have to go through the stuff by myself? Can I ask for help by showing the staff a pic of what I am looking for, plus its name in Japanese?

Yes, I'm sure that you can ask staff for what you want with the help of pictures, but I assumed you would also want to soak in the spectacle of six (or more) floors full of action figures and other stuff :)

If I was going to be there by myself, I'd definitely do that, but I am going to be with a person who doesn't like all of that stuff... However, in Akihabara's Mandarake, I believe it's only the topmost floor that's for action figures...

Hey!

If you really want to get action figures... Of anything, my recommendation is go straight to Nakano Broadway, the whole place is packed...

And you also have a lot of mandarakes stores there (not just one, each one specialized in things in particular).

I found a whole plentier and better experience (also better prices) buying in Nakano Broadway than in akihabara.

Only place I'd recommend in akihabara is the mall where the kaiyodo store is and mandarake. But in whole... Nakano is a better option!

take care

Fred

Thanks Fred! Nakano isn't far from where I'll be staying in Shinjuku. I'll dedicate some time for that place, thanks a million!

I prefer going to Nakano Broadway myself, since it's a mall, you can cover many stores in less time. it's more relaxing and less crowded there too.

Thanks reprazent; this means I'll go to Akihabara just for seeing the place, and Nakano for buying the stuff.

And yes, I'll definitely post my experience once I am back. Thanks guys!

There are other non-action figure stores in Nakano Broadway that your non=collector friend(s) could go and wander round while you do your thing.

It's a fun area.

Thanks, so Nakano it is. However, I just read some reviews that many of the shops there have been closed for good. Well, it's not that far from Shinjuku anyway.

If you want (old) robot stuff, Nakano Broadway is the best place to go. When I stay in shinjuku, usually I visit this place the first evening. it's only a few stops on the yellow line. Should only take 2-3 hours to cover the mall.

Akihabara on the other hand, whatever you do, don't enter Yodobashi first. I think I could spend half a day there. Besides, yodobashi shinjuku pretty much sells the same things, but it's seperated in many stores mostly next to eachother instead of one gigantic building. Akiba stores themselves, I'd say you would need at least a day to visit most of them.

Thanks reprazent, I too was thinking about going to Nakano the 1st evening after arriving in Tokyo. While the action figure I want are old ones, but there was a re-issue of one of them in Jul '12 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bandai-SOUL-CHOGOKIN-GX-04S-GX-04S-UFO-ROBO-GR...), while I don't know much about the other (http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?scode=FIG-IPN-3542)

Wonderful tip regarding Yodobashi Akiba; I will check out other places before going there. As for Yodobashi Shinjuku, when you say separate buildings, do you mean each building carries certain goods, like, one will have camera products, while the other may carry toys, and another one may carry audio / video products?

yeah, each store sells different things. It's almost like yodobashi is taking over the streets in nishi(west)shinjuku. Though I think that if they had the choice they'd rather have a nice tall building like Bic Camera does near the station exits. Now I think of it, there's also a Bic Camera and Yodobashi just outside shinjuku east exit. I can recommend scanning the neighbourhood with google streetview before you go: IMO the best invention since sliced bread. Nothing worse than getting lost in a foreign country where nobody speaks your language.

all this tokyo talk makes me want to book a ticket too hehe.