Akiba Gamer Figurine Guide 2014 Part 2

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NOW OUTDATED! (but some info still good)

Please check the new guide for 2017. <<

7. Wonder Tshirts Festival / Akiba Hobby (Closed 2017)

This is where to go to get gamer and anime shirts. Expensive! I got my Kof shirts from here, you might find an XS size on sale for 3880!

Akiba Hobby has quite a bit of merchandise… but I don’t remember going lol.

Akiba Hobby | Wonder T Festival

8. Mandarake

Good lord. For the highest prices in Akiba and arguably most vintage, come here. 8 floors of hell. I hate coming here but have to take a look just in case there’s some rare stuff. Here they had the KOF RPG and Athena RPG… nuff said. Transformers fans will come here and wet their pants, with stuff like rare coloured versions and even bootlegs. Back in 2010, I remember seeing a copy of Kizuna Encounter here for 88,000 yen. I wonder if the price went up…

Mandarake Encounter 88000 yen

Mandarake

9. SPG

Merchandise | Figurines | Used | Manga

Sells some random ‘junk’ toys, meaning items graded below … well, they shouldn’t be sold lol, but here they are at dirt cheap prices. However, sometimes it’s just that the box is horrible! Keep a keen eye out for bargains in the trays at the front of the shop! Note inside shop prices are average or higher, but there are some unboxed 2nd hand figured going for cheap.

P4a animation catcher 7″ Junpei 680 yen!!!
P3p aegis 6620.

http://www.spspspsp.com/

10. Fyumi

Tiny little shop, found some funny merchandise in it. Worth a quick run through.

11. Akiba Zone

As we approach this side of Akiba, you’ll find more cabinet stores, where people rent a glass cabinet to sell their stuff. These are comparatively very expensive. Akiba Zone is pretty much one huge department of cabinets with a couple of (expensive shops). Still, it’s worth a look, if you’re hunting for something more rare. Beware of some bootleg or counterfeit items. They also have a ROBOT ROBOT store, which is pretty awesome in term of rarer stuff, but the best branch (price wise) is actually in Nakano.

12. Super Potato

Software| Used | Hardware

A quick mention for this horrible store (for your wallet). If you want to look at incredibly expensive vintage console stuff, go here. And if you want more, keep heading down the road to Trader 2/3, opposite the KFC, near the bridge (Trader 3’s building has been demolished). You should also try RetroGameCamp on the Main street, next to Don Quijote, if you like this kind of stuff (probably cheaper too).

http://www.superpotato.com/

13. Kotobukiya

What? You’ve never been to Kotobukiya? Surely they have one in your country by now? Well, if you want to pay retail prices for the newest mainstream figurines on the market, here you go. In my opinion, you’ll be more in awe at the models in the cabinets that you can’t buy since they’re old, out of stock or yet to be released.

14. Arcade Shop (closed 2017)

Well, I’m not great with kanji. Now if you can’t get what you need from Mak Japan, you can come here, same stock, same prices, and they have two arcade machines set up with PC fighters in the front, Yatagarasu being one of them! Thanks to Professor of MMCafe for the location, as I found it, then lost it :3

15. Trader 2

As explained already… retro stuff … vintage stuff. Mint quality means mint prices. Like… Royal Mint.

website

16. LAOX

This was fairly annoying. I remember going there the first time and thinking, what is this? That’s because I had visited the Duty Free branch on the main strip. The 3rd time, I went again, but actually found some interesting figurines and strangely rare capsule machines. What you need to know is that the Hobby Branch, which is far more dedicated to anime and figurines is around the corner. The map has both pointed out. The one pictured above is the duty free store. Remember you need to spend over 10,000 yen and have your passport ready if you want the discount, plus it doesn’t apply to some goods.

website EN

17. Lamtarra

These shops are just plain random, with junk or “jank” plus some hentai thrown in. Worth a look just for … the randomness of it all. I think in Mulan there is a deceptive passage way which leads to a downstairs area, where I found probably the last KOF13 figures known to mankind. Check Mulan and the shops next to it thoroughly, if you’re looking for older figures. They were selling the new range of goods such as Shingeki No Kyojin at very high prices, which is not unusual for this part of town. OMG dat Pink P4A Liz. OMG.

18. Gamerz

This store is close to my heart, as it’s the first real gamer store I visited back in Osaka. It escaped the Stein’s Gate black hole and it still up in the tower. However, being smack bang in Akiba central, the prices can be a bit meh. As usual, you may find some stuff here you won’t elsewhere. Le sigh.

19. Mulan

Same as Lamtarra

Special Note: Steins Gate Continuity Error

If you managed to escape the Stein’s Gate continuity you’ll notice that of course the anime shopping arcade (Radio Kaikan) never existed. All that greatness, gone. All that remains is the Arte mall 🙁

2015 Update – and now it’s back?!?? I’ll have to go see myself… Indeed, I did, in 2017

20. Volks

However, opposite the Stein’s Gate anomaly, Volks is a triple floor hotspot of figurines and anime goods, if you like spending lots of money. Lots of cabinets here. Coming off the main street, turn past the Adores Arcade. Frankly I wasn’t a fan of the store due to prices but there’s a wide range of stock. UPDATE 2015: Volks, has now moved.

>> GO TO PART 3

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