what are anime figures made out of

by Rhiannon Cormier 3 min read
image

Mostly made in Japan but can sometimes be made in China by companies such as Good Smile Company, Alter, and Max Factory. These figures are non poseable and are usually made from PVC or ABS plastic scaling from 1/12 to 1/4. They are generally very high quality with great detail and paintwork which is reflected in the price.

The molds are filled with the material the figure will be made of, usually PVC since it's a cheap and somewhat flexible plastic. If not PVC, the next most likely materials are vinyl, polystone, synthetic resin, or ABS. The cooled plastic (or resin) is removed from the molds.

Full Answer

What makes anime figures so expensive?

The 10 Most Expensive Anime Merchandise You Can Actually Buy

  1. Neon Gensis Evangelion Statue Of Rei - $1,486.99. Neon Genesis Evangelion merchandise is among the more expensive in anime. ...
  2. Eren Vs. Armored Titan 1/3 Scale Statue - $1,899.99 - $2,149.90. ...
  3. One Piece God Enel Statue - $1,676.00. ...
  4. Tsume X-tra Pain Figure - $1,000.00. ...
  5. Jiraiya One Last Heartbeat Tsume Resin Statue - $900.00. ...

More items...

How to make anime figures at home?

Method 6 of 6: Spreading Your Anime to Others

  1. Share with family and friends. This is the easiest way to make fans. ...
  2. Create a blog or website. Publishing your work on the Internet is a great way to start to build an audience.
  3. Contact a publisher. Try to find someone who is excited enough about your story and anime to consider publishing it.
  4. Send out your anime to competitions. ...

What are the different types of anime figures?

Anime Figure Types Explained

  • Prize Figures. Prize figures are often smaller in size, around the 140mm mark. ...
  • Scale Figures. Scale figures are designed and sculpted to scale, as their name implies. ...
  • Figma / Action Figures. Figma are often smaller and lighter PVC figures by the Max Factory company. ...
  • Nendoroid. ...
  • Funko Pop Figures. ...

How did anime get so popular?

  • I could argue that the Japanese are masters of design and have learned that images convey meaning faster than text.
  • I could take an art-historical perspective and say that it goes back to ukyo-e wood block prints that became popular in the 16th century.
  • I could go logical and

image

Are anime figures made of PVC?

The figures are usually done with PVC (soft plastic) and ABS (hard plastic). ABS is best for recreating props like weapons more accurately.

What are most figures made out of?

Figurines have been made in many media, with clay, metal, wood, glass, and today plastic or resin the most significant. Ceramic figurines not made of porcelain are called terracottas in historical contexts.

Why are anime figures made with PVC?

The PVC Figures are made of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC). Its simple manufacture, low cost and easy ductility (they don' t break when bending or twisting) mean that 90% of the Anime Figures sold are created with this material.

Why is anime figure so expensive?

The anime's production company does smaller batches, so they know that they aren't going to waste money on unsold products. They know if they make limited run items, collectors will flock to the items and have them sell out every time.

Where are most anime figures made?

As you might have already known, most anime figures are made in China. Newbies often misunderstood that 'Made in China' means fake. That is not correct. In fact most of the original ones are made in China mainly because it is cheaper for the Japanese company to own a factory and production line there.

Are anime figures 3D printed?

Many sites offer high-quality, authentic and creative anime characters you can 3D print at home. Many of these 3D printing anime figures accurately reflect the original character's look. There are many free anime 3D models to make. Other figurines are offered at reasonable pricing.

Is PVC same as resin?

PVC is an acronym for polyvinyl chloride. A resin is a material often used in the production of plastics and rubbers. PVC resin is a white powder commonly used to produce thermoplastics. Alone, PVC resin is a white powder.

Whats better resin or PVC?

Resin figures will last for longer than PVC. Resin is one of the most flexible, durable, and environmentally friendly materials available. It is also UV sensitive, which means it does not yellow or show discoloration from sunlight or human exposure. PVC will deteriorate over time from the UV rays.

Does PVC get sticky?

Keep Your Figures Away from Heat If you keep your figures in a hot room (and still boxed), there's a good chance they will develop stickiness. Too much heat can also soften PVC plastic so leaning might become a problem.

Are PVC figures Safe?

The health concerns related to PVC are especially worrisome for children due to their increased exposure to PVC in toys and garments. Vinyl chloride, which is the main ingredient in PVC, is a known carcinogen (cancer causing).

Is anime getting more popular?

With a revenue of more than $19 billion USD in Japan, anime is experiencing an unprecedented rise in popularity overseas, with a contributing role to its record sales. Anime is a style of animated art that has gained popularity in recent years. It's all about bright colors, creative characters, and fantastic tales.

Why is good smile so expensive?

Making nendoroids is a very manual process, so Good Smile Company can't make many at once. Their main production factory is located in China which 90% of the products are made there. But they also have a factory in Japan as a research and development center.

Who makes nendoroid figures?

If there’s a Nendoroid figure on your wishlist, it’s a safe bet that Good Smile is the manufacturer behind it.

Who is the mascot of anime motivation?

I'm Hikari Yorokobi, the official mascot for Anime Motivation. The trendsetter of anime quotes & life lessons online.

What is Max Factory?

Max Factory is an Anime manufacturer of action figures, figma ‘s and statues. Example: Max Factory figma Berserker/Jeanne d'Arc Figure Check Price on Amazon. We earn a commission from Amazon & other affiliates if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

What is Alter toys?

Founded March 1st 2005, Alter is a manufacturer of Anime figures and toys. And have been in business for over 12 years now (as of 2017). A lot of Alter’s toys are PVC Statues, taken from Anime ‘s like Idolmaster, Love Live, Hyperdimension Neptunia + others. Examples:

Does Freeing make statues?

While not as big as others on this list, FREEing manufacture some really great figurines and statues.

Do Amazon affiliates make commissions?

We earn a commission from Amazon & other affiliates if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Is Orange Rouge a good anime?

So when you want male Anime characters as a collector, Orange Rouge is your best bet. As that’s their core focus, and they don’t disappoint!

What materials area action figures made from?

Many people wonder; what action figures are made of? The answer is typically various plastics. Modern action figures are almost entirely plastic, excluding of course the pins and screws that hold certain parts together. Figures may consist of multiple types of plastic, as each type feels slightly different. When it comes to plastic, it is typically ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) or PBS (Polybutylene Succinate) plastics. These are selected for a few reasons. First, they are comparatively less expensive yet remain pretty flexible and strong. There is often a trade-off between strength, flexibility, and cost.

What is the plastic used in action figures?

The plastic used for the skin/body of an action figure may be made from a softer plastic such as PBS. This why it is slightly less rigid to touch and generally more smooth/soft feeling. Other components, such as weapons, clothing, or accessories may often be made from ABS. ABS is very strong and far less flexible.

How Has the Production of Action Figures Developed Over the Years?

Action figures only really came into their element during the 80s. Before 1983, it was illegal to create TV programs based on toys. This meant generating a buzz for an action figure was hard, to say the least. As soon as this restriction was removed there was a huge influx in television programs like “He-Man”. The whole basis of these shows was to sell toys, the shows were lazily made, and the stories generally were pretty simplistic. By today’s standards, these shows were not very good at all, but they served their purpose well. Action figures began to boom in popularity in a completely unprecedented way.

How Has the Invention of 3D Printing Affected the Action Figure Industry?

3D printing has only very recently become a viable form of mass production. It is still arguably not quite there. The problem with 3D printing is it is extremely time-intensive. One action figure could take up to and even surpassing an hour to print and then the same again to cool. This means even if the printer is working 24 hours a day it can only produce 12 action figures. You would need thousands of 3D printers to come close to even the smallest of production lines. Also, 3D printers require more maintenance than standard production lines. They are more prone to blockages, breaking and overheating.

How Does the Manufacturing of Action Figures Vary from Company to Company?

Not all companies have the same resources available to them. Their market share, budgets, and design ethos vary greatly. This next section will compare the differences between the absolute powerhouse manufacturers and the smaller companies:

How to store loose action figures?

Storing them is a simple enough process: wrap the individual figures in bubble wrap, stack the bubble wrapped figures in the tub, and put the tub somewhere where...

What is prototyping in action figures?

Following the design is the prototyping. In this stage, the first draft of the action figure is created and tested. This version will often be edited a few times before the finished product is ready. This means there is a lot of back and forth between the design and prototyping stages. Prototypes are also often modeled with clay by artists. This is not the case so much now, but historically this is how it was done. These days, more and more prototypes are being 3D printed.

Why is PVC used in figures?

PVC is used to manufacture figures primarily because it's very cheap when compared to other plastics and it's somewhat resistant. Because PVC is a thermoplastic, it's easy to work with it and it's recyclable.

Is there a company that makes PVC figures?

No good company will make a figure entirely of PVC because as mentioned before, PVC can't handle the it's won't weight without deforming. Some figures manufactured prior to 2007 were made entirely of PVC, which caused them to bend and lean. Like this: View spoiler

image