

What are the main websites and forums where fans exchange info about where
online to buy anime/manga collectibles from Japan (such as trading
offers/requests, current auctions, recommended online shops, wish lists)? In
particular, for hunting down/notifying about chances to acquire out-of-print
merchandise such as for series which have already ended.

When I used to buy anime/manga collectibles made in Japan about 15 years ago,
many fans were on email mailing lists (based on subjects such as shoujo anime,
or specific series) where members would, from time to time, post links to
trading websites and eBay auctions of interest, or share if they had found a
reliable shop or proxy buying/bidding service, but I think this sort of ML is
not very popular these days. Where is the Go To place for most fans to share
info about anime/manga merchandise that is currently for sale? I came across
<http://myfigurecollection.net/> but I have no idea of whether this is a main
site for this kind of interaction or whether there are more popular ones.


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merchandise
Where do fans exchange info about anime/manga merchandise for sale?


While forums are still great places to find such conversations, mailing lists
are bit old in today's age. Personally, I think one of the best forums to
browse is [MyAnimeList (MAL)](http://myanimelist.net/).

In addition, there are largely three categories of places that anime
aficionados frequent when discussing new merchandise to buy (as well as buying
it). They are as follows:

  1. **Local Stores** \- Granted, most people do not have the luxury of living in Japan to take advantage of these resources. However, if you do, the best place to find anything anime related in Japan is [Akihabara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihabara). Of the many I've visited, my personal favorite is the Akiba Culture Zone. Their website is not in English, but it can be found [here](http://www.akibacultureszone.com/). Also, here's a picture of the inside:

                     [![Akiba Culture Zone](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9dWYY.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9dWYY.jpg)

  2. **Conventions and Events** \- The next best place to find merchandise is at events that are specifically for the anime/manga you are trying to find merchandise for. In America, common events like this are things like [Comic-Con](http://www.comic-con.org/). You should peruse your local listings to see if anything nearby your location interests you.

  3. **Online Stores** \- This is the most common place for anime merchandise to be bought and sold. Here's a list of the best online anime stores, with descriptions:

    * [Right Stuf](http://www.rightstufanime.com/) \- One of the best sites if you would like to buy actual DVD/BluRay copies of anime or print copies of manga. It's not always the cheapest resource, but it often has the widest selection. In addition, if you time your purchase correctly and know what to look for, you can get massive savings (like 50-90% off).
    * [AmiAmi](http://www.amiami.com/) \- This is one (if not the best, but that is subjective) resources for basically any merchandise relating to anime, from posters and wall art to keychains and figurines. 
    * [Tokyo Otaku Mode](http://otakumode.com/) \- A great place for beginners. Sometimes it's rather daunting to browse other sites, but I recommend Tokyo Otaku Mode for beginners, because it has a relatively wide selection of well-known animes/mangas, and is not too expensive. However, I think that other sites will offer better deals and wider selections, but you might have to dig.
    * [Mandarake](https://www.mandarake.co.jp/en/shop/) \- Mandarake is one of the most well-known otaku centers in Akihabara. I don't recommend this for beginners, but you can find great deals here (as well as great rip-offs).
    * [Crunchyroll Store](https://www.mandarake.co.jp/en/shop/) \- I'm assuming most users of this site know what Crunchyroll is, but for those who don't, it's a great manga and anime streaming website. Their store sometimes has great deals, but you can _almost_ always find all the merchandise in the Crunchyroll Store on the other online stores listed here. Sometimes it is easier to read for beginners, because the website is entirely in English.
    * [JBox](https://jbox.com/) \- Another great site that is more well-known for their novelty items for around the house. If you are looking for adult merchandise, try their 18+ counterpart, [J-List](http://www.jlist.com/home).
    * [akadot](http://www.akadot.com/) \- More for manga in Japanese only, but great if you speak Japanese.
    * [Hobby Link Japan (HLJ)](http://hlj.com/) \- Great if you're into figurine collecting or if you like models (especially mecha).
    * [Yesasia](http://www.yesasia.com/us/en/home.html) \- Great for more serious collectors, and they also sell Chinese and Korean goods. You can use this site to find harder to obtain merchandise, but it tends to be a little more expensive.
    * [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/) \- A bit generic, but excellent prices if you can find what you want (good luck).
    * [Ebay](http://www.ebay.com/) \- When in doubt, there's always a chance that someone is selling your desired item used on Ebay, but similar to Amazon, it's a bit generic and has a lesser selection. Don't be afraid to dig, you may find a few diamonds in the rough!


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