Action Figures
September 30, 2026 · 9 min read
Static statues are beautiful, but there's something special about a figure you can pick up and pose into a scene. I bought my first S.H.Figuarts on a whim and spent an entire evening recreating a fight from the show. I've been collecting ever since, and my partner has learned not to ask how many is "enough".
Bandai's S.H.Figuarts line is the gold standard for a reason: tight joints, clean paint, and swappable faces and hands that let you recreate iconic moments. Tanjiro, with his Water Breathing effect parts, is still one of my favourite figures to pose.
Collector PickDemon Slayer · Good Smile / Bandai
S.H.Figuarts Tanjiro Kamado is authentic Demon Slayer merchandise from Good Smile / Bandai — a action figures made for fans and collectors. Features quality materials, detailed design true to the series, and makes a great gift for any Demon Slayer fan.
$75.00retail
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figma, from Max Factory and Good Smile Company, leans a little more stylised and usually comes with a clever jointed display stand. S.H.Figuarts tends towards realistic proportions. Neither is better. It depends on whether you want your shelf to look like the anime or like a premium toy line.
If you love expressive faces and lots of accessories, figma is a joy. If you prefer subtle realism and a big lineup across shonen series, Figuarts will give you more characters to choose from. Plenty of collectors, me included, end up with both.
Collector PickJujutsu Kaisen · Good Smile / Bandai
figma Satoru Gojo is authentic Jujutsu Kaisen merchandise from Good Smile / Bandai — a action figures made for fans and collectors. Features quality materials, detailed design true to the series, and makes a great gift for any Jujutsu Kaisen fan.
$67.99retail
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Bootlegs are everywhere, especially for popular characters. Genuine figures have crisp paint lines, sturdy packaging with holographic authenticity stickers, and joints that actually hold a pose. Fakes often have sticky plastic, blurry eyes and a faint chemical smell when you open the box.
If a price looks too good to be true, it almost always is. Compare against official retailers, check seller ratings carefully on marketplaces, and look closely at the photos. Real sellers show the actual box, not just promo renders.
Early on I bought everything that caught my eye and ended up with a shelf of random figures that didn't tell any story. Now I collect by series and by moments. I pick the characters from one arc and build the scene around them.
Set a monthly budget and stick to it. Pre-orders are exciting, but they stack up fast. Keep a simple spreadsheet of what's coming and when, so a busy month doesn't take you by surprise.
Collector PickDemon Slayer · Good Smile / Bandai
S.H.Figuarts Kyojuro Rengoku is authentic Demon Slayer merchandise from Good Smile / Bandai — a action figures made for fans and collectors. Features quality materials, detailed design true to the series, and makes a great gift for any Demon Slayer fan.
$82.99retail
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Keep figures out of direct sunlight to stop the paint fading, and dust them once a month with a soft makeup brush. Glass cabinets with LED strips are worth every penny. They cut down on dust and make even mid-range figures look like museum pieces.
Group figures by series to tell a story. A Naruto shelf with a few dynamic poses is far more striking than a row of figures standing straight. Use clear acrylic risers to stagger heights so nothing gets hidden at the back.
Collector PickNaruto Shippuden · Good Smile / Bandai
S.H.Figuarts Naruto - The Power To Unite is authentic Naruto Shippuden merchandise from Good Smile / Bandai — a action figures made for fans and collectors. Features quality materials, detailed design true to the series, and makes a great gift for any Naruto Shippuden fan.
$74.99retail
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
