Big head. Small body. Cute as a button. What are we talking about?

Nendoroids, of course!

Modeled after some of the most popular anime characters, Nendoroids are a fun Japanese take on collectable figurines. At just a glance you can tell a Nendoroid by its oversized head and dynamic pose.

There are hundreds of Nendoroids (something for everyone) and most are reasonably priced. But if you are interested in collecting these spunky characters it can be daunting to know where to start.

But don’t fret! FlutterScape is here with a one-stop collectors guide to getting started with your very own Nendoroid collection.

First a bit of background on Nendoroids. Then a breakdown of Nendoroid types. And finally steps to becoming a master Nendoroid collector. Let’s get going!

I. A Nendoroid Primer

First off, what exactly is a Nendoroid? 

Nendoroid is just the name for a style of figurine from Good Smile Company, a figurine designer and manufacturing company from Chiba, Japan. Nendoroids are typified by oversized heads and small stature. The typical Nendoroid measures up around 10cm tall.

Nendoroids also come packed with extras. Most Nendoroids come with multiple interchangeable faces intended to represent the right mood. Each figure also comes with accessories that are fitting to the character or the figure’s theme. A character dressed as a waitress, for example, may come with a menu, a tray with waters, and a stepping stool. Nendoroids also come with a stand that allows the character to strike various poses, often suspended in air.

Most Nendoroids can be bought online and in hobby shops for around 2,000 to 4,000 yen. Good Smile Company began releasing Nendoroids in 2006 with just a few figures that year but now has several characters scheduled for release every month. Since a new figure debuts nearly every week there is always something to look forward to.

As of the start of 2012, 188 Nendoroids have been produced. By May that number will increase to 220. To make things more difficult to keep track of there are several Nendoroid variations to consider. But don’t worry! We’ll hold your hand and help you sort things out as we walk you through the Nendoroid types in our next section…

II. Nendoroid Types

Nendoroid (the 10cm classic)

The first type of Nendoroid is the type that started it all, just the standard “Nendoroid”. As detailed above these figures are made from plastic and stand approximately 10cm tall. Each figure comes with multiple faces and accessories, and usually costs between 2,000-4,000 yen.

Nendoroid Puchi

These figures, believe it or not, are even smaller than the standard Nendoroid. A Nendoroid Puchi is generally about 5cm tall but can still be identified by the trademark large head.

Nendoroid Puchi do not usually come with interchangeable heads but often have an accessory or two. The Puchi Nendoroids are often produced in series, such as for a single anime. For example, a K-On series consists of 12 figures: each of the five main characters with their band instruments, each of the five characters in bathing suits, a special sunburnt figure, and a mystery figure.

A single Nendoroid Puchi costs 500 yen but can sometimes be purchased as the complete series. Complete series on Yahoo Auctions sell for up to 30,000 yen. As of January 2012 there have been 15 series produced or announced.

Puchi are also sold in boxed sets. A boxed set contains Nendoroid Puchis from a single anime series but the figures differ from the Puchis sold individually. For example, the Vocaloid series has eleven Puchis sold individually which differ from the three Vocaloid Puchis sold as a box set. The price of a box set depends on the number of Puchis in the set but generally averages to 1,000 yen per Puchi. To date there are 26 Nendoroid Puchi sets.

Some Nendoroid Puchi must be collected through events or exclusive giveaways. These Nendoroids exist as one-offs outside series and sets. There are currently 57 of these Puchis available through purchasing certain media such as an anime magazine or a PSP game.

Nendoroid Plus

Nendoroid Plus is the third category of Nendoroid. It is easiest to  think of these Nendoroids as “Other”. Nendoroid Plus is an assortment of other goods, often not figures, that are in the big head style of Nendoroid.

A common Nendoroid Plus item is the Nendoroid Plus Plushie. These are big stuffed characters with the typical big Nendoroid head. There are 42 of plushies to date, most of which cost just under 4,000 yen.

Another common Nendoroid Plus item is the 3cm charm. Many of these charms are sold only in certain regions of Japan or at certain events such as concerts. Nendoroid charms sell for about 400 yen.

Nendoroid rubber straps, perfect for hanging off of zippers or keychains, are rubber images of popular big headed anime characters and also considered Nendoroid Plus. Like Nendoroid charms, these straps cost about 450 yen.

III. Where to Start?

As complex as Nendoroid collecting may seem there are actually no rules. It can be as simple or involved as you like. Regardless, the first step is just to buy a Nendoroid that you like. Any will do (plenty to choose from). 

Character Collector

If you have a favorite character you can try collecting all of that character’s Nendoroids. Are you a Hatsune Miku fan? To date there are seven Miku Nendoroids to track down. Get going…

Series Collector

Maybe you love an entire series. Death Note fans can get Light, L, and Ryuk Nendoroids. With multiple Nendoroids it may suit your fancy to splurge on a Nendoroid play set. With class rooms and cafes as sample sets to choose from there are currently 10 play sets available.

The Addict

MUST HAVE Nendoroid! At this point you’ve passed through healthy obsession and are collecting every last Nendoroid possible. If you have reached this stage we could really be learning from you.

Collectors that attempt to get every Nendoroid ever made have quite a task ahead of them. Many Nendoroids must be sought out online or in the depths of Akihabara. Not to mention the estimated yearly cost of getting every new release is around $3,000. And that is not including the ever growing number of Nendoroid Puchi (series, sets, exclusives), Nendoroid Plus (plushies, straps, charms), or play sets.

For the most up to date listing of Nendoroids check out the Good Smile Company’s website. And for those hard to find Nendoroid you can always turn to FlutterScape and request that our users in Japan track down the figures you are missing!

Happy collecting! 

[Images via Good Smile Company]

An iconic part of Japanese arcades is the UFO Catcher, or the crane game as it is known in the West. Unlike Western counterparts, UFO Catchers in Japan offer up more than just plush animals.

In the multi-story SEGA arcade, on the corner across from Akihabara station, UFO Catchers take up the entirety of the first four floors. Each floor is themed slightly differently but all games are tailored to anime fans.

In the first of a two part series of Window Shopping, we explore the second and third floor of the SEGA building. The UFO Catchers on these floor contain figures from some of Japan’s most popular anime such as One Piece, K-On, Evangelion, and Dragonball.

For fans, becoming skilled at the UFO Catcher is necessary to collecting some of these exclusive figures. For others, UFO Catchers can be a cheap way to get a desired prize, often for as little as 100 yen!

Next week FlutterScape explores the first and fourth floors of the SEGA arcade to show off some other interesting products available as UFO Catcher prizes.

Everyone at FlutterScape was absolutely amazed by the performance of week four’s “All I Want for Christmas” winner. Congrats once again to GekiDan for winning with his entry of a Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Magician Girl PVC Figure.

Last week GekiDan wowed us with the first FlutterScape product to get over 50 Wants. This week he really out did himself by racking up just a few Wants shy of 500. Unbelievable!

So how did he manage to get so many Wants? GekiDan made great use of his social networks by posting several times throughout the week on Facebook, Twitter, and his blog. His readers responded in droves to make his figure the most popular product on FlutterScape ever!

As this weeks winner GekiDan will receive $100 to Amazon.com. Visit our contest page for information on how you could win during the final week of our contest.

This week we have a new contest winner who has really made an impact here on FlutterScape. Congrats to GekiDan for winning week three of our “All I Want for Christmas” contest!

GekiDan has won $100 for posting the most popular product of the week. In fact, his Super Robot Chogokin Dekaranger Robo is the first product on FlutterScape to surpass 50 “I want this” votes. Way to go!

There are still two more weeks left in the contest, which means next time it could be you that gets the $100! All you have to do is post a cool Japanese product on FlutterScape to enter.

Head over to our contest page for more details.