How to Preorder Anime Figures From Japan: A Collector's Guide
Most Japanese anime figures are not bought off a shelf — they are reserved months before they exist. That reservation is a preorder, and it is the single most important thing to understand before you start collecting. Miss the window and your only options are luck or the aftermarket, where prices climb fast.
This guide explains how to preorder anime figures from start to finish: what a preorder actually is, why the whole hobby runs on them, the timeline from reveal to doorstep, how payment works, and the three practical routes to reserve figures from Japan when you live overseas. Everywhere possible, the process is anchored to what makers state on their own official pages.
What Is a Figure Preorder?
A figure preorder is a reservation you place — and usually commit to buying — well before the figure ships, so the maker knows how many to produce. In other words, you are not buying stock that already exists; you are telling the factory to make one for you.
This matters because the model is made to order. Good Smile Company, the maker behind Nendoroid and figma, states plainly that "the majority of products available for purchase on the Good Smile Company Online Store are preorder products." Production only begins in earnest after the reservation window closes.
Why Almost Every Anime Figure Is Sold by Preorder
Because production is sized to the number of preorders, a figure is effectively a limited run tied to how many people reserved it. There is no big warehouse of spares waiting for latecomers.
That single fact drives the behavior every collector eventually learns the hard way:
- Supply is capped by demand. The maker builds roughly what was reserved, plus a small buffer, not an open-ended stock.
- Missing the window is costly. Once preorders close, retail supply dries up and the aftermarket takes over — often at a markup.
- Reissues are possible but not promised. Popular figures are sometimes re-released later, but there is no guarantee, and a rerelease can be years away.
- Payment is a commitment. A preorder is a real order, not a wishlist — cancellation terms depend entirely on the store.
If you are still deciding which formats to reserve in the first place, our explainers on anime figure scale sizes and the difference between a prize figure and a scale figure are worth reading before you commit money months ahead.
The Preorder Timeline: 4 Stages From Reveal to Doorstep
A figure preorder is a slow process. From the moment a figure is revealed to the day it arrives, most collectors wait the better part of a year. Here is how the four stages break down.
| Stage | What happens | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Reveal | The figure is announced at a hobby event or on the maker's official site, often as a painted prototype. | Day 0 |
| 2. Preorder window | Reservations open across the maker's shop and partner retailers, then close on a fixed deadline. | A few weeks |
| 3. Production | The maker manufactures roughly the reserved quantity. Nothing new ships during this stretch. | Several months to a year+ |
| 4. Release & shipping | Finished figures ship from Japan; the on-sale date differs by region. | The scheduled release month |
Good Smile Company is explicit that "adequate time will be needed to manufacture and deliver the product once preorders have ended," and its online-shop deadline listings exist specifically so buyers "don't miss out" on the closing date. The maker's own release schedule, updated weekly, lists the month a figure ships from the factory — which it notes is the shipping date, not the retail on-sale date, and that the actual date on sale differs by location.
How long does a figure preorder take to arrive?
Plan for several months at minimum, and be unsurprised by a year or more for large scale figures. The reliable move is to check the scheduled shipping month printed on each product page before you reserve, rather than assuming it will arrive soon.
Deposits vs Full Payment: How You Pay for a Preorder
There is no single rule for how preorders are charged — it depends on where you reserve. Broadly, two models exist, and knowing which one you are in prevents an unwelcome surprise.
- Pay in full (common at Japan-based shops): Many Japanese stores take the full amount at or near the time of order. Good Smile Company also notes there is a limit to how many items you can preorder per order.
- Deposit or charge-on-release (common at some Western retailers): Some overseas shops take a small deposit up front, or nothing until the figure is ready to ship, then bill the balance.
Neither model is "better" — they trade cash-flow comfort against cancellation flexibility. Always read a store's preorder terms before you commit, because the amount and timing of the charge, and whether you can back out, are set by the seller, not the maker.
How to Preorder Anime Figures From Japan (3 Routes)
The best selection, the earliest availability, and the exclusive editions almost always live in Japan first. If you collect from outside the country, you have three practical ways to reserve.
1. Buy from a Japan-based shop that ships worldwide
The simplest route is a store physically in Japan that accepts international orders and ships direct to you. You reserve in one place, pay in one currency, and the shop handles export. This is exactly the model Akibato runs — figures reserved and dispatched from Japan to collectors abroad — and it removes the middle steps entirely.
2. Use a proxy or forwarding service
Some Japan-only shops do not ship overseas at all. A proxy service reserves the figure on your behalf and forwards it once it releases, while a forwarding address gives you a Japanese destination that then reships to you. The trade-off is added fees and an extra handoff. The same overseas-buying logic applies to lottery prizes — our walkthrough on how to buy Ichiban Kuji online from overseas covers the proxy path in detail.
3. Preorder from an international retailer
Large Western hobby retailers open their own preorder windows for the same figures, priced in local currency with local shipping. Stock allocated outside Japan is usually smaller, so these windows can close faster — but you avoid customs surprises and currency math.
How to Avoid Missing a Preorder Window
Missing a window is the most common regret in figure collecting, and it is almost entirely avoidable with a little routine.
- Follow the makers directly. Reveals hit official sites and social accounts first — Good Smile Company, Max Factory, Alter, Kotobukiya and the rest.
- Note the closing date, not the release date. The deadline that matters is when preorders close, which shops publish in advance.
- Decide fast on hyped figures. Popular reservations can hit their order cap before the official deadline.
- Learn the maker first. Knowing a line's tier and price band — see our guide to Good Smile Company — helps you judge a preorder in the moment.
What to do if you already missed it
First, watch the maker for any in-stock or restock sale; leftover buffer stock occasionally reappears for a short window. Failing that, the aftermarket is the fallback — but buy carefully, because unreserved "deals" are where fakes concentrate.
Preorders and Bootlegs: Reserve Only From Trusted Sellers
Because a preorder means paying months ahead for something that does not exist yet, who you reserve with matters as much as what you reserve. Counterfeit figures flood open marketplaces, especially for sold-out characters that missed their window.
Reserve through the maker, an authorized retailer, or a reputable Japan-based shop, and learn the tells before you buy secondhand. Our guide on how to spot a fake anime figure and our figure care guide cover both sides — buying real, and keeping it mint once it finally arrives.
Figure Preorder FAQ
How early do preorders open before release?
Usually months. A figure is often revealed and opened for reservation well ahead of its production run, and makers state that manufacturing and delivery take time after the window closes. Check the scheduled shipping month on the product page for the real wait.
Do I have to pay for a figure preorder up front?
It depends on the store. Many Japan-based shops charge the full price at or before shipping, while some Western retailers take a deposit or bill you only when the figure is ready. Read each store's terms before ordering.
Can I cancel a figure preorder?
Only if the seller allows it. Cancellation is governed by the store's policy, not the maker's, and it can be strict once payment is taken — treat every preorder as a real commitment.
Are sold-out figures ever reissued?
Sometimes, but never assume it. Reissues and one-off in-stock sales do happen for popular figures, yet there is no guarantee and no schedule, which is why reserving during the original window is the safe path.
How do I preorder figures if I do not live in Japan?
Use a Japan-based shop that ships worldwide, a proxy or forwarding service for Japan-only stores, or an international retailer's local preorder. Each trades cost against convenience.
The Bottom Line
Figure collecting rewards planning, not impulse. Reserve early, from a seller you trust, and the hobby is smooth; wait and hope, and you pay the aftermarket tax.
- Preorders exist because figures are made to order — supply is capped by how many people reserve.
- The wait runs from several months to over a year; check the scheduled shipping month before you commit.
- Payment terms and cancellation rules are set by the store, so read them first.
- Overseas, choose a Japan-based worldwide shipper, a proxy, or a local retailer's preorder.
- Only reserve from trusted sellers — preorders are paid in advance, and that is where fakes hide.
Ready to put it into practice? Browse in-stock anime figures at Akibato — reserved and shipped from Japan straight to collectors worldwide — or start from the full Akibato catalog if you are still narrowing down what to chase.