What Is Ichiban Kuji? How to Buy Japan's No-Blank Anime Lottery From Overseas
Ichiban Kuji is one of the most popular ways to collect anime figures in Japan, and it works nothing like a gacha capsule or a normal store shelf. This guide explains what Ichiban Kuji is, how the prize tiers and the Last One Prize work, and the realistic ways to buy Ichiban Kuji from outside Japan without flying to Tokyo. If you have ever wanted a specific A Prize or Last One figure but never set foot in a Japanese convenience store, start here.
What is Ichiban Kuji?
Ichiban Kuji is a paid prize lottery run by Bandai Spirits in which every ticket wins a physical item — there are no blank tickets. You pay a fixed price per draw, pull a numbered slip, and immediately receive the prize that matches the letter you drew. Bandai's official site describes it as a character lottery with no losing tickets, sold at convenience stores, bookshops, and hobby shops across Japan, with an official online version as well.
Each campaign is themed around a single franchise — Demon Slayer, One Piece, Godzilla, Pokémon and dozens more — and a store keeps selling tickets until its stock of that set runs out.
How the prize tiers work
Prizes are grouped into lettered tiers, usually A through G or H. The A Prize is the headline item, typically the largest scale figure, while lower letters move toward smaller figures and everyday goods such as mugs, towels, and acrylic stands. Here is the tier layout from Bandai's Godzilla-1.0 Ichiban Kuji as a concrete example:
| Tier | Prize (Godzilla-1.0 set) |
|---|---|
| A | Godzilla (2023) SOFVICS figure |
| B | Dorsal fin plate ceramic display |
| C | Design mug |
| D | Gauze towel |
| E | Acrylic stand collection |
| F | Black tumbler |
| G | Canvas-style illustration board & logo sticker |
| H | Monster head magnets |
| Last One | Godzilla (2023) SOFVICS Heat Radiation version |
Single draws are inexpensive by figure standards, commonly around ¥700 to ¥1,000; the Godzilla-1.0 set was ¥900 per ticket. That low entry price is a big part of the appeal.
The Last One Prize
The Last One Prize is an extra figure given to whoever draws the final ticket in a store. There is only one per set, it is not sold as a regular tier, and it is often an exclusive recolor or variant of the A Prize — which is why it commands the highest aftermarket prices. You still receive the normal prize for your ticket, then the Last One on top.
The Double Chance Campaign
Many sets also carry a Double Chance Campaign. A serial number printed on the ticket lets you register on Bandai's member site for a second, online-only draw at another exclusive prize — a way to win something even if you did not pull the tier you wanted in the shop.
How to buy Ichiban Kuji from outside Japan
Because Ichiban Kuji is sold at physical Japanese stores, overseas fans have three realistic routes, and they suit different goals:
- Pull in person — only possible if you are in Japan during the campaign window.
- Proxy or forwarding services — you pay a proxy to pull tickets on your behalf and forward the box. The draw is still random, so you cannot guarantee the specific A Prize or Last One you are after, and you pay per draw plus service and shipping fees.
- Buy the exact prize from an importer that already stocks it — the most reliable way to get one specific figure. A store that has already pulled and stocked individual prizes can ship the exact item worldwide, with no gambling and a price you see up front.
For most collectors chasing a particular figure — say a Last One Albedo or an A Prize Gojo — the third route is the practical one. You trade the thrill of the pull for the certainty that the figure you actually want arrives at your door.
That is how Akibato works: we source Ichiban Kuji prizes in Japan and ship single items overseas, so you pick the figure instead of the odds. You can see that approach in our per-set breakdowns, such as the One Piece 'Animal Assembly' Ichiban Kuji guide, the Ghost in the Shell Ichiban Kuji guide, and the My Hero Academia 'Greatest Hero' Ichiban Kuji guide.
Ichiban Kuji FAQ
Are there losing tickets in Ichiban Kuji?
No. Every ticket wins a physical prize; the only variable is which tier you draw.
How much is one Ichiban Kuji ticket?
Typically around ¥700 to ¥1,000 per draw. The Godzilla-1.0 set, for instance, was ¥900 a ticket.
What is the Last One Prize?
An exclusive extra figure awarded to whoever draws the last ticket in a store — one per set, usually a special variant of the A Prize.
Can I buy Ichiban Kuji online from overseas?
Japan has an official online version, but the simplest route abroad is to buy the specific prize you want from an importer that already stocks it and ships worldwide.
Start your collection
If there is a figure you have had your eye on, skip the odds and go straight for it. Browse the Ichiban Kuji prizes Akibato has in stock and ready to ship worldwide.