Arcade Gift Guide – Gifts for Otaku
The Festive Season is upon us and that means we can sit back sip on some mulled wine and just relax – wrong – it is only after the stress of gift purchasing and giving that this blissful scenario can be achieved and fully enjoyed.
We all have that friend where it is impossible to find a gift for them – or we think it is impossible. I realized as an anime fan it can be an awkward time for non anime fans to get the perfect otaku gift. It can be a difficult time in particular if they don’t know what fandom of anime the recipient belong to and the level of Otaku they are dealing with – you can’t buy just any figure it has to be this one. I have been at the back end of a gift where it is clear they had no clue where or what to look for – meaning there was a lovely gesture but the gift itself was no where near who I was or what I was interested in.
So fear not the otaku my friends – help is here in the form of the Otaku gift guide – suitable for all budgets.
First off a rule for buying for an Otaku is not to buy just because it looks like anime – be specific for example if you have an Otaku who is a clear and cut Magical girl fan girl like myself then be specific to that genre of anime – whether it be big or small keep in mind a genre or a specific anime.
Manga
Budget – €€
You cannot rule out the simple idea of buying a volume or two of manga for a serious collector – have a snoop at their shelves and see what volumes they may be missing from their collection, you will be their favourite person for it. If you have a new collector on your hands it may be worth introducing them to a popular series to build their collection series like Attack on Titan and other new titles would be easier to come by and on the cheaper end of the spectrum. This can be a low level budget but completely depends on how much you are willing to spend. A great online marketplace for manga is the book depository.com.
DVD/Blu-Ray
Budget – €€ – €€€
Another aspect that is an easy fix for the Otaku in your life – DVD and Blu-Ray boxsets of anime are a mid-level to higher budget gift but are worth the effort because it gives the gift of hours of anime entertainment. There is a rule of thumb here to buy these boxsets from a reputable reseller and not from EBay sellers selling from the east as these can be dodgy copies with rotten subtitles. Again another snoop through an Otaku’s manga and anime DVD collection will give you all the answers you seek – have they a manga series with an anime adaptation? A part 1 or a series and part 2 has been released. This year’s hot seller will be the Attack on Titan part 1 DVD and Blu-Ray – some worthy anime film titles are an asset to any Otaku’s collection. Examples include Akira on Blu-Ray and the Ghost in the Shell films also on Blu-Ray. More popular series can be found in your friendly local DVD shop.
Plushies
Budget – €€
Adding to the mountain of plushies is not in this case a bad thing and can be a nice low level budget gift – they can be used as an accompany gift with another or as a stand-alone gift depending on the size of the plush. A great plush idea for those who are unsure of their Otaku Fandom is the Japan Alpaca plushies – they come in a multitude of bright pastel colours and have a very cuddly feel to them – there is also a kitty alternative.
Pop Vinyl Figures
Budget – €
While a plush may be on the girlier side of things there is always the Pop Vinyl option – another low level budget gift. A worthy collectable for any Otaku. They come in a vast array of characters, shapes and sizes – a few of these as a stocking stuffer will please any Otaku friend you may have.
Figures
Budget – €€€
The highest budget option on this list and only for the most ambitious of collectors – these can range in price would are on the higher end.
These can be a collector’s dream and in reality unless you have been directly told about the figure and know nothing about figures then this is not your option. Again just because it looks anime doesn’t mean your Otaku will like it – play it safe go for what you know they watch or read – do not deviate.
Hope this guide will help you to your perfect Otaku gift – if not there is one last resort and that is a Crunchyroll
subscription – where you’re Otaku can indulge in brand new anime usually 24 hours after it was released in Japan.
All the categories I mentioned above can be purchased very easily (and cheaper online) but most can also be purchased from your friend geek chic establishment – Forbidden Planet, Dublin City Comics, Sub City and many more.
Merry Otakumas Everyone!
