Arcade Gift Guide: Have A Perfect Otakumas
At this point of the festive season we should be thinking about sitting back, relaxing, watching festive films and sipping mulled wine. If you are that person then we envy you because, in reality, we are all turning ourselves in knots trying to find that perfect gift for the geeks in our lives.
Otaku friends can prove to be very tricky to nail that perfect gift for since you may not know what their specific fandom is or even what level of Otaku you have on your hands. They could be a light collector or someone whose room is bursting at the seams with the level of anime merch they have already purchased, leading to the next conundrum which is managing to get them something they do not already have. Nightmare!
Fear not! We are here to lend a helping hand in your search by ranging a price list from high to low. A good starting point is to have a browse of their anime/manga collections and take note of missing volumes or clear favourites.
Also an important, vital note: Do not just pick something up because it looks anime; try and be specific to your Otaku, they will appreciate it.
Subscription Boxes: €€ – €€€€
Not a relatively new idea but what is new is the dedicated anime fans boxes much like the new Loot Anime from Loot Crate or a new phenomenon which is like the Japan Crate, which is a whole host of nommy treats from Japan for the candy loving Otaku. This is definitely a good idea for those seam bursting collectors since, if you are unable to get them something they may not have, these subscription boxes will be ideal and it’s like a lucky dip. Not only that, but depending on the length of the subscription you purchase (which ranges from one, three to twelve months), it will be like Christmas every month for them. 
Also, an idea under the subscription umbrella is membership to a streaming service like Crunchyroll. If they don’t already have it, this could be an ideal gift for any Otaku who wants to keep up with new releases each season.
Figures: €€€
Now this can be a risky move because a) They are sometimes (mostly) ridiculously expensive and can have similarly expensive shipping charges and b) Unless you have knowledge of what you are looking at and buying, as with all geeky purchases, there is a chance of being scammed.
On the other hand, these are literally an anime collector’s dream and the likelihood is you have heard your anime friend go on and on about some sort of figure they badly need for their collection. Just be cautious of your Otaku’s likes and you will be in the good books for the following year.
DVD/Blu-Ray: €€ – €€€
What says you know your Otaku better than a boxset of their favourite series or a Blu-Ray of a rereleased series? Absolutely nothing! It may seem like a cop out on your side but there is literally nothing better than seeing that long awaited series (or unable to afford) series coming your way and especially if you have a Blu-Ray loving Otaku.
Have a snoop around your Otaku’s collection and pick a series they may not have or, if you’re really daring, why not try to pick a series for them that you think they may like based on their own tastes. The usual rule of thumb applies here as with normal DVD gifts; try and buy only from reputable resellers and not random online sellers which are usually rotten quality with even dodgier subtitles. An example for this could be that newly announced Chobits Blu-Ray release.
Manga: € – €€€
Ranging in the same price range as DVD and Blu-Rays, manga would be the easiest of gifts to give an Otaku since all are probably missing different volumes from their collections. This would involve another snoop around their collections taking note of what’s missing and where. Again, you could be daring here and attempt to pick a new series for them to start if you notice it missing from the collection. Another option is to source an older manga, perhaps from the Tokyopop days, that could complete their collections from way back when. There is no doubt that would earn you points all the way into the New Year. This can be as low budget a gift as you want and depends on how much you want to spend! A recommended online marketplace for manga would be The Book Depository.
Hope this gift guide can lend even a small hand in your journey to finding the ultimate gift for your Otaku!
Merry Otakumas to all!
