receive back to MangoBot , a biweekly column about Asian futurism byTokyoMangoblogger Lisa Katayama . in the first place this hebdomad , I joined a team of experts fromGizmodo Japanon an expedition to the humankind ’s most famous flake mecca . For half a century , masses trekked to Akihabara to grease one’s palms electronics parts . But in the last 10 - 15 twelvemonth , the neighborhood has turned into a giant playground for otaku to express their lovemaking for anime in any and every means — whether it ’s trim up as them , being serve up by them at restaurants , or collecting fan - made manga and figurines that draw them as porn stars . Today , I ’m pass away to give you a ready guide on figurine shopping in Akiba . Akihabara — or Akiba , as regulars lovingly call it — has as many figurine shops as 47th street has diamond retailers . right smart back in the day , the area was inhabited by lower - class samurai and craftspeople who made everything from brand to ceramic bowl . During the post - WW2 US occupation , it hosted a black grocery for electronics components like vacuum tubes , wireless , and nuts and bolts . Then , in the early 80s , after the debut of Nintendo ’s Family Computer , several retailers started sell telecasting secret plan software system . One day , somebody realized that the the great unwashed who were crazy about electronics were the same hoi polloi who went to small computer memory sprawled out across townspeople that sold figurine of robots and Zanzibar copal characters . Thus breed the “ figyua ” madness seen today . Most standard - scale of measurement PVC 1.7 - scale figurines from major retailers deal at a standard 6,800 yen , or about $ 65 . Danny Choo , a well - knownStormtrooper cosplayerwho pull in , reviews , and blogs about figurines onDannyChoo.comand forGood Smile Company , line his fascination with figurine as follows : “ The mode people see statue in Italy is the fashion I see the figurines in Akihabara . They are works of nontextual matter . ” Choo also excuse that new applied science set aside the figurines to be flawless — they’re finished with 600 level of blusher in parliamentary procedure to get the skin quality pure , and the joints are smoothed down with putty and sandpaper . “ My favorite is a pink - hairedero - gecharacter named Fauna . She ’s so cute , she give me energy . ” Goodsma and MaxFactory are two major manufacturers of mellow quality figurine . They also make things like prison cell phone shoulder strap accessary , but it ’s the big - breast anime girls that really make the big bucks . In Akiba , rooter do n’t just buy statuette in boxes . A subset of gifted eccentric person pick up kit and then ok tune the products into utterly paint , customized collector item that they then resell in little chalk windows rented by the 60 minutes for about $ 500 / week . Why bribe figurines that have been modded by other fans ? With kit , you often do n’t have intercourse what you ’re going to get in spite of appearance , but this way you’re able to pick and prefer what part you ’re getting . The more skilled fan also impart extra tiptop - intricate coloring and particular to the received finish , enhancing the aesthetical . It ’s kind of like get any product customized — cookie cutter factory - made goodness transform into one - of - a - kind collectors ’ items . Radio Kaikan , a noted seven - story section store build in the 60 , used to alone sell music component , but as the demand for medicine players fell and the demand for statuette soared , the display of stereos have been replaced by rows and rowing of statuette - encase deoxyephedrine window . Akiba is a magical stead where anime sports fan can utter their talents and obsession with anime freely and creatively . The Giz Japan figurine tour of duty really gave me a respectable glimpse into the creativity , talent , and obsessiveness that dominates otaku subculture . Where to buy statuette in Akiba : – golem : Tsukumo Robot Kingdom , Tsukumo Pasoko Honten 3F , 1 - 9 - 7 Soto Kanda , Chiyoda - ku Phone : 03 - 3251 - 0987 3 minute walk from Akihabara Station . – cook up statuette exercise set : Asobit Character City , 1 - 2 - 9 Soto Kanda , Chiyoka - ku . speech sound : 03 - 3257 - 2590 – Fan - made statuette : Radio Kaikan , one minute of arc walk from the Akihabara Electric Town exit . Map
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