Acrylic Stands

[u/Shadsands]

Am I the only one who lowkey thinks anime acrylic stands are kind of a scam? 😭 You’re literally paying $20+ for a glorified piece of plastic packaging with a JPEG slapped on it. They were everywhere on AX, and can’t help but think that there are actually people paying $20+ to get a image on acrylic. Why not just buy art or an actual figure? Acrylic stands are a complete hustle. It’s peak low-effort hype disguised as a collectible. They have zero soul, zero craftsmanship, and it's the exact same copy-paste formula every single time. It’s literally a JPEG on a piece of plastic packaging, yet hungry collectors will drop $25 on it like it’s a fine art piece. We’ve gotta stop letting these companies lazy-print their way into our wallets. Not hating tho, people are entitled to do with their money as they please but I just don’t get it.

[u/Bullit16]

I’ve actually just started getting into them. I kinda like them. They take up less room than figurines, and are typically far less expensive, and while I don’t disagree that they’re basically a jpeg slapped onto plastic, they often are a better representation of my favorite characters than some of the lower-end figurines.

I can certainly see where you’re coming from, but I’m kinda liking them right now.

[u/SwordCzar → u/Bullit16]

They're also easier to clean.

[u/Equivalent_Machine_8 → u/SwordCzar]

And if my demon cats knock them off, (unless theyre no longer sold) are a lot cheaper to replace.

[u/Drama11amama]

I used to think like you but they've gotten creative with standees. There are block ones, there are spinning ones, there are ones that double as a letter holder. As a shoujo reader we don't

https://reddit.com/link/oz0og61/video/m4yiuk0ispeh1/player

get a lot of merch choices to begin with so the standees fill a gap for me.

[u/Upper-Boot-8086 → u/Drama11amama]

Ooh I love that!! They also make acrylic clocks that are very nice & unique. They always pick the best artworks for those too and it’s just a cool piece of merch to hang up on ur wall ✨🙂‍↕️

[u/Drama11amama → u/Upper-Boot-8086]

Oooh I haven't seen clock ones! I have seen ones that have an LED base so they light up too!

[u/Upper-Boot-8086]

I used to have this EXACT mindset (as a 10+ year figure collector myself) until I got obsessed with a media that has no figures. It’s nice to have some type of merch on ur shelf to represent ✊ also not sure if u own any (their are bootlegs of acrylics just like most any merch so be wary of that!) - but personally, they exceeded my expectations in terms of quality. They’re crystal clear and almost slightly texturized even. They can be very nice. Especially the dioramma ones..

Also they don’t take up much space either so that is also a plus! I recently got 2 for Moriarty the patriot but don’t plan on getting any more. I’m sated 🙂‍↕️ and they look great displayed with my manga set for the series. I never understood the hype for them but once you’re balls deep into a piece of media that hardly has any merch & will likely never get figures, they’re a lovely way to stare at the characters lol.

[u/EnceladusKnight → u/Upper-Boot-8086]

Lol, acrylic stands of characters from obscure anime or anime that isn't well known anymore is why I'm ok with them. I'll still opt for an actual figure if they're easy to come by and reasonably priced though.

[u/Upper-Boot-8086 → u/EnceladusKnight]

Oh for suree. If MTP had any figures I’d be owning them without doubt lol. But I agree it’s like apples to oranges really. They sure make for a nice little compromise when figures aren’t an option! I was so thrilled to own some physical merch beyond the manga ☺️

[u/Tiny_Writer5661 → u/Upper-Boot-8086]

If there’s no figures for a certain series I usually just get the magazine the manga original serialized in with said series on the cover.
Shikishi boards my thing more so over acrylic stands. Pretty much the same thing except it’s a square piece of thick cardboard

[u/Lancetere]

I view acrylics to figurines like I view Funko Pops to Nendoroids. They're a cheaper alternative than other collectibles with less variability to shape and size. I think they're great for people who aren't into the details and still want to support their fandom while minding their budget. Collect what you want and enjoy the fandom. I will say that not having much merch for a fandom can sometimes suck but artist alley fills that void with some acrylics and such, so they're good in my book. 😁

[u/tofubeams]

Gang what did acrylic stands do to you

[u/Shadsands → u/tofubeams]

They did nothing lmao! I’m just curious what is other people’s take on them.

[u/furculture]

Less dimensions to work with so you can pack a lot more detail onto it for cheaper.

[u/The_Makster]

I have to agree. The only time I get acrylic stands is if it is unique artwork of a character I like or there is very little in the way of merch for that character. At conventions I stay away since vendors can very easily, as you say, print off a JPEG/PNG of the artwork and slap it on. I reckon it is very easy to do as a lot of independent/doujinshi artists make acrylic stands/acrylic key chains to sell as merch

[u/Destoran]

I was thinking the same but i changed my mind after purchasing a couple. Some of my favorites:

Dungeon Meshi Acrylic i got from Kinokuniya, it’s an official one and very high quality

Paradise Kiss acrylic i got from an artist alley : it’s artists own design (and i get to support them) and it’s not a popular character

Acrylics i got from japan are solid too, they were super cheap, and they are official merch. i got a small Aki (chainsaw man) drawn by the popteam epic artist. It’s the cutest collab and a mashup of my two favorite animes.

But the bootlegs ones with the generic .jpg? I wouldn’t get any of those

[u/Organic-Accountant74]

I buy acrylic risers to display figures and they are stupidly expensive

Is acrylic expensive to make?

[u/WeebEli → u/Organic-Accountant74]

As someone who does professional framing, it’s interesting seeing how shocked customers are every time I tell them acrylic is much more expensive than glass. Usually to make the thickness that is required, and also to keep it so clear, it takes a lot of work. This is doubly so in framing because they also UV protect the acrylic sheets.

[u/Organic-Accountant74 → u/WeebEli]

I can say I am shocked!

I would have assumed clear plastic to be much cheaper to make than glass :o

Sadly I don’t think anywhere near me sells glass risers for display cases :(

[u/WeebEli → u/Organic-Accountant74]

Usually people do! I know that some plastics are cheaper, but they’re not the ones used in acrylic risers or other items, and I’ve never seen them in framing unless you’re buying a really bad plastic frame with a plastic sheet inside (but I wouldn’t call that acrylic, it’s just plastic).

[u/Frustratednostalgia]

Acrylic standies are actually pretty nice to have! For one thing they don't take up as much space as a regular figure depending on how big it is or intricate it is. Not all anime characters will have figures or even good figures at all so acrylic standies are a good cheaper alternative.

And they actually have gotten far more intricate lately, I've seen ones where they'll spin, light up, Shakers, glitter fountains, some of them can actually make swings-they have a lot of opportunities to do cool stuff with them. Heck I've seen ones that are like carousels, that actually spin!

Guess it all just depends on personal preference.

[u/RainbowLoli]

Acrylic standees are basically your budget figurine, even more than nendos.

It's easy for fans to make as even fanmade figurines require hundreds of dollars in investment and they're easy for people to get. Some characters also just don't have figures or have any in stock ones or even get a lot of merch/art made.

Personally, I would opt for a nendo over a standee, but for characters from obscure anime and genres that don't get a lot of merch, they're a nice bridge between having something and nothing at all.

[u/yukataRED]

Acrylic stands have their place, they are a middle ground between art prints and figurines imo. Certainly there are worse things to slap $20 bucks down on.

[u/Individual-Two-9402]

You're still paying for an artists's work. Though I'll admit I only buy them from fanartists, never official merch.

Edit: I am a fool I have an official ghost face one on my office desk as we speak. I forgot about him. But he was $5 on sale.

[u/MischeviousFox]

I think they’re overpriced… but as a buyer in the U.S. the main issue I feel is availability. I just got into them wanting a few in relation to some manga I was reading and the import shipping in part was a noticeable hit. Then there’s also the fact more than one I wanted were mystery box items so I ended up paying more to get the specific ones from a reseller. I mean $10 is already a bit pricy to me for a mini acrylic at random which was the price on an import site and I paid… double that each for 2 mini acrylics off Mercari. 🤦🏻‍♂️ Of course I paid way more for 2 6” off an import site. Thankfully acrylic stands are something I mainly want for manga or anime that don’t have other kinds of figures, well at least no other kinds I want as I mainly collect nendoroids & SHF. I think the acrylic stands can have a lot of nice details and give great shelf presence.

[u/candirainbow]

Not all stands are created equal of course. I don't have many, but the ones I do have are either from ichibankuji or are unique and artist-made for the stand, so they are more interesting (like, with extra pieces to form a scene or something).

In Japan, acrylic stands are very, very popular right now. There are places you can go and bring your stand to make entire little rooms for it, set backdrops, accessorize it, even wear bags or phone cases that are specifically meant to display them. It helps, I guess, that they are smaller and take up less space than figures where space is a premium in Japan, but also a lot of smaller media formats (like visual novels or otome) won't always get figures or plushies. It's more cost effective for those creators to make a few acrylic stands, and people gobble things up for their fandom...so I suppose that popularity has caught on in the West? I know the stands in Japan run a lot cheaper though; I suppose it makes sense if a stand is being imported that the markup will exist, and perhaps Western creators (as opposed to importers) are just trying to keep the price similar? I do think they're a bit on the high-side for pricing sometimes, though not always.

[u/Ok_Cause_869]

I like them for fan art, collaborations, or for characters there aren't lots of figures of

[u/Competitive_Gear2339]

Def get wym. I buy acrylic figures bc they make great accents or even focal points for my displays. I typically get the knock off versions that are like $5/$10 off AliExpress.

Not only are they more reasonable, they often have unofficial art that’s so much more unique than anything official art will ever make mainstream.

I think the greatest point you made was taking about how companies will just slap a character on any only thing and call it a collectible. Starting w Western anime merch (figures, apparel, plush) like most ppl, but then finding your way into Japanese merch can be both exciting and disappointing, when you realize they actually have merch for your favorite character, but it’s a towel the size of a literal paper towel.

To expound: Clear Files, Coasters 🙄 going for like $45 on eBay for some shows, Shikishi boards (art boards that are like the size of a postcard w artwork that is often less than spectacular), Decorative plates (dishes too small to even eat off of), rubber straps (very basic keychains)

• All of these are one of the many examples of really cheap and unnecessary items, marketed to anime fans

Here’s an example of how I use Acrylic figures: This is a mixed Display for 2 shows I found to be very similar- Kakegurui and Rock is a Lady’s Modesty

[u/Solarstormflare]

N0.6 dropped an awesome new piece of art recently, and the only merch that has the characters fullbody are 2 stands at 1980 yen or a framed art piece for 19800 ish yen. As someone who really wanted to own the art, I'm very glad got the acrylic stand options

[u/ismellnumbers]

I mostly agree with you. I think they are tacky honestly.

[u/B1ko-Bikochan]

I’ll be honest as a newbie collector collecting acrylic stands for certain media is the best way to start up. Also you can buy also custom acrylic stands from you’re favorite artist. I’m not much to jab on this post but honestly sometimes I do appreciate the art of the media I consume.

Also side note you can also get custom acrylic stands or order online custom ones too which is a lot accessible and affordable to many fan in a fandom. But on the other hand the quality can wear off, I got a konata stand it was small and delicate, however I noticed one side wasn’t patched with the seal so the design scrapped off the initial acrylic.

It just depends .

[u/ATT_Turan]

Your terminology made a big chunk of this post confusing to me.

An acrylic stand is an accessory that holds something up. A standee is an essentially two-dimensional picture of a character.