Figures and Merch
As a given franchise begins to become popular, the company that owns the rights to it will often decide to create a variety of goods based on the series in an attempt to generate even more profit. Although these goods can be manufactured by the company that owns the rights to a series, merchandising rights can also be sold to other manufacturers, creating even more products for fans to choose from. These items are often referred to as merchandise and can take a wide range of different forms to help appeal to a bigger audience. Oftentimes, merchandise is based on specific characters or other unique aspects of a series. While there is nearly a limitless variety of merchandise available for fans to choose from, some types of merchandise are easier to find than others. A few of the most common types of merchandise include apparel, plushies, keychains, and plastic models.
Apparel
Although the term “apparel” can simply refer to clothing, in the world of merchandise, it is often used to describe wearable items with designs based on a given series. These accessories and articles of clothing can range wildly in design and style. T-shirts are one of the most popular and widely available kinds of apparel, likely due to how easily they can be manufactured. Some manufacturers will opt to make a printed graphic tee while others have the design for a shirt woven into the fabric itself. Their lighter fabric and lower production cost also often make prices lower on the customer’s end as well, making them great for fans on a budget.
Hoodies are another common form of apparel, but are often more expensive, as they require much more material to produce. While hoodies with graphic designs like t-shirts can still be found, hoodies inspired by the outfits of popular characters from a given series are also quite popular. These types of hoodies are enjoyed by cosplayers, as they can be used in cosplays of that specific character. That said, some apparel is also made specifically for cosplay and includes items like completely pre-made costumes and unique accessories that would be difficult to make by hand. No matter what a fan looks for, they can rest assured that they can find a stylish piece of apparel that fits their personal tastes and budget.
“Attack on Titan Season 2 Titans Adult T-Shirt” by Ripple Junction
Plushies
Plushies are an incredibly popular form of merchandise that often recreates popular characters as cute, huggable dolls, pillows, or charms. Depending on the manufacturer, plushies can have a variety of different uses as well. Like apparel, plushies come in many different shapes and sizes, ranging from those small enough to fit onto a keychain to those well over a foot tall. Smaller plushies can act as charms that can be attached to one’s phone or bag, while larger plushies are better used as pillows or cuddle toys. Plushies that are medium-sized could be used decorations as well, but make for wonderful dolls as well. Either way, the main characteristic that all plushies share is that they are filled with soft materials (often polyester) that give them a soft, squishy feel. Some manufacturers also make groups of plushies based on characters from the same series and release them as collections. This allows fans to pick individual plushies of their favorite characters while true collectors can simply purchase the whole set at once.
“Mega Jumbo Lying Down Plush Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Inosuke Hashibira” by Sega
Keychains
Keychains are an incredibly common form of merchandise that are perfect for fans on a budget, as they are often small, affordable, and come in an incredible variety to choose from. Most keychain merchandise is made with either clear acrylic or rubber, though some metal keychains are produced as well. When keychains are made, they often portray characters of a series in a variety of different styles, outfits, and themes. Like some plushies, keychains are also produced in collections (and sometimes box sets) that allow fans to collect a variety of keychains of a group of popular characters from a series. Some keychain collections simply use official designs straight from the series they are based on, though some collections use themes that show unique artwork, like the example shown above. Seasonal themes are used quite often, as they show characters in new, previously unseen outfits that can also match the current season.
“My Hero Academia Curry Acrylic Keychain Collection” by Movic
Plastic Models
Plastic Models are incredibly popular items among the more devoid fans of mecha series. These kits usually come completely unassembled, requiring the customer to build their favorite mechs piece by piece. Although some may find plastic models to be a bit too difficult to deal with, those that collect these models thoroughly enjoy the sense of accomplishment they feel once it is finished. Once completed, these models can act like fully articulated figures, allowing its owner to pose them however they see fit. These kits also often include a variety of accessories based on whatever mech is included in the kit, which also may require assembly of their own.
Gunpla (Gundam plastic models) are a popular brand of plastic models that are almost entirely exclusive to the Gundam series. These kits make up a significant portion of the plastic models available for fans to choose from and even have their own ranking system. Today, Gunpla are usually offered as either High Grade, High Grade Universal Century, Real Grade, Master Grade, Perfect Grade. High Grade models are generally easier to build and cheaper to buy, though as a model gets closer to Perfect Grade, the more difficult and expensive they are.
“Moderoid Hades Project Zeorymer Great Zeorymer” by Good Smile Company