The Figure I Placed on the Left End of My Display Case, Summer 2019
When the 1/7 scale figure I pre-ordered in July 2019 arrived in February 2020, I placed it in the leftmost compartment of my display case. It was positioned two meters from the window. The light that entered through the window from 10 AM to 3 PM reflected off the walls and diffused gently, and I confirmed multiple times that no direct sunlight reached inside the display case. I even had lace curtains drawn, so I felt reassured.
In October 2024, the inside of that figure's skirt pleats had lightened by about half a tone compared to when I first unboxed it. When I placed it alongside other figures purchased during the same period, the color difference was obvious. Despite avoiding direct sunlight, this was damage accumulated over five years from indirect light alone. This article is a record of what I belatedly learned at that time.
The Misconception That Avoiding Direct Sunlight Is Enough
Most figure storage guides say "avoid direct sunlight." This isn't wrong. But it's insufficient. UV rays are contained not only in direct sunlight but also in indirect light, and even at a distance of 2-3 meters from a window, if exposed for several hours daily, the damage accumulates over five-year periods. PVC material in particular, when exposed to UV rays long-term, will gradually decompose its plasticizers, causing the surface to become sticky or change color.
My display case was against the north wall, two meters from a south-facing window. The structure was such that light entering through the window during morning hours would reflect off the inner walls of the room and illuminate the left side of the display case. Three to four hours a day, about 1,100 hours a year, 5,500 hours over five years. With this level of cumulative exposure, discoloration begins even with indirect light. This is why avoiding direct sunlight doesn't serve as an absolution.
A garage kit (unpainted resin kit) I bought at a Wonder Festival dealer booth in 2015, which I painted myself and then placed on the right end of the same display case, retained its color almost perfectly. Left end versus right end—a mere 80cm difference, but different indirect light exposure times. Light has directionality, and even within a display case, illuminance varies by position.
How to Measure Indirect Light Illuminance
You can measure illuminance with smartphone apps. Android has apps like 'Light Meter,' and iOS has options like 'Lux Light Meter,' both free. If you place your smartphone in each compartment of your display case and measure illuminance by time of day—morning, afternoon, evening—you'll get results different from your expectations. Distance from the window doesn't guarantee safety. Wall-reflected light and ceiling-reflected light often concentrate on specific compartments.
In my experience, positions where 500 lux or more persists for over three hours daily are unsuitable for long-term storage. Museum display standards typically stay below 150 lux. While maintaining 150 lux in a home environment is difficult, efforts to at least keep it below 300 lux are necessary. When measured with a lux meter app, window-side compartments often reach 800-1,200 lux during morning hours. Even with lace curtains, it's around 500-700 lux.
Measurement timing varies by season. Summer sun at 9 AM has a different altitude than winter sun at 11 AM, and the angle of incoming light differs as well. Rather than measuring once and calling it done, measuring once each season—spring, summer, fall, winter—is more accurate. It seems tedious, but it's better than looking at discolored figures five years later.
![[Bonus] Brown Dust 2 Scheherazade - Code Name S ver. Special Edition w/Acrylic Display Case 1/7 Complete Figure](https://img.yosimarket.com/FIGURE-187278/0?v=6)
[Bonus] Brown Dust 2 Scheherazade - Code Name S ver. Special Edition w/Acrylic Display Case 1/7 Complete Figure →LED Lighting Isn't Safe Either
Believing the claim that "LEDs have almost no UV rays so they're safe," I installed LED strips inside my display case and kept them on constantly. For about five years from 2018 to 2023, I left them on an average of ten hours daily. LEDs certainly emit less UV radiation than fluorescent or halogen lamps. However, "less" does not mean "none."
LED specifications show trace emissions in the UV-A range (315-400nm). It varies by manufacturer, but standard white LEDs show a very small peak around 380-400nm. Ten hours a day for five years equals 18,250 hours. Even trace amounts accumulated to this degree affect PVC surfaces. Especially for figures placed directly under LEDs, the upper parts (hair, shoulder decorations) begin to fade subtly first.
The bigger problem is heat. While LEDs generate less heat, the temperature around LED strips attached to the upper interior of a sealed display case is 2-3 degrees higher than outside. PVC accelerates plasticizer volatilization above 30 degrees Celsius. In summer, the temperature at the top interior of a display case can exceed 35 degrees. Rather than keeping LEDs constantly lit, you need the habit of turning them on only when viewing.
The Microscratches That Dust Creates
An equally overlooked variable as indirect light and LEDs is dust. Even inside a display case, dust enters each time you open and close the door. Even if you clean once a month, dust that accumulates on figure surfaces in between clings due to static electricity. When you wipe away dust with a dry cloth, dust particles create microscratches on the PVC surface. Though invisible to the eye, after hundreds of repetitions, the surface gloss dulls.
I placed a Nendoroid purchased in 2020 in my display case for five years, wiping it once monthly with a dry microfiber cloth. In fall 2024, when a reissue of the same product came out and I purchased it new, placing them side by side, the original Nendoroid's face part surface was less glossy than the new version. The paint hadn't peeled, but microscratches had accumulated on the surface, changing how it reflected light.
The correct dust removal method is as follows. First, blow away dust with an air blower (the kind for cleaning camera lenses). Next, add one or two drops of neutral detergent to lukewarm water, dampen a soft cloth, wring it out thoroughly, and gently wipe. Don't rub directly with a dry cloth. Once every three months is sufficient rather than once a month. Frequent handling itself becomes a cause of damage.
Azur Lane Shinano Moonlit Chrome Ver. Special LED Acrylic Display Case →When You Can't Move Your Display Case
Realistically, it's often difficult to move a display case to the wall opposite the window. You might have no other place due to room layout, be unable to move a heavy display case alone, or feel burdened about rearranging large furniture in a rental. In such cases, adjust the environment rather than the position.
First, apply UV-blocking film to your window. Products with 99% UV blocking rates are widely available. Some products can be applied simply by spraying water, without professional installation. A single film sheet can significantly reduce UV radiation from indirect light. Second, manage interior display case lighting with a timer outlet. Setting it to turn on for only 2-3 hours daily reduces cumulative exposure. Third, there's also the method of adding thin UV-blocking acrylic panels to the display case doors. While transparency decreases slightly, the UV-blocking effect is definite.
In my case, starting in fall 2024, I applied UV film to my window and set a timer for LED lighting to turn on only two hours during evening. While the display case position remains the same, when measured with a lux meter, average illuminance dropped below 300 lux. Already discolored figures cannot be restored, but I can protect the figures that will arrive in the future.
Display Planning for Five Years Ahead
With figures, the time after you display them is longer than the moment you purchase them. After winning the pre-order battle, enduring three release date delays, paying forwarding service fees and customs duties to obtain a figure, the moment you place it in your display case—that figure's time has only just begun. Whether it can maintain the same color five or ten years from now is determined by where and how you display it today.
Just as we guard against the gap between prototype and production, we must also guard against the gap between right after unboxing and five years later. Because discoloration progresses gradually, people who see it daily don't notice easily. You only realize when a reissue of the same product comes out, or when you place it next to a new figure. By then it's already too late. Measuring illuminance now, applying UV film now, setting LED timers now—these are the only ways to prevent regret five years from now.
Azur Lane Musashi Purest Wisteria Ver. LED Acrylic Display Case →FAQ
Does dust accumulate even inside a display case?
Even with fully sealed display case doors, dust enters through gaps. Especially during door opening and closing, fine dust flows in with air currents and clings to figure surfaces due to static electricity. I recommend blowing dust away with an air blower once monthly, and wiping with wet wipes (diluted neutral detergent) once every three months.
Shouldn't I keep LED lighting on continuously?
LEDs also emit trace amounts of UV rays and raise interior temperature in enclosed spaces by 2-3 degrees. With ten hours daily accumulated over five years, there's risk of PVC plasticizer volatilization and subtle discoloration. It's safer to turn them on only when viewing, or limit to within 2-3 hours daily using a timer outlet.
How many meters from a window is safe?
More important than distance is illuminance. Use a smartphone lux meter app to measure inside your display case and confirm that it maintains below 300 lux daily average. Even 3 meters from a window often results in over 500 lux from wall-reflected light. Judge by actual measurements, not distance.
Can already discolored figures be restored?
When PVC material has discolored from UV rays, plasticizer decomposition has progressed and original restoration is impossible. Some paint discoloration can be improved through professional repainting, but the cost is similar to or exceeds purchasing a new figure. Prevention is the only solution.
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May good fortune reach your display cases today as well.
