A Question That Began Before an Arcade Prize Counter
In spring 2009, a single figure displayed in a game center prize counter at the Shinjuku Station underground shopping arcade stopped me in my tracks. Standing roughly 20 centimeters tall, the doll's characteristic plastic sheen glinted under the fluorescent lights—it was a prize for a 500-yen crane game. At the time, I had only a vague understanding of the word "figure" and absolutely no knowledge of how they were classified. To cut to the conclusion: what I encountered that day was a prize figure, fundamentally different in origin from the scale figures that would fill my glass cabinet over the next 15 years.
Prize figures are figures distributed as prizes in Japanese arcade crane games. Manufacturers like SEGA, Banpresto, and Taito primarily produce them, and in principle, consumers acquire them through game machines rather than purchasing them directly at retail. Conversely, scale figures are designed from the outset for commercial sale, pass through the hands of prototype sculptors, have their painted samples publicly revealed, and are produced based on pre-orders received. Price-wise, prize figures run 1,000 to 3,000 yen on the secondhand market, while scales start at 12,000 to 30,000 yen or more for new items. But this difference is not merely a matter of numbers.
You can tell when you place two figures side by side before a glass cabinet. Even of the same character, the position of parts seam lines, the transparency of hair tips, and the finishing method of the base differ. These differences are already determined at the design stage.
Fundamental Design Differences Created by Distribution Methods
Because prize figures are prizes, cost reduction is the top priority. Manufacturers supply them to game center operators, with crane games serving as an intermediary stage before reaching consumers' hands. This structure makes reducing parts count, simplifying paint processes, and reusing molds standard practice. For example, SEGA's PM figure series in the mid-2010s shared body molds and produced multiple characters by only swapping heads and accessories.
Scale figures are the opposite. Buyers paying 10,000 yen or more want that character in a specific pose and specific costume. Therefore, the original sculpted by a prototype artist is digitized, a painted sample (decomaster) is publicly revealed, pre-orders are taken, and production quantities are confirmed. Parts can be divided into 30 or more pieces, separating skirt lining from outer fabric colors and attaching clear parts separately to hair tips. The 1/7 scale Koizumi Hanayo from *Love Live!* released by Good Smile Company in 2015 had each apron pleat as a separate part.
Different cost structures allow different processes. Prize figures must stamp tens of thousands from a single mold, but scales are produced only to pre-order quantities, making complex undercut (reverse taper) designs possible. This difference determines the finished product's three-dimensionality.
Where Paint Depth Diverges
Prize figure painting typically involves 2-3 stages. Base color is sprayed, shading is added once, and face printing finishes it off. From the factory's perspective, reducing work time per unit is necessary to meet costs, so gradations and detailed wash techniques are omitted. Looking at Banpresto's EXQ series from 2018, you can see skirt pleat shading handled in a single tone. It's not bad, but the sense of depth doesn't change much even when light direction shifts.
Scale figures undergo 5-7 paint stages. Alter's 1/7 scale Saber from *Fate/stay night* (2007 edition) layered transparent blue multiple times over a metallic base to express the armor's metallic texture. Hair received highlights over the base color, with clear yellow applied to the tips to create a light-penetrating effect. Such processes take three times or more the work time per unit compared to prize figures.
Paint differences become clear inside the glass cabinet. Prize figures look fine from the front, but detail drops sharply when turned to the side or back. Scales have work put in from any 360-degree angle. Paint is alive even on the inside of the back of the head and the lining of the skirt's back hem. Because of this difference, a single lighting angle during photography completely changes the figure's impression.
Konami Prize Figure: Death Note Misa Amane →Where Do Nendoroid and Figma Belong?
This is a question beginners frequently ask. Nendoroid and figma are articulated figure brands created by Good Smile Company and, strictly speaking, are neither scale nor prize figures. Nendoroids are 2-3 head-tall deformed style with multiple interchangeable face and hand parts, priced in the 4,000-6,000 yen range. Figma are 1/12 to 1/13 scale articulated figures with movable joints for pose changes, priced around 6,000-9,000 yen.
These two brands should be viewed as independent categories. Like scales, they go through prototype sculptors, but parts specifications are standardized considering mass production. They don't cut costs as extremely as prize figures, but they don't do painting as complex as scales either. Since their first release in 2010, over 1,500 Nendoroids have been released, and figma have exceeded 500. The ability to "create the pose I want" due to their articulated nature is the decisive difference from fixed-pose scales.
Nendoroid collectors often don't buy scales of the same character. Conversely, scale collectors treat Nendoroids as a separate genre. I got into both, then ran out of glass cabinet space and cleared out my Nendoroids. It's a matter of preference, not superiority.
The Moment Differences Become Clear Upon Opening the Box
Prize figures typically come in blister packs or simple cardboard boxes. Parts are either already assembled or, if separated, number only 2-3 pieces. Instructions are absent or, if present, a single A5-size sheet. Bases are mostly transparent plastic circles with almost no separate decoration. You can have it displayed within 10 seconds of removing the packaging.
Scale figures are different from the moment you open the box. First, the box itself is a work of art. Full-color packaging printed with character illustrations, with vacuum blister molded to part shapes protecting the interior. Parts number at least 5, sometimes over 20, with separate assembly instructions included. Bases are often sculptures reflecting the character's setting or work background. For example, the base of Max Factory's 1/8 scale Asuna from *Sword Art Online* (2013) was designed with the floor tile pattern of Aincrad castle.
During assembly, if parts don't fit easily, you sometimes need to warm them slightly with a hair dryer. An Alter figure from 2020 had such a tight fit between head and body parts that several "assembly failure reviews" appeared in communities. Unimaginable with prize figures.
Spiritale 1/6 Scale Figure Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy Ryza White Swimsuit Ver. →Secondhand Market Prices Revealing Preservation Value Differences
Prize figures commonly drop to less than half their list price (based on game center cost) in the secondhand market six months after release. Due to their prize nature, large quantities flood the market, and many people discard boxes, resulting in a low rate of preservation in complete condition. On the other hand, popular characters or limited color versions can command premiums. A special paint version Banpresto released exclusively at Wonder Festival in 2017 soared to three times its release price.
Scale figures increase in price once out of print. Particularly early works from Alter, Good Smile, and Max Factory often maintain prices above list price even after 10 years. Alter's 1/7 scale Tohsaka Rin from *Fate/stay night* released in 2008 traded for over 20,000 yen at Japanese secondhand shops in 2023. Unless a reissue (reproduction) appears, with demand remaining but supply shrinking, price increases are natural.
This difference leads to the concept of "collectible value." Prize figures are closer to consumer goods—"enjoying a favorite character inexpensively"—while scales are closer to collectibles—"appreciating a prototype sculptor's interpretation and painting techniques." Neither is wrong. However, I now understand why, when I first bought a scale 15 years ago, I couldn't bring myself to discard the box and stacked them atop my wardrobe.
Phat! Company 1/7 Scale figure Schwarz Gran →Where Should Beginners Start?
If budget is limited, starting with prize figures is reasonable. For around 2,000 yen you can confirm a character's basic appeal, and if it doesn't match your taste, you can part with it without burden. Recent prize figures have improved considerably in quality compared to 10 years ago. SEGA's Luminous series and Banpresto's EXQ series have paint and sculpting at levels similar to lower-tier scale lines.
Conversely, if you're certain "I want to properly enshrine this one character," aiming for a scale from the start is better. The cost of multiple prize figures can buy one scale, and it takes up less glass cabinet space. In 2009, after buying three prize figures, I regretted "I could have bought one scale with this money." Of course, back then I didn't even know what scales were.
Nendoroids and figma suit people who "want to play with characters." There's fun in changing poses, swapping accessories, and mixing parts from different Nendoroids. Conversely, scales suit people who "want to appreciate completed sculptures." I bought several figma but the joint sections bothered me, so I returned to scales. Preferences vary by person.
The Reality of Release Delays and Decomaster Gaps
When you pre-order a scale figure, the release date is merely aspirational. Delays of 3 months from the manufacturer's announced scheduled release date are commonplace, and delays of 6 months or more are not rare. In 2022, one manufacturer delayed the same figure four times. A self-deprecating joke circulated in communities: "Release dates are target goals."
More painful are decomaster-to-production gaps. The painted sample photos on pre-order pages are 1/1 samples hand-painted by prototype sculptors, but the production items arriving to consumers are factory-stamped. Paint tones can brighten, gradations simplify, or gaps appear at parts joints. Around 2015, a manufacturer's figure had transparent gradient hair tips in the decomaster, but the production version changed to solid color. Refund requests poured in, but the manufacturer only issued a notice stating "unavoidable in the production process."
Prize figures have fewer such problems. They don't publicize decomasters to begin with, and you judge based on the actual prize items, so that's that. However, the unit displayed at the prize counter may be from the factory's initial production run, with later lots having inferior paint. Either way, no system is perfect.
Sunlight and Dust: The War Inside Glass Cabinets
Whether prize or scale, figures require avoiding direct sunlight for long-term storage. Ultraviolet rays discolor PVC and ABS plastics. White parts turn yellowish, dark colors fade, and clear parts become cloudy. Six months by a window display case and it becomes visible to the naked eye. In summer 2011, after seeing one side of a Nendoroid face left by a south-facing window discolor, I moved all my display case positions.
Dust is also a problem. On open shelving, dust accumulates on hair within a month. Even when dusted off with a brush, dust lodged in part crevices is difficult to remove, and wiping with wet tissues risks stripping paint. Using glass-doored display cases (like IKEA Detolf) blocks dust but moisture is a separate issue. When summer humidity is high, mold can grow between parts.
For scale figures, preserving boxes is standard practice. Box presence affects secondhand prices by 30% or more, and without boxes when moving, parts risk breaking. Many people discard prize figure boxes, but keeping them is better considering long-term storage. Atop my room's wardrobe, boxes from 10 years ago still sit stacked.
FAQ
Do prize figures also get reissued later?
Due to prize figures' prize distribution characteristics, reproduction is almost nonexistent. "Repaint versions" that only change colors using the same mold do appear, but the exact same product being stamped again years later is rare. For popular characters, separate products with new costumes or poses emerge, that's all. Once out of print, you have no choice but to search secondhand.
When is the best time to pre-order scale figures?
Rather than immediately when pre-orders open, judging after production sample photos are released 2-3 months before release is safer. You can verify decomaster-to-production gaps and examine community reactions. However, popular works may close pre-orders or command premiums, so if manufacturer reliability is high, early pre-orders aren't bad either. With manufacturers like Alter and Good Smile, you can trust production quality to some degree.
Between Nendoroid and figma, which should I buy first?
If you prioritize character cuteness, Nendoroid; if you want realistic proportions and precise poses, figma. Nendoroids are 2-3 head-tall deformed style so any character gets a similar feel, while figma maintain original proportions at 1/12 scale. Nendoroids are slightly cheaper in price, but have more face and hand parts. Both are articulated, so if you enjoy pose staging, it's just a matter of preference.
I'm buying a figure for the first time—is starting with prize figures okay?
Perfectly fine. Prize figures are inexpensive and easy to obtain, making them suitable for beginners, and recent products have considerably improved in quality. However, if you fall deeply for one character, you'll often eventually seek out scales, so if budget allows, aiming for one scale from the start is also an approach. I still regret that I should have bought one scale with the price of three prize figures.
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Some collectors fill one glass cabinet section with prize figures and another with scales. Classification is merely a selection criterion, not an answer. What matters is knowing your budget, space, and which direction your preferences lean. May good connections reach your glass cabinet today as well.
