If you're new to collecting anime figures, two names come up constantly: Nendoroid and figma. Both are made by Good Smile Company. Both are posable. Both are popular with collectors worldwide. But they're very different products aimed at different tastes.
Here's everything you need to know before buying your first one.
What Is a Nendoroid?
Nendoroids are chibi-style figures — roughly 10cm tall with oversized heads, simplified proportions, and interchangeable face plates. They look adorable. They're designed to be displayed on desks, shelves, or next to your monitor.
Every Nendoroid comes with multiple face plates (usually two or three), optional accessories, and a small stand. The face plates snap in and out, so you can swap between a smiling face, a battle face, a surprised face — whatever suits the scene you're creating.
Nendoroids have been running since 2006 and cover thousands of characters across anime, games, and even real-world celebrities. If a character exists and has a fandom, there's probably a Nendoroid of them.
Best for: Collectors who love cute aesthetics, desk displays, and characters from slice-of-life or casual anime.
What Is a Figma?
Figma figures are closer to a traditional action figure in proportion — realistic scale at around 12–15cm tall, with articulated joints that allow a wide range of dynamic poses. Where Nendoroids are cute and still, figma are built for action.
Each figma comes with multiple hand parts, face plates, and accessories that let you recreate scenes from the source material. The joint system is engineered for posability without sacrificing the figure's appearance — a technical challenge that Max Factory (who produce figma under Good Smile Company) have been refining for years.
Best for: Collectors who prefer realistic proportions, dynamic displays, and characters from action or battle anime.
Key Differences at a Glance
| Nendoroid | figma | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | ~10cm | ~12–15cm |
| Style | Chibi / cute | Realistic proportions |
| Posability | Limited | High |
| Face plates | Yes | Yes |
| Price range (UK) | £45–£60 typical | £55–£80 typical |
| Best display | Desk, shelf | Shelf, posed scene |
Which Should You Buy First?
If you're buying your first anime figure and you're not sure where to start, Nendoroids are the easier entry point. They're slightly more affordable, easier to pose, and the chibi style has broad appeal — you don't have to be deeply into a specific series to appreciate them.
If you're a fan of a specific action anime and want to recreate poses from the show, Figma is the better choice. The poseability is genuinely impressive and the results can look spectacular when displayed well.
Many collectors end up buying both. They serve different purposes and look great together on a shelf.
A Note on Quality
Both Nendoroid and Figma are premium, officially licensed products from one of the most respected figure manufacturers in Japan. They are not cheap toys. The paint finish, sculpt quality, and articulation engineering are at a level that mass-market figures can't match.
If you're seeing Nendoroids or Figma listed significantly below typical UK retail prices — especially on marketplace sites — treat it with caution. Bootleg versions exist and are difficult to distinguish from photos alone. Always buy from a trusted retailer.
AnimeHaven stocks only officially licensed Nendoroid and Figma figures sourced directly through authorised distributors.