Daily Life of An Ugly Otaku – #13

Note: This Episode is based from this old post in IDS, titled as Merchandise Hunter. That post was written by Inori Donz since September 25, 2018.

Hello, time to talk about Otaku things! My name is Slob!

Basically, people who hoard for Anime merchs (merchandise) are actually die-hard fans of the series that they love. Particularly, they buy and collect them because they love their own Anime crushes (or in the term waifu or husbando). They can be regular or exclusive depending on the character or item. Obviously, it was more expensive if that item was exclusive otherwise.

There are many kinds or selections of Anime merchandise to look or to buy there. Basically, they are ranging from apparels, memorial pins, plush dolls, and even some other items like wall clocks with some Anime characters imprinted on them.

People should be also aware of the item’s authentic quality. If it was a bootleg or counterfeit (other term like customized or personalized), just throw it away (or give it to someone)! Sometimes, research on some products or items is required, as well as their current prices being posted if it is low or very expensive.

Some Anime merchandise tend to increase their prices slightly on the market. They shall become more expensive if that item was very rare or very difficult to find, even if you go to Japan. While there are some that gradually becomes more cheaper, even it is becoming slightly lesser popular. But there are times that an item can become cheaper when it is no longer popular in the market.

How about some people who hoard merchies for their lovely Anime waifu? The answer was very simple. They were die-hards, and they shall do anything to satisfy themselves.

For my own case, I just simply buy some Anime merchandise for my favorite Anime waifu, but not too much. In the sense that I am only buying the “essential” ones, where I could be able to use it not only for Anime conventions that I am attending, but on some other daily or personal activities like meetups or other gatherings — like some birthday parties!

However, not all the time that I could buy some Anime merch because I do really love it. Sometimes, I pass on some other cheap merch if they were somehow repeating in quality, but different in design. For the expensive and exclusive ones, I only buy if I really needed it. Also, it will depend on the amount of funds available in my wallet, as well as how long I can save for a certain period of time. If that merch looks exclusive and expensive, but did not meet my certain requirements, then I shall pass. Same if I don’t have enough funds reserved in my wallet.

So then, I know that hoarding these kind of merchandise can be a waste of money and effort. It is not about having power or boasting yourself, but it is about showing your love and support for your favorite Anime character and the series itself. Sometimes, self-control is needed in order to control myself in buying those stuff, even if I really loved it too much.

And finally, I can be a merchandise collector for my favorite Anime character. But then, the reason I don’t hoard too much merch was because time will always pass. As I had said before, time shall come and these merch of mine shall disappear like bubble, or even it was just like storing them inside a treasure box, and burying it down in the ground.

So for me, nothing shall last forever. And it is really important that we do sometimes treasure these collectible merch just for the sake of our memories.

Next Episode!

Basically, it will just continue the Episode which talks about Anime merchandise. Do you know what’s the other one, which is somehow relevant in this Episode?

Next time, “Anime Figure Collector“. See you next Episode!