A Visit to Mandarake Akiba: Part 2

Hello everyone and welcome back to Tiro Finale for our second part of our Mandarake Complex coverage in Akihabara. In the previous installment, we went through several rare finds in Mandarake's flagship store pertaining to my personal interest. Today, we are going to take a look at merchandise from other series which are equally as interesting and, more importantly, rare. 

We started of the previous installment with a set of Idolmaster Nendoroid Petits and so we shall once again with this second part. Here we have The Idolmaster 2nd Stage Nendoroid Petits going for 2,000 Yen for the whole set. If you think that is a bargain price, you would probably have guesses right because both the set of Idolmaster Nendoroid Petits were sold out by the time I was done with my photo shot.

 

Besides being the home to ero-figures, the glass shelves are also place where the rarest and most expensive figures are kept. Figures where even a slight dent in the box would result in a massive price depreciation. Figures such as these Alter Black Heart(s) going for an insane 30,000 Yen! To think these originally sold for 15,000 Yen (or less) and the fact that Mandarake themselves are not particularly known for exorbitant markups. As such, these are probably one of the cheaper Alter Black Heart that you would be able to get in Akihabara short of Amiami. 

While rummaging around in the plush section, I stumbled upon this plush Senjougahara. Next to Shinobu plush toys, Senjougahara is probably one of the most expensive Gift plush toys available in the re-seller market. Because of their high prices, they do not sell particularly quickly with several stores holding on to Senjougahara for years on end without yielding in terms of price. But due to her rarity, all that is required is for the right buyer to come along willing to pay the steep premium for her. 

This particular school uniform Senjougahara plush with the folded sleeves is one of the most popular variants and also sells for the highest price. I have seen her twice in Mandarake thus far, once in Nakano and a second time, here in Akihabara. the 3,500 Yen price tag may seem ridiculous but, when you consider the fact that other re-sellers are pushing prices closer to 5,000 Yen, Mandarake's price suddenly seems all the more reasonable especially for a mint, unopened piece. 

Taking a break from steep price points for a bit, we come to this Dia acrylic multi stand selling for only 600 Yen. Where most acrylic stands fetch prices well above 1,000 Yen, Mandarake probably does not see too much value in them. Moreover, it is not just Dia's acryclic stand/straps which are sold at a low price. Most other characters too are sold at a markedly reduce price compared to other stores. The only downside is, Mandarake's selection is notably smaller compared to competing hobby stores. That and finding it among the pile of other trinkets and merchandise. If it was not for the fact that takuya specifically requested for this, I probably would not have spotted it. 

Umu! Back to the glass shelf we go with this stunning Alter figure of Saber Extra (Nero) in her swimsuit. This Alter figure was released back in 2015 before FGO was even a thing with Alter deciding to go with a more mature feel and look for Nero. Later, this 1/6 figure was re-released in the middle of 2017. All things considered, an unopened Alter Nero for 12,000 Yen is a very fair price and this is likely the case because of the recent re-release. Depending on the success of the anime, the prices may go up even more or Alter may decided to do another batch of releases. Tough choice to make if you are a fan of Nero.

As I was about to finish browsing, I came across this rare Nendoroid of Senjougahara. Seasoned collectors would not so much as bat an eyelid to this until you take a closer look at the price. No, your eyes are not fooling you. The price tag does indeed say 4,000 Yen for an unopened Nendoroid Senjougahara. The same Nendoroid featuring the exclusive clear posters and pin badges all in a Premium Box that has not been emulated in any other Nendoroid thus far. Calling it special is one thing but, seeing it sold at this price, that is a completely different phenomenon. 

Wrapping up the day's proceedings, it was time for me to say goodbye to Mandarake's Complex after spending several good hours at the eight story complex. Rest assured, I did not leave empty handed as I made my way back home with full hands and an empty pocket. With that, I will leave you with this picture of a trolley full of Gashapon capsules. If you ever wondered where all those capsules come from, well now you know! Until the next time, thank you so much for reading and have yourself a wonderful day ahead!