The Akiba Haul: Part 2

Hello everyone and welcome back to Tiro Finale for part 2 of our Akiba Haul coverage. Yesterday in the first part of our entry, we took a look at the items from Mandarake's flagship Complex store in Akihabra. Today, we will be taking a look at the second part of the haul also from another very popular hobby store in Japan, Lashinbang. Unlike the day before, today will be a tribute entirely towards the foundations of Tiro Finale, the Puella Magi Madoka Magica series and, most important of all, Tomoe Mami. Without any further ado, let us jump straight into the details of this particular haul. 

Earlier when I mentioned that this haul was dedicated to Mami, it literally meant that the entire haul was devoted to Mami merchandise specifically in the form of clear files and one trading figure. With no recent figure release, the flow of major Mami merchandise has slowed down somewhat for the first time in a while. As such, I have been re-focusing my efforts on collecting other Mami-related merchandise such as clear files, trinkets and straps. 

The first item on the list is this particularly expensive Mami and Kyubey clear file. At first glance, 400 Yen for a Madoka Magica/ Tomoe Mami clear file might seem like quite a poor investment especially one that looks rather plain with no indication of it being a special file of any shape, form or design.

Under most circumstances, I would agree with such an observation until you take a closer look at this one-of-a-kind Mami clear file and realize that it is indeed part of a set. This clear file is actually part of a two piece set complete with its own plastic folder and a "supporting" sheet of paper placed in between each individual file. 

The individual packaging or even the included sheet of paper may not sound like much but these are actually very rare features on an ordinary clear file. Does this make it a collector's clear file then? Well, yes and no. Yes, because finding a two-pack clear file in its original packaging is quite the find indeed. No, largely because the 400 Yen (or 200 Yen/file) price point means that even the store recognizes that this file set is really only slightly rarer than ordinary clear files which are often sold at 100 Yen. 

 

Speaking of rare clear files, here is when we start to wander into the realms of the "collector" clear files with this particular clear file going for 400 Yen a piece. And being the only one available, I had to think long and hard about spending 400 Yen on a single clear file. The reason I had such deliberations in the first place was because, clear as day, I knew exactly where this clear file originated from and all of the rarity associated with it.

The Madoka Magica shop was a limited event held something in late 2013 and, till today, any of its merchandise which resurfaces on the re-sellers market often sold for a rather high price. This clear file was no exception with a 50 Yen markup over its original price of 350 Yen. While that may not seem like much, keep in mind that is close to a 15% markup over the original price. As you can see from this haul post, the exact decision I made regarding the purchase of this clear file.

The next clear file on the list is one that was not too exclusive but, still rather elusive. During the release of the Rebellion feature film, companies all around Japan were working round the clock to produce Madoka Magica merchandise and this clear file is one such product. A collaboration between Namco and Madoka Magica for one of their arcade campaigns. 

The front end of the clear file focuses heavily on Mami in action while, the reverse side features a slightly battle-worn and injured Homura. While this did exact scene did not occur in the movie, it is a lovely homage to the battle between the two. 

The next and final clear file is part of a set together with included stickers as the J Prize for the Rebellion Madoka Magica Ichiban Kuji. This particular J Prize can still be found fairly commonly in the wild and often fetches a rather high price because of the sheer number of items included in the prize. 

These items include three A4 sized clear files with designs featuring Mami, Nagisa and the whole Quartet dressed in lovely dresses. Aside from that there are also three included A7 sized stickers which feature a variety of witchcraft and Bebe-inspired designs. All of that for 600 Yen? Not a bad deal at all.

Saving the best for last, we have the one Mami trading figure that I have been trying to source for quite a while now. Part of Toy's Works Niitengo DX Collection, these feature the core girls in swimsuits and were released back in the middle of 2015 as Gachapon toys. I failed to get one then and, fortunately, they have been re-released since. The price point of 800 Yen may seem rather steep for such a small item but, the Gachapon itself is 600 Yen to play with many re-sellers selling Mami in excess of 1,000 Yen. Rather than miss out on my chance once again, I decided to pay the big price and secure. Now, to get the alternate version featuring Bebe and a winking expression. 

With that, the total bill adds up to 2,400 Yen (before tax). Yipes, talk about commitment! Such is the danger of shopping for trinkets and accessories as individually they may not cost much but, the cost starts adding up quickly without you even noticing. So, the next time you are out trinket shopping, know that you have been warned. 

After all that is said and done, we finally come to the end of our two part coverage for this rather large haul from Akiba. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to leave them in the comments section below. Until the next time, thank you so much for reading and have yourself a wonderful day ahead!