With the holiday season upon us, I wanted to create a list of gifts that would be great for anime fans and lovers, especially given that many of these sites are or will be running Black Friday deals.
If you are looking for deals, you can check out our best manga deals and best anime deals posts, which we update daily. If your loved one a is manga lover as well, be sure to check out the best places to buy manga.
As an anime fan myself, who tends to buy everything I want, I know how difficult it can be to find something new for the anime lover(s) in your life. With that said, hopefully, this list will provide you with some new ideas and help you find the perfect gift. That all being said, here are the best gifts for anime lovers!
Anime Blu-rays and Box Sets
I want to first mention the most obvious item on this list, which is Blu-rays and Blu-ray box sets of your loved one’s favorite anime. With Black Friday around the corner, deals on these particular items are some of the best you can find with retailers like Crunchyroll putting them on sale. There are a lot of special editions available for purchase or preorder, so even if the person you are buying a gift for has already seen an anime, it will be a whole new experience.
For instance, one of my favorite releases is the Akira Limited Edition 4K HDR/2K Blu-ray, but there are many other incredible collector edition releases you can shop too, like the 4K Collector’s Edition of Weathering With You . These special editions in particular are some of the best gifts for anime lovers. If you are looking for more premium versions, you’ll also want to check out anime Steelbooks.
Keep in mind though that preorder dates and expected ship dates are always subject to change and if you want to have a physical gift to give someone by a certain date, some items may not reach you in time. With that said, always keep an eye out for expected ship dates to make sure that your item will arrive in time for the Holidays. It’s always best to order in-stock items as soon as possible during the Holidays also, especially with the influx of orders that these sites and stores will be receiving during this time of year.
If your loved one isn’t into physical copies, there’s always the option to gift them a Crunchyroll or HIDIVE membership. Both of these are anime streaming services that have extensive libraries and each has exclusive anime content of their own. Not sure which one to go with? Check out the best anime streaming services. I go over all the pros and cons of each anime streaming service in that post.
Shop Anime Blu-rays and Box Sets
Manga of Their Favorite Anime
If you know that the person you are getting a gift for really enjoys an anime but has yet to check out the manga, you can look into getting them either select volumes or box sets of the series. The anime doesn’t always follow the manga 100% and they’ll get to experience their favorite series in a whole new format. For instance, Tokyo Ghoul‘s manga and anime are quite different, so if you’re loved one is a fan of the series and has yet to pick up the manga, I highly recommend it.
Keep an eye out for all of the different options you have when it comes to buying manga. There are large format editions, manga box sets, individual volumes, collector’s editions (typically hardcover instead of paperback), like the Berserk Deluxe Editions, and more. For instance, Tokyo Ghoul has Monster Editions, which are exclusive to Barnes and Noble, individual volumes, and a complete box set. There is even a book that features artwork and behind-the-scenes notes, commentary, and ruminations from Tokyo Ghoul creator Sui Ishida, so always keep an eye out for these special options and art books as well.
Another big one is Attack on Titan, which has been released with English translation in four different formats. Here are the best ways you can collect Attack on Titan‘s manga. It’s important to know that some manga is out of print, so depending on the series that your loved one is asking for, you may have to turn to secondhand stores or sites like eBay to shop. If your loved one is in search of an out-of-print manga, check out my Out-of-Print Manga Buying Guide. I go over the difference between out-of-stock and out-of-print manga in that post also.
My favorite place to shop manga is Crunchyroll. They tend to run the best deals on anime and manga if you are shopping manga in the US, especially during the Holidays. There are several other manga stores and sites that I enjoy shopping from, though. Learn more about some of my favorite places to buy manga! I go over the pros and cons of buying from each.
Another option is to gift Viz’s Shonen Jump App, which has a monthly fee of $1.99. As a member, your loved one would have access to the Shonen Jump digital vault of 10,000+ manga chapters from titles such as My Hero Academia, Boruto, Black Clover, and more.
Shop Manga
Art Prints from Kehasuk
Kehasuk (@kehasuk) is an artist I discovered at a con one year and his work never ceases to impress me. His art celebrates anime to the fullest, and the prints he releases are always packed with detail and feature his unique style. I’m personally fond of everything he creates, but his ‘Universe’ pieces in particular from anime like Naruto, Dragon Ball, and Hunter x Hunter amaze me. Each time you look at these prints, you are reminded of your favorite scenes from your favorite anime, and viewing his art is sure to be a fun, nostalgic experience for any anime lover.
The prints come in many different sizes and you can choose for them to come signed or unsigned. It’s also important to note that giclée prints/collector’s editions are available for select prints on the site as well. The colors on all of the prints are beautiful and bold, but they pop on the giclée prints. There are also pins available for purchase, which are great for gifts and stocking stuffers.
Kehasuk just recently announced that he will be dropping new releases, including a new giclée mini print of Naruto, along with free shipping during Black Friday Weekend only. According to Kehasuk’s Instagram, four mini paintings will be released in the shop. It was also revealed that sticker packs will be shipping with qualified orders and they will also be offering gift packaging options for the holidays. Be sure to join the mailing list to stay up to date on new releases!
Shop Kehasuk’s Store
Anime Clothing
I’ve mentioned this before, but high-quality anime clothing used to be hard to find, but with the arrival of companies, like Atsuko, Primitive, and even Uniqlo, releasing collaborations this has changed. These two companies, in particular, are my two go-to’s to shop from, because they are 100% licensed and have multiple licenses to shop from. I also tend to enjoy their graphics more so than other companies and while they are both affordable, the quality of their clothes is amongst the best.
Primitive just recently dropped new collaborations with Dragon Ball Super and Naruto Shippuden and Atsuko released new items from their Berserk collection, so they both have newer drops to shop from in addition to those they’ve previously released and still have in stock. Both of these options have apparel as well as accessories, such as hats available for purchase, so there are a variety of different items at different price points to shop from.
Read up more on the best anime clothing brands!
Anime Figures
With a variety of characters and series to shop from, anime figures are one of the best gifts to give an anime lover. Although for someone who isn’t already immersed in collecting, shopping for anime figures can seem overwhelming. For a list of reputable retailers that sell anime figures, check out our guide to buying anime figures in the US. To see a description of the different figure types and what I recommend, check out this post here. With these guides, you can be confident in both the authenticity of the site and the figures you are purchasing.
For a short rundown of the figures I recommend, at the more affordable range, I am a huge fan of World Collectable Figures (WCFs), Banpresto Ichiban Kuji (Prize Figures), Banpresto Master Stars figures, and Nendoroids. At the higher end, I recommend anime scale figures, like Kotobukiya ARTFX J figures and Megahouse G.E.M figures, or even licensed anime resin statues. For an example of the different figures you can get at every price point, here are some of the best My Hero Academia figures you can buy.
There are all kinds of options from chibis to posable and non-posable figures as well as so many series and characters to shop from, so you’ll have the most to choose from in this category.
Displate Anime Posters
Displate makes metal posters with artwork from various artists on them and they have a large selection of anime posters to shop from. There are some cool collections and some different art styles to browse, including minimalism and pop art. These posters are interesting not only because they are made of metal, but also because they hang flush with the wall thanks to their magnetic hanging system. They make for really unique gifts and look great on the wall.
There are a ton of options when it comes to gifts for anime fans, but these are a few of our favorites. We hope you find the perfect gift you are looking for and wish you and your family a happy holidays!
