When it comes to Funko Pops, the value of these collectible vinyl figures can be anywhere from $10 all the way into the thousands of dollars. I’ve been a lifelong collector and have been collecting Funkos for about five years.
Over the past couple of years I’ve transitioned most of my collection into anime scale figures and high end anime statues for various reasons, but Funko Pops still hold a special place for me and they played a critical role in my journey as a collector.
Anime Funko Pops! are actually some of the most affordable anime figures you can buy when you find them at retail, but for various reasons, which I’ll get into below, some can jump up majorly in price. Before I get into the most expensive anime Funko Pops, I want to go over some of those reasons.
What makes a Funko Pop so expensive?
Many things can impact the value of a Funko Pop and anime Funko Pops might be the most volatile of all categories. I’ll briefly highlight the main factors that play into a Pop’s value as well as some trends to look out for to potentially predict when one might go up in value.
Retailer & Event Exclusive Funko Pops
When it comes to exclusive Funko Pops, there’s no shortage of retailer and event exclusive variants. After all, this is what makes these figures so addicting to collect. For Funko collectors, a big part of the hobby is the hunt and many retailers have Funko Pops that you cannot get anywhere else.
Some of the larger retailers that get exclusive Funkos are Hot Topic, BoxLunch, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Best Buy, GameStop, FYE, Walmart, and Target to name a few. But, with anime, there are even more, including AAA Anime Exclusives, Galactic Toys exclusives, and Entertainment Earth exclusives.
As far as event exclusive Funkos go, the vast majority of rare ones are released at San Diego Comic Con with New York Comic Con and other anime conventions around the United States following.
Funko Pop Variants (Chases, Flocked, Metallic, Glow-in-the-dark, etc)
When it comes to collectibles of any kind, you’re going to have variants. These types of modifications to the original item increase the feeling of exclusivity and make you feel like you have something that’s more special or unique. It’s an effective tactic that us collectors seem to fall for every time.
When you buy some Funko Pops, you have a chance of getting a Chase variant. Chases are essentially rare variants of a Funko Pop that are limited and are harder to get. These are defined by a limited Chase sticker on the window. Sometimes Chase Pops will look exactly like the original, while others are totally different looking. For instance, the Future Trunks Hot Topic Chase looks exactly the same as the original, but it’s metallic. On the other hand, the Alluka Zoldyck Chase is completely different than its original. Chases are valuable because of their uniqueness and limited nature.
You also have some flocked, metallic, glow-in-the-dark options available for select pops too that you can shop. Variants, like those mentioned above, oftentimes increase in price, especially when they are an event or retailer exclusive.
Vaulted Status & Critical Anime Moments
When a Funko Pop is vaulted, that means it will no longer be produced by Funko. This makes the value of the Pop immediately go up. With anime Funko Pops in particular, the combination of being vaulted, along with a critical moment involving that character happening in the anime, can also cause the prices to skyrocket.
For instance, this is why a lot of Attack on Titan Funko Pops are listed below. A year ago they were not fetching these prices, but with the Attack on Titan anime nearing its end, the prices of these Pops have shot up in price.
To check if a specific Pop has been officially vaulted you can download the Funko app and search for the Pop you’re looking for. Now that we’ve gone over all of the reasons a Funko Pop can shoot up in price, here are the 15 most expensive anime Funko Pops! Keep in mind that prices are highly volatile and they fluctuate a lot. I will do my best to update this post as prices change and add new anime Funko Pops each year.
Most Expensive Anime Funko Pops
15) Alluka Zoldyck Hot Topic Exclusive Chase Variant
Alluka Zoldyck from Hunter x Hunter is the most powerful sibling of the Zoldyck family. This chase variant showcases Alluka’s possession ability, Nanika, which we saw briefly in the anime.
I love Chase variants that show a drastically different moment in the anime, and this is one of them. This Chase of Alluka is one of my favorites and it’s a must-have for Hunter x Hunter collectors and anime Funko Pop collectors alike.
14) Future Trunks Hot Topic Exclusive Chase Variant
There have been a few Hot Topic exclusive Future Trunks Pops in the past, but this is the first one that has had a chase variant. I’m personally not a huge fan of metallic variants, so I would probably save money by buying the common version, but if variants like these are your thing and you collect DBZ pops, this is a special one to add to your collection.
Many Trunks Pops have released, so if you aren’t a fan of this one, there are a lot more to shop.
13) Samurai Brook Funko Shop Exclusive Chase Variant
Not one, but two Brook Pops made it on this list of most expensive Funko Pops. Even though chase variants are usually more valuable than their common counterparts, the difference in value between this one is pretty surprising.
The difference between the common and the Chase with this one isn’t as drastic as the next entry on this list, but if you are collecting every Brook Pop or a One Piece figure collector, it is worth worth looking into.
12) Gyomei Himejima Hot Topic Exclusive Chase Variant
Gyomei is one of my favorite Hashira in Demon Slayer, so I love this Pop, chase variant or not. Funko did a incredible job with recreating him in Pop form.
I also think this Pop looks great, because Gyomei’s eyes have no pupils in the anime and manga as well, so he looks great as a Pop even more so than most. The Chase variant shows him with his signature white tears, so it’s a must-have for any Demon Slayer Funko Pop collector.
If you are looking to save some money, you can get the common version of this pop for fairly cheap. The only difference is, you won’t get the white tears running down Gyomei’s face, but the pose and overall look of the Pop! is exactly the same.
If you’re a Demon Slayer Pop collector, check out our complete list of all Demon Slayer Funko Pops released so far!
11) Kurama Mode Kurama GameStop Exclusive
Kurama Mode Kurama is currently the most expensive Naruto Funko Pop, and it’s the only Naruto Funko to make this list. It’s a GameStop exclusive and it glows-in-the-dark, so it’s highly sought-after by Naruto Pop collectors.
This Pop originally released in 2015. If I remember correctly, though, it restocked sometime in 2019. This is when I was finally able to get my hands on one after years of searching.
That being said, GameStop hardly ever do restocks, so the chances for another restock of this one are slim, but with the popularity of anime as of late, I’m hesitant to count anything out, especially when it hasn’t been listed as vaulted by Funko yet.
10) Dabi 2019 New York Comic Con Exclusive
Dabi from My Hero Academia is one of my favorite Pops in my personal collection. That being said, I have the shared exclusive, which has a different sticker than the Pop that was sold at NYCC.
That sticker difference cuts the value in half, but as an out of box collector, I’m not picky about which sticker is on the box, especially when the Pop inside is exactly the same. If you are the same, you can spring for the cheaper option, but if you are someone who wants the NYCC sticker, it’s going to cost you $350+.
9) Golden Frieza (Red Eyes) 2015 SDCC Exclusive
The Golden Frieza San Diego Comic Con Exclusive Funko Pop is one of my favorites on this list. This is also one of the only pops of Golden Frieza to be released by Funko.
If you want this form of Frieza in your collection, you have two options. Both are almost exactly the same with the only difference between the two being the color of their eyes. This one has red eyes, while the other version has black eyes and it usually sells for considerably less.
The last time a Golden Frieza Pop was made was in 2015. Since Frieza is a popular character to collect, especially in his Golden Frieza form, I think we are due for another Pop soon. There are a lot of moments from Dragon Ball Super‘s Tournament of Power, in particular, that would translate well into a Funko Pop, so my fingers are crossed for another Golden Frieza release soon.
8) Eren Jaeger Black & White BAIT Exclusive
BAIT is a retailer that doesn’t get a ton of anime exclusive pops; However, this version of Eren Jaeger is really sought-after by AoT Pop collectors.
It is a black and white variant, which is unique for an anime Funko Pop. This pop is a cool addition, especially if you’re an Attack on Titan figure collector or are someone who wants to collect the complete AoT Funko Pop set.
7) Rukia Hot Topic Exclusive
Rukia’s Funko Pop originally released in 2015, during a time when Funko was releasing Funko Pops with standard, standing poses. Since then, more dynamic Funko Pops have released, and they are only getting more creative with time. The high price for this one could be thanks to the Bleach anime’s return, but it’s also a pre-release Funko, which increases its price as well.
Who knows, Funko might release a new line of long overdue Bleach Pops to coincide with the release of the Thousand Year Blood War anime. Time will only tell though!
6) Mikasa Hot Topic Exclusive
Mikasa is another Attack on Titan Pop that shot up in price with the Attack on Titan anime coming to a close. Since this Pop is vaulted, fans quickly drove up the price as they rushed to add her to their collection.
Since the original run of Attack on Titan Funko Pops released in 2014, they have the older look. Since then, Funko has released a new line where most of the characters are in flying action poses that you can shop as well. So depending on what you’re looking for, you might be able to save some money. There’s also a normal release of this Pop that will run you less money than the Hot Topic pre-release version.
Be on the lookout for knockoffs and fakes of this one, because aftermarket sites are riddled with them. If the price is way too good to be true, like $30 or $40, it’s definitely not authentic.
A note about the picture to the side. I couldn’t find a good photo of the Hot Topic pre-release version, so I included the regular. The only difference between the two is that the Hot Topic exclusive Mikasa has a Hot Topic exclusive sticker on the plastic window.
5) Eren (Titan Form) Hot Topic Exclusive
As mentioned earlier, Attack on Titan Funko Pops have increased in value over the last year since the anime is in its final season. There’s another Eren Hot Topic exclusive in his Titan form that has white eyes that is much cheaper if you are in search of a cheaper option, but this one, which has black eyes, will run you more.
I remember seeing this one on clearance at my local Hot Topic for what seemed like forever after its initial release, so it’s really shot up in price over the years.
4) Trafalgar Law Funko Pop
Trafalgar Law takes the top spot for most expensive non-exclusive pop. This Pop was first released in 2016 and has since been vaulted.
That combined with the popularity of One Piece and it makes sense why this one is one of the most expensive anime Funko Pops.
3) Hollow Ichigo GameStop Exclusive
To give you an idea of how quickly and drastically a Pop can grow in value, this is one I had my eye on when I started collecting in 2017. At the time, I remember this one in particular was listed for just over $100.
While it doesn’t look like this one has officially been vaulted, according to the Funko app, GameStop doesn’t do many restocks, and since this was first released 7 years ago, a restock is highly unlikely. Definitely keep an eye out for new Bleach Pops though! I have a feeling new ones will be announced after the new Bleach season airs.
A new Entertainment Earth Bleach Funko Pop! of Ichigo (Fully Hollowfied) was recently revealed too that you may want to check out. Each order has a chance of getting a limited glow-in-the-dark chase.
2) Brook with Guitar 2018 New York Comic Con Exclusive
Brook from One Piece is one of the most recent releases on this list. Even though it just released in 2018, I’m never surprised when a Comic-con exclusive, like this one, shoots up in price. It’s also important to note here that you can get the exact same Funko Pop with a Fall Convention sticker instead of the NYCC sticker for around $300 instead of $1500+.
That sticker is worth almost $1200! I know some collectors care about that, but if you take your Pops out of the box for display, you may want to save yourself $2k and pick-up the Fall Convention version.
1) Planet Arlia Vegeta 2014 Toy Tokyo New York Comic Con Exclusive
At an eye-watering price of over $2,500, Planet Arlia Vegeta reigns supreme as the most expensive anime Funko Pop of all time. This Pop is one that is usually sought-after by dedicated Dragon Ball Z or Funko Pop collectors, but at such a high price, it’s one that even the most dedicated fans may not want to buy.
This one in particular is one you have to be careful of. It’s consistently been one of the most valuable Funko Pops since I started collecting years ago, and with that kind of value, there are plenty of people trying to sell fakes out there.
Where to Buy Funko Pops
As of now, these are the most expensive anime Funko Pops you can buy. Prices fluctuate a lot, so I will try my best to keep this post up to date. If you are looking to buy new anime figures or anime Funko Pops, check out the best anime figure sites and stores you can shop!