Japanese Collectibles Why Kingdom Fans Recognize Go Houmei at First Glance
A look at the Go Houmei Niformation Seal Wafer sticker from Kingdom Vol. 3 — SD chibi art, the shokugan tradition behind it, and the rival general's story.
Japanese Collectibles 
Japanese Collectibles How Pokemon Center’s Metal Charms Captured Sandile’s Character
A look at the official Pokemon Center National Pokedex metal charm for Sandile (#551), a Ground/Dark-type Gen V Pokemon sold exclusively in Japan.
Japanese Collectibles Laputa’s Clubs Jack and the Magazines That Made Ghibli
The Clubs Jack from a 1986 Animage Laputa playing card deck features Pazu and Sheeta in a scene that defined Ghibli's earliest merchandise era.
Japanese Collectibles Capturing Asuka Langley in an Evangelion Swing Figure
A swing figure keychain of Asuka Langley in school uniform from Neon Genesis Evangelion, originally sold through Japan's gachapon and arcade prize channels.
Japanese Collectibles Andromeda Shun and the Saint Seiya Menko Tradition
This licensed 1980s menko card pairs Andromeda Shun and Unicorn Jabu from Saint Seiya, made when Toei Doga still produced the iconic anime series.
Japanese Collectibles Macross’s 1984 Animage Postcard and Why Furoku Matter
A full-color postcard furoku from Animage magazine, depicting Macross characters Lynn Minmay and Hikaru Ichijyo at the height of the 1984 theatrical film.
Japanese Collectibles What Nameneko’s MATAKICHI Gold Card Is Really Saying
MATAKICHI is a Nameneko cat on a hard gold-card-format trading card packed with yankii parody, number wordplay, and credit card jokes from 1980s Japan.
Japanese Collectibles Castle in the Sky’s Sheeta on a 1986 Animage Playing Card
The 8 of Diamonds from a 1986 Animage Laputa playing card release features Sheeta, the heroine of Studio Ghibli's very first theatrical feature film.
Japanese Collectibles BMW 2002 Turbo and Japan’s 1970s Coca-Cola Cap Craze
A 1970s Japanese Coca-Cola crown cap featuring the BMW 2002 Turbo, from an era when kids across Japan collected car-themed bottle caps.
Japanese Collectibles Nagano’s Hachiware Joins Hello Kitty on an Acrylic Clip
A die-cut acrylic clip featuring Hachiware from Chiikawa and Hello Kitty — two white cat-like characters united in an official Sanrio collab sold in Japan.