Anime/Manga Collecting 101

Feature on anime/manga collecting tips, to be up sometime next year.

Tip #1 (January 1 2014)
Buy what you like!
It took a long time to figure where to start on this page. Anime and Manga Collecting, like any other collecting, should be taken with a grain of salt and an open mind. I mean, there is so much stuff out there (anime, manga, OST C.D.s, picture/visual books, visual novels/video games, etc) that one can get drowned in it. I nearly did myself, at one point. Luckily, I didn't because I follow my first basic maxim of collecting: Buy what you like!

By that, I mean that you should buy and collect anime/manga based on your own interests, rather then what outside influences should tell you what to buy. For instance, I quite like science fiction and fantasy series, so a number of my recent purchases (like Crest of the Stars, Silent Mobius, Madoka Magica, El Hazard) reflect this interest. Of course, I do pick up series from other genres but that's according to some particular features I have seen. If you have followed my reviews, well then I explain why I get certain series/shows over others, and that comes down to personal preferences more than everything else really.

Of course, one shouldn't totally discount outside influences. If anything, I tend to rarely take into account. For instance, I was interested in getting Campione last October. I looked into some reviews and they weren't too favorable, but I was willing to give this show a chance. After previewing it by watching 1-2 episodes online, then I decided to get it anyway. To this day I do not regret that purchase (won't go further into details here). If you buy what you like or what strikes your interest, then you won't regret your purchases.

Tip #2 (February 2 2014)
Replay value should be a key factor in purchases
One of the first questions that should pop in your head when buying anime/manga is "Am I going to be rewatching this?" In other words, is the expense worth the time and energy spent watching anime or reading manga? Well, if you follow the advice of Tip #1, then you shouldn't need to worry about that. Of course, if you are only getting stuff that you like personally, then you will most likely rewatch or re-read it again and again. On the other hand, if it will lose its charm or worth after a while, then yeah sell it off or put aside for some time.

Tip #3 (March 2 2014)
Be on the lookout for sales
If you can't afford to get something (be it anime, manga, artbook, etc) the moment it comes out, then wait for the price to drop or buy it through a sale. I can say that if I can find it for cheap, you can bet that I would. This sole reason is how I have been able to amass a huge personal collection. I spent time looking through Amazon.com pages, going to cons/events and rifling through bargain bins and used video/DVD stores. Sometimes, you get hidden gems and other times you get garbage and trash. Its the risk that comes with the territory, I suppose. If you want a good starting point, be sure to check RightStuf as they tend to have sales all the time.

Tip #4 (April 6 2014)
Preview shows before making the purchase
In other words, try to avoid blind buys. In this day and ages, any anime fan can be able to watch/read a lot of the stuff that comes out every season. Here's a short list:: Hulu, Viz, Crunchyroll, Youtube, etc along any legal online readers for manga. Only do fansubs or other methods when the legal means are exhausted, I say.

 Tip #5 (May 4 2014)
Maintain your collection with respect to allowed space
In other words, don't buy what you can't hold into the space you got for physical media. Now this may not be a problem for people who watch online exclusively, but most anime and/or manga collectors (like yours truly) still rely on physical media releases (DVD and paperback graphic novels). I currently have 2 bookshelves to store my manga and DVD collections and still got room for well open space in my room. Of course, it's easy to do this if you buy current complete collection sets I like do.

Tip #6 (June 1 2014)
Buy manga for series that you can afford
Though in fairness, if you want to buy long running series like Bleach, One Piece, Toriko, etc then I wouldn't stop you. But with the advent of legit digital manga sites like Crunchyroll or Viz Media, it doesn't make sense to spend money on every manga series out there. Pick your favorites and buy those, that's a good way to spend your money.

Tip #7 (July 6 2014)
Manage your collection consistently 
By that I mean, manage your collection not just in allowed space, but also in terms of organization and cleanliness. Organize your collection (anime/manga/etc) in a way that's accessible. I personally organize my physical media on bookshelves alphabetically based on title on the dvd sets/book spines.I make sure to dust off and clean them every once in a while. Doing a lil TLC does wonder for your collection!

Tip #8 (August 3 2014)
Seek out the bargain bin only when really necessary (or if you got little to no money)
While the bargain bin is a nice place to look for anime (Amazon and RightStuf have the best ones) and heck I started out collecting in it. But one should tread carefully into the bargain bin. There is a lot of garbage and schlock to sludge through. But then again, there are some underrated gems and some overlooked stuff, if you have been reading my blog from the start you can attest to that. Now that I have some money to be able to buy new releases (from time to time and not everything) so the bargain bin I only use for shows that are hard to find or shows that I once watched and wish to view again (Banner of The Stars being a recent example for me).

Ended September 2014 as I simply ran out of tips to give. I might come back to add in some more tips but for the time just stick to these tips regarding anime and manga collecting and you should be fine.