Neatly displayed in glass cabinets and metal shelves, the 30-year-old’s passion for the intricately designed figurines – crafted to closely resemble characters from popular Japanese animated series – has led him to amass more than 1,500 figures since his schooldays.
The manufacturing engineering graduate from Universiti Malaysia Perlis also owns rare and limited-edition items that are hard to find, such as Hatake Kakashi from “Naruto” and Vinsmoke Sanji from “One Piece” – two of his favourite characters.
“These two items are very valuable because only 300 units were released worldwide. I pre-ordered them and had to compete with other collectors. That’s one of the main challenges of collecting: getting your hands on rare items,” he told Bernama.
“Sometimes I have to wait for months just for a single figure. That’s why it’s important for collectors to stay active in the anime community and attend conventions, to network and gain more knowledge about the anime world.”
Fikri, who is now the production supervisor at a private company, said he turns to various platforms to source his desired figurines, including online marketplaces, social media, anime conventions, and specialty Japanese merchandise stores.
He has no qualms about spending thousands of ringgit on his passion as, for him, it’s about the joy he derives from owning a desired figurine.
“I focus more on collecting figures rather than posters, manga, or other merchandise, because figurines are more detailed and visually appealing,” he explained.
“Each figure is not just an object but a form of appreciation for the art and the nostalgia connected to the character I love, such as the Hatake Kakashi Full Susanoo figure from SXG Studio.”
Asked if he plans to sell his collection someday, Fikri explained that while anime-collecting in Malaysia isn’t as popular as it is in Japan, he intends to keep going until the right moment comes for him to part with his pieces.
“The price depends on size and material; for instance, resin figures are more expensive than PVC ones, with prices starting at around RM50 and reaching up to RM3,000,” he added.