Help Me Build India’s First Quality Anime Figure Brand

Let’s be honest—the anime figure market in India is a complete mess. Walk into any shop or scroll through online listings, and you’ll mostly find illegally imported knockoffs, cheap-looking figures, or overpriced collectibles that only a few can afford. There’s barely any variety, no quality control, and definitely no Indian brand that truly understands what anime fans want.

As a die-hard fan and aspiring entrepreneur, I couldn’t just sit back and accept this. That’s why I’ve decided to build something from scratch—a brand that makes affordable, high-quality, Made in India anime figures for real fans like you and me. In this Post, I’ll expose the broken anime figure market in India, share my vision for change, and call out to those who want to be part of something big.

The Problem with the Anime Figure Market in India

India has a rapidly growing anime fanbase, with millions of young fans across the country. However, the anime merchandise market—especially anime figures—is still underdeveloped and filled with major issues.

Let’s take a closer look at the key problems in the current market:

1) Illegally Imported Chinese Figures:
Almost all anime figures sold in India are MADE IN CHINA and are illegally imported, as they do not comply with Indian government regulations. According to the Indian law, any kind of toys sold in India must be BIS certified. As of now, no Chinese toy manufacturers hold this certification. Despite these regulations, illegally imported products continue to flood the Indian market, posing both legal risks and safety concerns.

2) Poor-Quality Locally Made Figures:
While some figures are produced locally in India, most of them are made using low-cost silicone molds. These figures lack proper sculpting, intricate details, and high-quality finishing. The paint jobs are often inconsistent, making them look unprofessional—almost as if they were painted by a child. These figures fail to meet the expectations of serious fans and collectors.

3) Price-Quality Imbalance:
There is a huge gap between price and quality in the current market. Affordable figures (typically under ₹1,000) are usually of very poor quality, while high-quality figures are extremely expensive, often priced between ₹5,000 and ₹20,000 or more. As a result, most anime fans in India are unable to afford good-quality figures, and there is almost no availability of mid-range products that balance both affordability and quality.

4) Limited Variety and Availability:
Only a handful of stores and online platforms offer anime figures in India, and even those carry a very limited selection. Most available figures are based on a few globally popular anime titles, leaving fans of lesser-known or niche series with few to no options.

Conclusion:
There is a clear and growing demand in India for anime figures that are affordable, high-quality, and legally manufactured. Yet the current market fails to meet this need. This gap represents a major opportunity to build a brand that offers beautifully designed, safe, and reasonably priced anime figures for fans across all genres.

My Startup Vision

I am planning to launch a startup focused on manufacturing high-quality, affordable anime figures priced between ₹500 and ₹1,000.

There is a massive gap in the market for well-crafted yet budget-friendly figures. Most low-cost figures lack quality, while premium figures are often too expensive for the average fan. My goal is to fill this gap by offering products that balance quality and affordability.

Initially, I considered importing figures from China. However, after learning about the strict BIS certification requirement for all toys, I decided to shift my focus to in-house manufacturing within India to ensure legal compliance, better quality control, and the promotion of Make in India values.

Our Product Range Goes Beyond Anime

We aim to create a wide variety of collectible figures, including:

1) Anime Figures – Covering a wide range of anime series, not just the globally popular ones.
2) Animated Movie Figures – Iconic characters from movies like Toy Story, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, and more.
3) Popular Cartoon Figures – Beloved characters such as Tom and Jerry, Peppa Pig, Oggy and the Cockroaches, etc.
4) Meme Figures – Internet favorites like the Cheems, Doge, and other viral meme icons.
5) Indian Cartoon Figures – Figures of Motu Patlu, Chhota Bheem, Shinchan in Indian attire, and similar characters.
6) Indian Movie Character Figures – Iconic roles from Bollywood and Indian cinema like Hera Pheri, Krish, Baahubali, and more.
7) Historical and Cultural Icons – Figures honoring Indian heroes and legends such as Subhash Chandra Bose, APJ Abdul Kalam, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Lord Ram, and more.
8) Designer and Art Toys – Unique, stylized toys for collectors and art enthusiasts.

How are Figures made?

If you’re interested in understanding the process behind anime figure production, here’s a detailed blog by YouTooz that explains it step by step. It includes real images, illustrations, and clear explanations, making it a great resource to learn how figures are professionally designed and manufactured.

👉 How YouTooz Figures Are Made?

Challenges in Manufacturing Anime Figures in India

After conducting extensive research on anime figure manufacturing in India, I’ve discovered a major challenge — there is a lack of manufacturers with expertise in this niche.

Whenever I search for Indian toy manufacturers on Google, most of the top results are Chinese or foreign companies, not local Indian manufacturers. It seems that many Indian manufacturers lack proper online presence and SEO knowledge, making it hard for potential customers to find them.

Another issue is that most Indian toy manufacturers only sell products under their own brand. They are generally not open to custom manufacturing (OEM/ODM) for other brands. Even when they claim to offer OEM or custom manufacturing, they often just rebrand existing products by adding your logo instead of developing something truly new.

I’ve also searched extensively on platforms like IndiaMART and JD Mart, but in most cases, the contacts listed as manufacturers turn out to be wholesalers posing as manufacturers. This makes it difficult to find genuine partners who can help create original anime figures.

Eventually, I did manage to find a few Indian toy manufacturers. However, none of them have prior experience in making anime figures or similarly detailed products. They lack the necessary understanding of:
1. Figure design
2. Mold making (especially for detailed character parts)
3. Hand painting, which is essential for anime figures due to their intricate detailing and vibrant color schemes

This entire process made it clear that anime figure manufacturing is still an untapped and underdeveloped segment in the Indian market.

Who Am I? What’s My Background?

Hi, my name is RK Guddu, I’m 22 years old and from Jharkhand, India. I have completed my graduation in English Honours, but I have always been more passionate about business than academics.

I am deeply inspired by startups, entrepreneurs, and visionary founders. I enjoy reading books on business, startups, and psychology, as well as watching interviews and success stories of startup founders on YouTube to understand how they built their ventures from the ground up.

I have a strong interest in product development, which drives me to constantly explore how things are made. Whether it’s through YouTube videos, online research, or reading books, I love learning about manufacturing processes, the machines involved, and the detailed steps behind product creation. The entire journey of how an idea turns into a physical product genuinely fascinates me.

Currently, I don’t have a personal source of income and live with my parents. However, my father runs a hardware business and is a dealer for CRI Pumps, Himgiri Water Tanks, and TSL Tirupati Pipes. I aim to learn from him and eventually build my own business from the ground up.

How Do I Plan to Make It Happen?

Despite the many challenges, I am fully committed to turning this vision into reality. I strongly believe that every problem has a solution, and I’m ready to work hard — no matter how difficult the journey may be.

As mentioned earlier, manufacturing anime figures in India is not easy. But instead of seeing this as a limitation, I see it as a unique opportunity to build something original and much-needed in the Indian market.

Due to the lack of reliable manufacturers and custom figure makers, I want to establish my own manufacturing setup. However, to get started on a small scale, I estimate that I’ll need at least ₹50 Lakhs in initial capital.

Currently, I do not earn an income, and my financial support is limited. I can arrange ₹10 Lakhs from my father, but beyond that, I have no existing network of investors, no IIT or IIM background, and no prior startup experience — which makes it very difficult to secure external funding at this stage.

Here’s My Plan to Raise ₹50 Lakhs:

Join and Grow My Father’s Business
I plan to join my father’s hardware business and help expand it. By working consistently over the next 3 to 5 years, I aim to save at least ₹25 Lakhs through earnings and business growth.

Raise the Remaining ₹25 Lakhs
Once I’ve saved ₹25 Lakhs, I plan to raise the remaining amount either through a loan or with support from friends and family who believe in my vision.

Combining both sources will give me the ₹50 Lakhs needed to start small-scale manufacturing and build the foundation of my startup.

Starting with Prototypes and Experiments

While working in my father’s business, I also plan to start small by creating prototypes of anime figures using silicone molds or vacuum casting techniques. These small-batch products will be sold online to:
1. Test market demand
2. Get feedback from customers
3. Refine the product design and quality
4. Build brand awareness and trust

Let’s Connect

I am actively seeking like-minded individuals who are either experienced in the toy industry or passionate about anime and are interested in becoming part of this unique and exciting venture.

If you share this vision or have relevant experience, I would love to connect and collaborate. You can support in many ways — from helping me find the right manufacturers, assisting in product design, or even connecting me with someone who might be helpful.

If you’re an anime figure designer, your creative input could be invaluable. And if you’re simply someone who believes in this idea, you’re welcome to be a part of this journey in any role — whether big or small, technical or creative, or even just offering support or advice.

No help is too small — even the smallest gesture, idea, or contact can make a big difference. Let’s build something amazing together.

If you believe in this vision or simply want to talk, brainstorm, or collaborate — I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me directly at raushankr916@gmail.com