For hardcore fans of a certain band or TV show, part of the fun is amassing a collection of tie-in products designed to meet your exact needs and interests. Nowhere does this ring true more than in Japan, where geeking out over a variety of goods relating to your most beloved anime or music group is basically all part and parcel of fandom.
But sometimes the companies who produce these products tends to go a little too far, attempting to dupe devoted fans out of their hard-earned cash in exchange for, well, a heap of junk. Read on to view seven of the worst offenders!
Tokyo park’s sea of clouds, nighttime illumination, and cosplay days make now perfect time to visit
After cancelling Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood cancels New Year’s Eve too
Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quit
American jackass tourist arrested after carving name into gate at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine【Video】
Samurai ritual suicide contest cancelled by organizer in west Japan
Katsu weight showdown! Which Japanese supermarket gives you the most tonkatsu meat for your yen?
New Japanese body weight scale that also lets you play one of the best video games of all time
Daiso opens massive new 25,392-square foot Tokyo flagship store with its two sub-brands included
Should you warm up your convenience store onigiri rice balls in the microwave?【Taste test】
Should you drive through a red traffic light like this in Japan? Confusing road rule explained
Ghibli Park debuts first winter illumination display with Howl’s Moving Castle theme
Sanrio and magical girl anime PreCure join forces for new merch line【Photos】
Tokyo restaurant isn’t kidding about the name of its overflowing rare wagyu-ju【Photos】
New Ghibli papercraft kit gives you a little Princess Mononoke forest on your desk【Photos】
Pringles releases a limited-edition sweet flavour in Japan
Starbucks releases new Wicked tumblers in Japan
Off-the-beaten-tourist-track observatory tower in Tokyo has great views of the city…for free!
Japan’s Pokémon donuts are evolving as Diglett grows into Dugtrio churro!
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Tokyo Disneyland loses top-attendance crown for Japanese theme parks for second year in a row
Adult Jam Bread causes a stir at store in Tokyo
What’s the deal with akebi, the perfectly purple, alien-like fruit that’s in season now in Japan?
Kyoto becomes City of Yokai, with Night Parade of One Hundred Demons festival this autumn
Totoro, Calcifer, other Ghibli stars returning as humidifiers ahead of Japan’s dry winter days【Pics】
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Katsu weight showdown! Which Japanese supermarket gives you the most tonkatsu meat for your yen?
New Japanese body weight scale that also lets you play one of the best video games of all time
Daiso opens massive new 25,392-square foot Tokyo flagship store with its two sub-brands included
Should you warm up your convenience store onigiri rice balls in the microwave?【Taste test】
Should you drive through a red traffic light like this in Japan? Confusing road rule explained
We eat 13 of the most highly recommended sushi items at Sushiro and pick the best of the best
Hebikera from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind on sale at Studio Ghibli Exhibition in Tokyo
What’s the most popular way to prepare Japan’s beloved breakfast dish, Tamago Kake Gohan?
What is Teru Teru Bozu? The tragic history behind the Japanese fine weather doll
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
You can now find real-life Animal Crossing star fragments in the real world, and eat them too
Tokyo’s expensive fountain construction plans making waves among the Japanese public