Gift giving can be difficult. Sure, you could fall back to a gift card, and while few dislike gift cards, there’s not as much thought or feeling in them as with a selected gift. Giving a gift that aligns with a person’s interests provides a nice way to support those interests too. I will start with subscriptions, which are a great way to give a gift all year long and move toward stuff you may have not considered.
Subscriptions
Each month, a TokyoTreat box arrives in the mail with a different selection of Japanese snacks and goodies. TokyoTreat allows your anime fan to try flavors they may not have considered or to enjoy similar snacks they may read about or see in their favorite story. Each month provides a surprise–unless you look it up, but where’s the fun in that? Each box includes a booklet that describes the treats and allergy information.
Sakuraco works as an upscale TokyoTreat box. Each month your box will feature a “tea for two” including Japanese tea and other compliments. Sakuraco offers a balance of flavors designed to compliment each other and flavor of the tea. Each person gets a different feature treat with enough “supporting cast” to share. Now I have to provide a disclaimer here. I’ve received Sakuraco and TokyoTreat boxes in the past for reviews. While the services aren’t cheap, they both provide fast shipping and something to anticipate each month.
No Make No Life is a part of the Sakuraco and TokyoTreat family. Only this subscription box focuses on cosmetics. Each month you will receive a selection of Japanese and Korean cosmetics and skincare to try. Like with the treat boxes, this provides a way to discover new brands.
It’s likely the anime fan in your life already has a subscription to this streaming anime service. If not, they would appreciate the large library Crunchyroll provides along with the latest releases.
Hidive is one of Crunchyroll’s competitors. While the library isn’t as vast, it offers a good selection of current-run and older anime to choose from. Hidive is great for discovering older titles that Crunchyroll may have dropped from its library. While there’s some overlap in the catalog, the overlap wouldn’t stop you from subscribing to both platforms.
OtakuUSA is the last print magazine standing that covers anime and manga in the US. The magazine covers most streaming releases along with physical media releases. Each month also features a chapter from a popular manga so you can decide if the series would be worth reading. Filled with colorful photographs, interviews with creators, interviews with cosplayers, and other features, it’s nice to see there’s still a print magazine alive and well.
If you are a fan of manga, you may have been sad when Shonen Jump went out of print. Fortunately, you can subscribe and read your favorite manga online. Legally too! This subscription would allow your manga fan to keep away from illegal websites and the risk of viruses and other hazards while supporting the manga industry.
The Tokyo-based Mokuhankan offers woodblock print subscriptions. Each month you will receive a handmade woodblock print based on the series you’ve selected. One of my favorite is the Ukiyo-e Heroes series which features various villains and heroes from video games. This is the most expensive of the subscription gift ideas, but you will receive unique pieces of art.
Stuff
I’m going to show my bias a bit with this suggestion. Kobo e-readers integrate with your public library system. Amazon Paperwhite devices work just as well, but they tie into the Amazon system instead of the public library system. If you like Amazon’s ecosystem, they are solid choices too. But if your manga fan is young or on a tight budget, Kobo devices and the public library provide a good value. Kobo devices are also able to read a wide range of epubs, pdfs, and other formats, allowing you to upload your existing book collection without relying on Amazon’s services. Of course, Kobo has its own paid ecosystem.
3d Printer
If your loved one is into figures or cosplay, a 3D printer might provide an interesting gift. Just don’t forget the filament! 3D printers can be difficult to buy if you aren’t into the technology. I recommend you check out Tom’s Hardware for 3d printer reviews. When choosing a printer, consider the size of the hotbed. This determines the size of the prints. You can use free open-source software to create your own models. Blender is great, if complicated, for anyone who wants to make their own anime/manga figurines. But there the learning curve can be steep. Cosplayers may have better luck using TinkerCAD or some other CAD software.
Sewing machine
This is another one for a beginning cosplayer. Sewing machines are about as complex as 3d printers with all the options they have available. It’s best to choose one based on the skill level of your loved one and what costume creation they like to do.
Tea
Variety collections of tea, especially loose-leaf, allows you to hedge your bets, especially if you aren’t familiar with tea. Most anime and manga feature matcha, a powdered form of green tea. There’s many types to pick from, and it’s easy to make it wrong, especially if you are new to it. If you want a good loose-leaf green tea, I recommend sencha from Shizuoka prefecture. You can find that type of imported sencha for reasonable prices online.
Mechanical Keyboard
If your loved one spends a lot of time on a desktop computer, either gaming or writing or anything else, consider buying a good mechanical keyboard. Mechanical keyboards last longer, sound better, and offer more customization options than standard membrane keyboards. I like Keychron keyboards. They offer many different sizes and price points. The fun part about mechanical keyboards: you can change your keycaps. You can buy Japanese and English keycaps and other color or themed keycaps to make your mechanical keyboard your own.
Display case
A good glass display case can be expensive, but if your loved one has a lot of fandom merchandise, a good display case would be a welcome gift. It’s best to tailor the display case to the collection. Manga readers need sturdy bookshelves that offer many more shelves than regular bookcases may offer. Manga aren’t as tall as standard novels. Figure collectors might prefer museum-style display cases. Of course, LEDs would be a nice addition too.
Bonus ideas
There’s many more options: Sakura pens, Moleskin journals, and even getting the manga missing from your loved one’s collection. You can also encourage their creative side with good watercolors, Prismacolor pencils, good paper. There’s also origami books and paper. Of course, there’s many books about Japan’s history and culture too. Here are a few more:
- Omamori, good luck charms
- Japanese clothing (think beyond kimono)
- Hanten coats
- Haori jackets
- Samue (make for nice pajamas)
- Zori sandals
- Wall art – Displate as many nice designs.
Sometimes thinking a bit different isn’t easy. However, the extra work is gratifying when you see a face light up with surprise and joy. Of course, sometimes initial confusion can also be entertaining! Subscriptions make for good gifts, but you can’t control when the items are received. You can’t count on a subscription box or a magazine arriving just in time. Digital subscriptions, though appreciated, feel a little flat since there’s nothing tangible. However, you can help this with a card and, in the case of Crunchyroll or Hidive, the putting the account information inside the card.
What other gift ideas do you have?
