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Best retail store to purchase anime?


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CSousuke



Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 75
PostPosted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 6:08 pm Reply with quote
I know that Barns and Noble is, in my opinion, the best store to buy manga, but what about anime? Bestbuy doesn't cut it, unless I want to buy some of the more mainstream animes, which is ok, but they don't have any of the more underground ones, such as Shigurui: Death Frenzy. I was bummed when I found out they don't have it for sale.
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Xanas



Joined: 27 Aug 2007
Posts: 2058
PostPosted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:40 pm Reply with quote
Best Buy really is it. The selection there is better than any other chain universally available that I've seen. If you live in a large metropolitan area there are some anime-specific shops, but you'll see that those close down on occasion simply because they don't even get enough business there.

The market is just too small particularly for more niche shows.

The internet really is the only route to go, and for those younger who have parents skeptical about the net (including sites like Amazon)... I feel sorry for you.
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Elfen12



Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Bay Area
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:34 am Reply with quote
Besty Buy is great. However if you're in California or in the middle of Oregon the best place in these two states is Fry's Electronics. It's like a best buy and a costco (it's size) put together. The size of Fry's is like a costco, however it only contains electronics, hence it's name. It has a larrge isle of anime. Ususaly the store is filled with the box sets of most series on the market as well as each of the individual volume dvds. Then it also has a section, at least in the fry's that i go to about every other weekend to check out the stock since i'm not really keeping track on ANN as of late, a section of anime that are being released. What i mean by this is that anime such as When They Cry and others are coming out, they put the Volume DVDs on one section. This makes shopping quite easier, becuase if you want to find an anime that has been out for a while, you know where to look, and if you want to find one that is in the process of being released then you know where to look. Not only that, it's just a bit bigger than best buy. yeah.

-Elfen12-
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zawa113



Joined: 19 Jan 2008
Posts: 7357
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:53 am Reply with quote
I usually go for Best Buy (although TRSI is being so convenient that I'm just starting to order after their sales), since they do sell $10 under MRSP on a regular basis. Besides, Best Buys are everywhere, it's really easy to find them.

Otherwise, Suncoast and FYE (they exist on the East Coast for sure, don't know about elsewhere, same chain now technically) sell new and used anime (which is where I usually sell mine as well). They have a pretty large selection of anime and other movies, but they pretty much sell everything at MSRP, so I only tend to go for them if I have things to sell, but they have a pretty good selection for the most part, which sorta makes it up for me. They give a decent amount of store credit for new things and they also buy DVDs and Games (FYE also buys CDs).

Also, there's always local used DVD places, I have one near me, but it's pretty local to MD and DE and what they got used is pretty much it, but you never know if you'll find something good. I found Key the Metal Idol at a GameStop once (but their DVDs are going to MovieStops or something I don't really know much about, but it's the same company or something technically).

Fry's Electronics sounds amazing, if I'm ever out on vacation in CA, I'll be stopping by, I'm envious that you West Coast people have it!
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CSousuke



Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 75
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:58 am Reply with quote
Elfen12 wrote:
Besty Buy is great. However if you're in California or in the middle of Oregon the best place in these two states is Fry's Electronics.


Well I live in the Phoenix metropolitan area, but we have a Fry's close by actually. I just never bothered to look there.

Xanas wrote:
The internet really is the only route to go, and for those younger who have parents skeptical about the net (including sites like Amazon)... I feel sorry for you.


I had a fealing I would have to resort to the internet. I don't have parental problems or anything, I would just rather shop at a store to avoid shipping & handling. It's really not that big of a deal though.
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Clodus



Joined: 25 Dec 2005
Posts: 497
Location: Kansas
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:29 am Reply with quote
Order from The Right Stuff International, the biggest online anime retailer out there.

RightStuff wrote:
Free Shipping!
Free economy shipping is available to domestic customers for any pre-coupon total order over $49 and to Canadian customers for any pre-coupon total order over $150!
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wormraper



Joined: 05 Nov 2008
Posts: 427
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:41 am Reply with quote
Clodus wrote:
Order from The Right Stuff International, the biggest online anime retailer out there.

RightStuff wrote:
Free Shipping!
Free economy shipping is available to domestic customers for any pre-coupon total order over $49 and to Canadian customers for any pre-coupon total order over $150!


+1,0000000000000000000000!! great place.
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Zalis116
Moderator


Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 6864
Location: Kazune City
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:51 am Reply with quote
CSousuke wrote:
Xanas wrote:
The internet really is the only route to go, and for those younger who have parents skeptical about the net (including sites like Amazon)... I feel sorry for you.


I had a fealing I would have to resort to the internet. I don't have parental problems or anything, I would just rather shop at a store to avoid shipping & handling. It's really not that big of a deal though.
As others have said, it's usually possible to find free or reduced-price shipping at online stores. Plus, you generally avoid sales tax, so that all but cancels out any S&H charges you might have to pay.

But cut Best Buy a little slack on the Shigurui front; you can't hold it against them for not having something that doesn't come out until March 2009.
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Isikari



Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Posts: 118
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:33 pm Reply with quote
Hey CSousuke, since I got burned the first time I bought anime online (I was foolish and didn't even think about the possibility of bootlegs) I have some quick advice for you. First off, look at the list of store reviews stickied in this forum. If your unsure about a website, an easy to find out if its legit is to just create a post with the name on this site! If it comes out with the tag [This is a known bootlegging site] then you know not to shop there.

Beyond that just be careful, The Right Stuf International, Roberts Anime Corner Store, and Amazon (What they have in stock, NOT marketplace) are all 100% legit dealers.

Right Stuf has a great sale going on btw, I'd check it out, they really are great.
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Zin5ki



Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 6680
Location: London, UK
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:49 pm Reply with quote
Isikari wrote:
Amazon (What they have in stock, NOT marketplace)

I nearly learned that the hard way. If you see something on the Marketplace going cheap, ask the seller to describe the packaging with reference to that of the official product. There may well be people selling legit DVDs at reasonable prices there, but a good deal of scepticism is advisable.
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wormraper



Joined: 05 Nov 2008
Posts: 427
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:56 pm Reply with quote
Zin5ki wrote:
Isikari wrote:
Amazon (What they have in stock, NOT marketplace)

I nearly learned that the hard way. If you see something on the Marketplace going cheap, ask the seller to describe the packaging with reference to that of the official product. There may well be people selling legit DVDs at reasonable prices there, but a good deal of scepticism is advisable.


you're almost guaranteed to get legit discs if you go for the singles but it's the boxsets to watch out for. Also make sure to buy from good guys.

Gohastings and secondspin and deep discount dvd are all on amazon marketplace.

shawnek is Rightstuf's amazon marketplace and I've gotten TONS of cheap stuff from him on his amazon marketplace account that I couldn't get on rightstuf.com.
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CSousuke



Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 75
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 4:03 pm Reply with quote
Zalis116 wrote:
CSousuke wrote:
Xanas wrote:
The internet really is the only route to go, and for those younger who have parents skeptical about the net (including sites like Amazon)... I feel sorry for you.


I had a fealing I would have to resort to the internet. I don't have parental problems or anything, I would just rather shop at a store to avoid shipping & handling. It's really not that big of a deal though.


But cut Best Buy a little slack on the Shigurui front; you can't hold it against them for not having something that doesn't come out until March 2009.


....I was unaware of the fact that it hasn't come out yet. I've only seen the trailor for it, so I just figured it was already released in America. That's my fault then Embarassed
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Zin5ki



Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 6680
Location: London, UK
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 5:12 pm Reply with quote
wormraper wrote:
you're almost guaranteed to get legit discs if you go for the singles but it's the boxsets to watch out for. Also make sure to buy from good guys.

Gohastings and secondspin and deep discount dvd are all on amazon marketplace.

I've noticed secondspin are selling a rare boxset I'm after, but at a price similar to those selling the bootlegged version (judging by their descriptions of the packaging) through the same website. This being the case I can't tell the good guys from the bad ones prima facie.
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Monster in a box



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 671
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:49 pm Reply with quote
Best Buy for price, FYE for selection, online for both to the nth.
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CSousuke



Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 75
PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:16 am Reply with quote
Just as a quick question, does anybody know where I can buy the first volume of Mobile Suit Gundam 00? I've been looking on Fry's, Bestbuy, even Amazon, but I can't find anything. It might just be me...
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