Bandai is one of the biggest toy manufacturers in the world. It is probably most well-known for producing Gunpla, the Gundam Plastic Models, many of which are sold exclusively in Japan. However, they also hold licensing rights for other famous franchises, including Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and Power Rangers. This means that if you are a fan of Japanese pop culture, their online store, Premium Bandai (shortened to P-Bandai), is a wonderful place to get high-quality toys and figures.
Why Shop with P-Bandai
- Being one of the largest toy manufacturers that holds exclusive licensing rights to many franchises, P-Bandai is one of the best places for you to get rare toys and items. They have an impeccable reputation for having great toys, figures, and models that can be bought only in Japan.
- Bandai’s products are made from high-quality, safe materials that are subject to strict inspections.
- P-Bandai sells many limited edition toy kits. It is difficult to get many of these outside of Japan. You might be able to buy them in Hong Kong and Singapore, but many of them are made to pre-order and will sell out very quickly.
- Bandai has great customer support. They are happy to help if the kits they have sent are missing items etc. and work quickly to resolve your concerns.
P-Bandai has websites for customers living in the USA, Canada, Singapore, etc. but these stores offer a limited range of toys and hobby kits. If you want to get new and limited edition Japanese toys and merchandise from Bandai, then you have to shop P-Bandai Japan. While they do not currently offer international shipping, with ZenMarket, you will be able to shop and ship all your favorite items right to your doorstep!
Read on to find out how to buy from P-Bandai Japan with our easy step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Translate the P-Bandai website
The P-Bandai website is in Japanese, so to make your browsing easier, you will need to translate it. We recommend that you use Google Chrome, as they have an in-built translate feature that will allow you to quickly translate the webpage. All you have to do is right-click and click “Translate to English” and voila! The website is now in English. Please note that the translation is not 100% accurate.
Step 2: Search for your favorite P-Bandai goodies
With the website in English (or any language you prefer), it is now easier to navigate! Time to search for items that you want to buy. If you already know what you are looking for, then use the search bar on the top of the page. For the best results, we always recommend using keywords in Japanese. If you need tips on finding item names in Japanese, read our handy guide here!
You can also browse categories to find items. The general categories are up on the navigation bar (just below the search bar), or you can just scroll down to see new products, P-Bandai sub-labels, etc.
Don’t forget that if you are unable to find an item, you can always reach out to us for help! By clicking “Can’t Find” on our website, our customer support team can help you out.
Step 3: Browse through dozens of products
P-Bandai offers tons of fantastic products to browse and buy. When browsing through a sub-category such as Gundam, for example, you will be able to see basic information about the item, such as the name, a photo and a tentative shipping date for preorder items. Please note that a fair number of items on P-Bandai are pre-ordered. If you would prefer to avoid pre-order items, please check carefully before buying.
To only see items that you can purchase immediately, change the “Product Type” from “All” to “Regular Products”. This will filter out pre-order items.
Step 4: Find out more item details
On the product page, you can find out more information about the item you want to purchase. You will be able to see the price, more photos from different angles, estimated delivery dates and more. If you are pre-ordering an item, please note that it will only be shipped out to us on the delivery date stated, after which you will be able to create a parcel once it arrives at our warehouse.
There will also be a lot more information about the item under “Product Details”, such as the materials used in the item.
Step 5: Order with ZenMarket!
Once you are satisfied and ready to order, use ZenMarket to help you buy! You don’t have to worry about creating an account or attempting to purchase in Japanese. Instead, head on over to our website and log in, or register here. After that, copy the URL of the item you want to buy.
Then, simply paste the URL into the search bar of the ZenMarket website, or here. A pop-up box will appear, where you can input more information about the item, such as the color, size, etc. It is also a good place to confirm any details if needed.
Next, click “Add” and the item will be added to your cart! Our operators will then check the price and availability of your item and you will receive a notification once it is ready to be paid for. For a full tutorial on how to buy from ZenMarket, check out our guide here.
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