dragonfly's doujinshi buying guide
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We often get asked where we someone can buy a specific dj. In this little guide, we'll discuss the services we use and our own service with them.
In general the two people who scan lots for Dragonfly use JPQueen and yahoo!Japan Auctions 75% of the time to purchase their doujinshi.
Have any info to make this guide better? e-mail insectscans[at]yahoo.com and give us info ^^
stores
:: jpqueen - the first place to look for doujinshi. Why? Well for current fandoms (such as the ones Dragonfly covers) you can find a wide selection of djs. Also, the prices can be pretty nice (although some prominent artists expect to see high numbers). You've got a 2 week order period in which to pay for your djs or wait til others arrive. Remember a bigger order helps shipping costs in the end! Speaking of shipping costs you can choose a variety of options. Be sure to read their shipping FAQ. Also, you can be notified when out of stock doujinshis come back in. Don't hold your breath, but it's useful if you're hunting for one.
- accepts a paypal equivalent or major credit card through kagi -
mangafish - I've bought a few items from them and have been satisfied, but the selection is quite small. Mainly prominent artists.
- money order or paypal -
JPNGoodSkoba - a varied selection from a smaller shop. Easy to deal with and I have bought a few items from them. They also do a brisk business through eBay, and you'll find a large selection of works via eBay.
- money order or paypal -
Happy Hentai Home - been around forever and for a good reason. Great service and a nice selection. Quick replies to all questions.
- international money order only -
Mandrake - smallish selection on-line, but it pays to look. Shipping can be expensive from here, but if you want it, take a look.
auction sites
:: yahoo japan auctions - doujinshi category - yes its in Japanese only and yes most sellers only ship inside of Japan, but the amount of djs on auction here are amazing. Yahoo auctions is used much more in Japan than eBay, so your best bet is here. [note: read rinkya, celga and new sphere blurbs on this page]
ebay - the regular version. Just simply search doujinshi. It's rather good or bad depending on the time and sellers. Keep a watch!
buying outside of japan - i.e. how to actually buy through yahoo japan, ebay japan or other japanese only sites
so what are these two places? - These two internet sites specialize in bidding on items in Japan from sellers who won't ship internationally. They do all the dirty work from paying (after you pay them) to contacting the seller and getting it to your home. Each require 0 japanese knowledge (except you knowing which doujinshi from yahoo japan to buy).
:: rinkya - Automated mainly and super easy to check on your auctions, time left or status of each order. This place is pricey... expect your 500 yen dj to end up being $25.00 when it ships to you. However, it's a necessary evil and they do provide good service. I've ordered about 30 doujinshi through them. Best advice: keep your bidding under 1,000.
- accepts paypal and credit cards -
rinkya fee breakdown:
$15 base fee plus $1 per 1000¥ up to closing price.
commission fees on items 1,000¥ or more
more fee info on rinkya here
:: celga - they're not as whistle and bell fancy as rinkya, however they're not as expensive either. Their rates depend and you'll usually end up saving 10 US if you stay with them. It's all through e-mail correspondence, however they're perfectly used to people ordering doujinshi through them and their customer service is rather nice.
- accepts paypal or manual credit card set up -
celga fee breakdown:
Up to 1,000¥ is $5
1,001 to 10,000¥ is $10
A flat $2.00 wire fee per auction
Plus shipping from auctioneer to their storehouse in Japan.
more fee info on celga here
:: shopping mall japan - a little lower tech and reportedly slightly slower than the other two, the big draw to this place is price, and that's a big draw!
shopping mall japan fee breakdown:
Base fee of $5.00 for auctions up to ¥2,000.
Base fee of $8.00 for auctions ¥2,001 up to ¥4,000.
A flat $2.00 wire fee per auction or special order
Plus shipping from auctioneer to their storehouse in Japan.
more fee info here
misc help
:: rinkya - Click on their categories to the right and you can browse Yahoo! Auctions in English (okay Engrish).
:: new sphere - a rather handy translation tool. Don't expect proper grammar (Love Hina to them equals Love Chicken), but it can help you navigate yourself around yahoo japan auctions.
:: yahoo currency exchange - need yen to dollar? check here
tips
check doujinshika's own site - Most aren't fancy, however doujinshi artists usually keep their websites updated with their new work and when it will come out. If you enjoy an artist, this is your first step. You can usually find their webpage inside a doujinshi.
use the japanese of jpqueen or the djka's own site - Hunting down a doujinshi can be hard. So use what you can. If the doujinshika ever had an item on jpqueen, you can easily get the typed out japanese text of their name and save it to WordPad or another Word Doc that provides Japanese text support. Write yourself a little note next to each and then copy and paste when you want to search through y! japan or another Japanese site.
random info on japanese auctions
You may notice how Japanese auctions are much less wordy than american auctions. It has to do with postal and cultural differences. Since Japan is a rather small country there is a flat rate for sending items such a doujinshi inside of Japan so the postage cost is understood without the seller needing to discuss it. Also, unlike the blinking ads and use of the words "great" "excellent" etc... that you often see from English sellers, are rarely used by Japanese sellers. It's an understood and unspoken that every item is in perfect condition unless specified. For Japanese sellers, the picture and bare-bones description should be enough to sell you on the item.
Which coincidentally helps English speaking sellers buy an item without worrying that they'll get jipped on the price. ^^