Tokyo, Japan, a city that features Asian art and antiques juxtaposed with contemporary art, where visitors would be struck by the importance of animation art or anime in the bustling Asian city.

For collectors, anime has a long history and great appeal. While the first Japanese animated film, The Story of the Concierge Mukuzo Imokawa was produced by Hekoten Shimokawa in 1917, the popular animated TV series called Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka (Japanese, 1928-1989, a.k.a. The Father of Manga) prompted the rise of commercial animation in Japan with its initial 1963 broadcast.

Through the late 20th Century original Japanese anime was based on comics and fairy tales like Anpanman, Crayon Shin-chan, and Space Battleship Yamato among others. The 1990s saw animation change from cel to digital animation techniques with recent examples like Knights of Sidonia and Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter.

Over the last ten years since 2010, full length feature animated films were all the rage like Detective Conan and Your Name crushing box office sales records. In 2017, Japanese animation earned almost 1 trillion Japanese yen or 9,134,000,000.00 US dollars in the world market, thus making the animated art form a major player in providing entertaining TV and internet content worldwide.

For collectors, anime collectibles are doing well in the marketplace both nationally in Japan and on the international market too. For instance, a signed original illustration drawing in marker of Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka, circa 1980 sells for $5,000. Other collectibles from a pair of sneakers to figures in mixed media range in value from $500 to $2,500.00. For instance, a 2012 KAWS Astro Boy (Grey) painted cast vinyl figure in its original box by Medicom Toy and OriginalFake of Tokyo sold for $2,600 in a Chicago auction recently.

If you are a visitor to Tokyo, you will have no problem experiencing anime. I was excited by the anime I experienced on my recent trip there. Actually, anime is basically everywhere. From public monuments like the Mobile Suit Gundam bronze statue near Kami-Igusa station to the GeGeGe no Kitaro tea shop near the entry gate at Jindai-ji Temple, animation art is highlighted throughout the city.

Many enjoy the world of Hello Kitty at Sanrio Puroland and the Hello Kitty and Shimajiro monuments at Tama center Shimajiro Square complete with related manhole cover designs featuring Hello Kitty holding an umbrella. Artists worldwide have made the famous Japanese anime Hello Kitty a household name. A Tom Sach’s sculpture from 2001 depicts a seated Hello Kitty made of bondo, acrylic, and ink on bronze signed and numbered in an edition of 25 which sold for $20,000 at auction in New York city. If this is out of your price range, get your hands on a serial animated colored newsprint magazine from any Tokyo convenience store which will only set you back a few dollars.

Dr. Lori Verderame is the award-winning Ph.D. antiques appraiser on History channel’s #1 hit show, The Curse of Oak Island and weekdays on the Doctor and the Diva. Dr. Lori presents her Antiques Appraisal Comedy Show to audiences nationwide. Visit www.DrLoriV.com/events. Call (888) 431-1010.

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