Anime: It’s not just a form of entertainment, it’s a way of life.
Well, fine — for some people, it’s just a form of entertainment, but superfans love collecting merch, diving into character backstories, and discussing the latest plot twists with the anime/manga community. We’re here for it.
Anime subscription boxes provide regular deliveries of the type of stuff that delights fans. That might mean collectibles, snacks, manga, or something completely different, but if the box has great curation, it’ll keep even the most diehard otaku satisfied.
We dove deep to find the best anime subscription boxes currently available. On this list, you’ll find everything from show-specific crates to Japan-only snack boxes, but we prioritized boxes that focus on anime and/or manga. Whether you’re treating yourself or picking up a gift for a friend, these services should give you plenty of options.
Wherever possible, we’ve also included coupon codes to help you save. We think all of these boxes are worth the price, but the more you save, the more money you’ll have to pick up for the next One Piece box set (will that anime ever end, by the way?).
Best Anime Subscription Boxes in 2021
1. Loot Anime - Best Anime Subscription Box Overall
Best For: Serious anime fans looking for a variety of collectibles.
The Cost: Starts at $20.95 per crate, including shipping. Subscribe here.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off any length subscription, or $3 off month-to-month
CODE: ADDICTION or SAVE3
About This Box: One of the most popular anime subscription box options, Loot Anime delivers 4-6 items from well-known anime and manga franchises. You’ll receive apparel, licensed collectibles, figurines, and more — every crate is a surprise, but the service focuses on including hard-to-find items to delight anime lovers.
The featured animes vary greatly, but each box has a monthly theme. For example, their May 2021 “Magical Ani-May" box included merch from ENDRO!, Merc StoriA, Magical Girl Ore, and Black Clover. Each box has a retail value of $60 or more.
This isn’t a subscription box for casual anime fans — you’ve got to really know your stuff to appreciate the carefully curated contents. That’s exactly why we love it: Loot Anime is affordable, but it’s dedicated to real fan service.
Buying as a Gift: If you’re picking up a Loot Anime subscription as a gift, make sure that the recipient really loves anime — not just a specific show.
Check out our Loot Anime details for more information about this subscription.
2. Fangirl Monthly - Best Anime Subscription for Cosplay
Best For: Fangirls looking for an anime subscription crate with something extra.
The Cost: Plans start at $18 per month, but you can save more with longer subscriptions. Subscribe here.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $3 off your first month of any subscription!
CODE: MSA3
About This Box: The Fangirl Monthly subscription box is an excellent choice for all anime and manga fangirls (and the obvious keyword is fangirls). This is a gender-specific box that celebrates anime from a feminine perspective.
Each shipment will have 3-5 fun and interesting jewelry and accessory pieces along with a collectable postcard. All items are inspired by popular anime or manga stories.
Monthly boxes are curated based on a theme, and subscribers can expect to receive necklaces, bracelets, earrings (pierced or clip-on), rings, keychains, and other trinkets or lifestyle products. We love that the products are packaged in a cute drawstring bag — that adds a nice collectible element to the experience.
In addition to the monthly delivery, members also gain access to extra discounts and deals from the Fangirll shop. The Fangirl Monthly box is meant to inspire and spread the love of anime to people all around the world, and it’s especially great for those interested in cosplay.
Buying as a Gift: Any fangirl should love this crate, provided that they appreciate anime-inspired jewelry. The contents are fairly gender-specific, but the curation is on point.
Check out our Fangirl Monthly details for more information about this subscription.
3. My Hero Academia Box - Best Specific Anime Subscription Box
Best For: Fans of My Hero Academia.
The Cost: $39.99 per quarter. Save with a longer commitment. Subscribe here.
About This Box: My Hero Academia is a superhero manga series with a popular anime adaptation. If you’re reading this, you probably knew that (unless you’re considering this box as a gift).
Boxes are delivered on a quarterly basis (every three months) and include accessories, collectibles, stationery, homeware, decor, and apparel. You might receive vinyl figures, t-shirts, mugs, or just about anything else, but everything included is officially licensed My Hero Academia merchandise.
Provided through Culture Fly, this box is one of the most popular anime subscriptions available, but it’s specific to a single anime. If you haven’t fantasized about what your quirk would be — or if that last sentence made no sense to you — this probably isn’t the right box for you.
Buying as a Gift: If you’re absolutely sure that your recipient loves My Hero Academia, this subscription will delight them. If you’re not sure, we’d stick with one of the other anime subscription boxes on this list.
Check out our My Hero Academia Box details for more information about this subscription.
4. Manga Spice Cafe - Best Manga Subscription Box (With Extras)
Best For: Manga lovers. Because some manga may have violent themes, Manga Spice Cafe recommends the box for readers aged 15 and up.
The Cost: $38 per month + $5.95 shipping. Subscribe here.
About This Box: Okay, anime isn’t the same as manga, but if you love anime, chances are pretty good that you’ve also got some interest in Japanese graphic novels and comics. After all, if you really want to know what’s happening to One Punch Man, you’ve got to read the manga, right?
Manga Spice Cafe is intended to recreate the experience of a manga maid cafe — establishments that serve you delicious drinks and snacks as you explore your favorite manga. Each manga subscription box includes a cafe drink item, 3-5 Asian snacks, and 3 newly released manga. You’ll also receive an info sheet with info about the items you’ve received, so if you want to dig deeper into a manga or re-order a certain snack, you’ll know where to go.
Boxes are themed, so you might receive horror/mystery manga, romance manga, or something entirely different. That’s part of the fun!
We should also note that the manga are English-language only. Past boxes are also available in limited quantities through Manga Spice Cafe’s website.
Buying as a Gift: This box is a ton of fun, and if your recipient has any interest in manga or comics, it’s a safe buy. If they prefer a specific anime, however, they might not find the manga too compelling.
Check out our Manga Spice details for more information about this subscription.
5. Otaku Noir Collection - Best Comic/Manga Subscription Box
Best For: Manga and comic fans who want awesome collectibles, along with anyone who loves celebrating diversity in the comic community.
The Cost: Starts at $60 per quarter, but discounts are available for long-term subscriptions. Subscribe here.
About This Box: Otaku Noir is one of the newest entries on this list, and we absolutely love the concept. This quarterly manga subscription service features manga, graphic novels, comics, apparel and other collectibles created by artists of color.
The curators focus on products from small businesses and Black creators. You’ll receive plenty of readables (mostly comics, with a decent amount of manga), hand-selected by Otaku Noir co-founders Haneef and Kay.
The two curators founded Otaku Noir during the pandemic. Anime and comic conventions had been cancelled, so they looked for subscription boxes to find fresh content. They noticed that most manga and anime subscription boxes didn’t prioritize diversity — so they created their own subscription service to address that need.
We certainly wouldn’t describe this as a niche mystery box; anyone interested in manga and/or comics will love receiving each delivery. Haneef and Kay put enormous amounts of time and effort into curating their selections, and that approach has made this one of the best manga subscription crates available.
Buying as a Gift: This is a fantastic subscription box for comic fans and manga lovers. However, it doesn’t focus on anime specifically; it’s best for someone who loves exploring new characters.
Check out our Otaku Noir details for more information about this subscription.
6. The BAM! Anime Box - Best Anime Subscription for Exclusive Collectibles
Best For: Anime lovers who are also interested in collecting autographs.
The Cost: $34.99 per month plus shipping. Subscribe here.
About This Box: The BAM! Anime subscription box is curated by fans, for fans. BAM! subscriptions are the original autograph subscription boxes, and every box contains an authentic celebrity autograph plus premium, themed collectibles. The autographs are the real deal — they’re independently authenticated by Beckett Authentication Services, so you’ll have proof that your collectible is valuable.
The anime-specific BAM! box is a monthly delivery that’s filled with — you guessed it — anime-inspired items. Each box typically includes comics, fan-art, enamel pins, or even movie props. As we mentioned earlier, you’ll also get a celebrity autograph.
Boxes are totally different every month, which makes each delivery a fun surprise. Your subscription also gives you opportunities to enter giveaways for special items. After subscribing, you can join the BAM! online community to connect with other box subscribers or even trade items.
With a low monthly cost and exclusive items, the BAM! Anime box is incredibly consistent. As with some of the other boxes on this list, you’ll need a wide knowledge of the world of anime to appreciate every single item, but every box will give you something to show off to your friends.
Buying as a Gift: If your recipient loves collecting, the BAM! Anime Box is the perfect choice for them. It’s an affordable way to show them that you support their fandom.
Check out our BAM! Box details for more information about this subscription.
7. NihonBox - Best Anime Subscription Box for Exploring Japanese Culture
Best For: Japan-lovers who enjoy anime, but want a wider variety of products.
The Cost: Starts at $31.99 per month plus shipping. Subscribe here.
ACTIVE DEAL: $3 off your first box!
CODE: ILOVENIHONBOX
About This Box: If you love everything that Japan has to offer, NihonBox offers wonderful value. Each month, the service sends at least 6 objects imported directly from Japan. That includes everything from anime figurines and manga to traditional furishiki and matcha-coated strawberries.
Needless to say, this box has plenty of range. Each delivery is a surprise, but you’ll get plenty of collectibles (and quite a few tasty treats). Boxes are themed; previous themes included “Team Spirit,” “Aki No Heroes,” and “Bakemono.” Some specific past items have been keychains, a porcelain Kitsune mask, Osomatsu-san plush, Tokyo Ghoul socks, and a Japanese miso bowl.
With its low monthly price and emphasis on quality, NihonBox makes a great gift. It’s also ideal for treating yourself — you’ll never know what you’ll get, but you’ll find new ways to grow your appreciation of Japanese culture.
Buying as a Gift: If your recipient loves Japanese culture, this might be the best gift subscription on this list. However, not all boxes are anime specific.
Check out our NihonBox details for more information about this subscription.
Looking for more boxes to geek out over? Check out:
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