Introduction
Today, there is one name that appears at almost every major anime convention and figure event around the world.
Good Smile Company.
From Nendoroid and POP UP PARADE to high-end scale figures, the company has become one of Japan’s most recognizable figure manufacturers.
But it did not begin as a toy company.
Founded in 2001, Good Smile Company originally operated as a talent management and event business.
Over the following two decades, however, it grew into far more than a successful figure manufacturer. Through new product lines, new production methods, and a different way of thinking about figure development, the company helped shape many of the practices that define the modern anime figure industry.
From Talent Agency to Figure Company
Good Smile Company was established in May 2001.
Its early business focused on talent management and event-related activities before gradually expanding into hobby products through OEM planning and confectionery toy projects.
In 2004, the company released its first original scale figure.
That marked a turning point.
What had started as a small entertainment business steadily evolved into one of Japan’s best-known figure manufacturers, producing collectibles based on anime, manga, games, and original characters.
Making Figures for More People
Founder Takanori Aki believed that high-quality figures should not exist only for a small group of dedicated collectors.
At the time, premium figures were often expensive products aimed at a niche audience.
Good Smile Company instead pursued the idea of making well-produced figures accessible to a wider range of fans.
This philosophy would later be reflected in many of the company’s product lines, from affordable collections to premium collector releases.
Even the nickname “GSC” or “Good Smile” reflected that approachable image.
Aki has recalled that while the shortened name initially sounded somewhat casual, he eventually felt that this friendliness matched the company’s goal of making figures feel more approachable without compromising quality.
Rethinking How Figures Are Made
Perhaps Good Smile Company’s greatest contribution was not a single product, but the way it approached figure production itself.
In the early 2000s, many garage kit creators handled almost every step themselves, from sculpting to painting.
Good Smile Company instead helped establish a production process built around specialists.
Sculptors focused on creating prototypes.
Finishers specialized in painting.
Directors supervised quality and consistency.
Producers coordinated projects and communicated with licensors and the market.
By clearly defining these roles, each specialist could develop deeper expertise, allowing increasingly complex figures to be produced with greater consistency.
Chasing the Original Character
Good Smile Company also encouraged a different philosophy toward character reproduction.
Rather than emphasizing the individual style of the sculptor, the company first focused on faithfully recreating the character that fans already knew.
During the early days of commercial figures, many products reflected the personal artistic interpretation of the sculptor.
Good Smile Company believed many collectors were looking for something different.
They wanted the character they loved to appear in three dimensions while preserving the original design.
Today, that approach feels natural, but it helped establish expectations that many collectors now take for granted.
Nendoroid Changed Collecting
In 2006, Good Smile Company introduced Nendoroid.
With oversized heads, interchangeable facial expressions, optional accessories, and affordable pricing, the series created an entirely new way to enjoy character figures.
Rather than owning a single expensive collectible, fans could collect many different characters while posing and displaying them in creative ways.
The series has continued to grow for nearly two decades and remains one of the company’s defining brands.
Beyond Japan
Today, Good Smile Company sells products around the world and operates internationally, including offices in the United States and China.
The company has also expanded domestic manufacturing by establishing production facilities in Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture while continuing to invest in new manufacturing technologies.
Its business now extends beyond figures into plastic models, accessories, games, and many other forms of entertainment.
More Than a Figure Company
Good Smile Company is more than a manufacturer of popular collectibles.
It helped demonstrate that anime figures could be produced through specialized teams, distributed globally, and enjoyed by both dedicated collectors and newcomers alike.
By combining careful production, close attention to original character designs, and a willingness to experiment with new product concepts, the company has become one of the defining names in Japan’s figure industry.
To understand why Japanese anime figures are respected around the world, it is difficult to tell that story without Good Smile Company.
