HobbyLink Japan
HobbyLink Japan Ltd. is a privately held Japanese online retailer operating hlj.com and hlj.co.jp, selling 120,000+ anime figures, model kits, and collectibles directly to hobbyists and businesses across 220+ countries via a custom multi-currency e-commerce platform with integrated global shipping.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersSano, Japan
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What HobbyLink Japan does
HobbyLink Japan Ltd. is a privately held Japanese e-commerce retailer founded in 1995 as an online overseas mail-order business and formally incorporated on January 6, 1997; it is headquartered in Sano, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, and operates approximately 70 employees as of March 2025. The company's primary product is hlj.com—the company's flagship international e-commerce platform cataloguing over 120,000 hobby products spanning anime and action figures (MAFEX, S.H.Figuarts, figma, Nendoroid), Gundam plastic model kits, scale models (aircraft, military, ships, cars, railroad), hobby publications, apparel, and collectibles—plus a parallel domestic storefront at hlj.co.jp launched in 2009. The platform is custom-built and supports 125+ currencies, 9 international shipping options, and shipping to 220+ countries, with bilingual English/Japanese customer support.
The technology stack centers on a proprietary e-commerce platform with multi-currency display, inventory management, and an integrated shipping/logistics backbone. Differentiated platform features include the Private Warehouse free-storage system (allowing customers to hold items for up to 60 days for order consolidation or splitting—currently suspended indefinitely) and a prepayment-free preorder workflow in which customers reserve upcoming releases and are only charged upon fulfillment. HobbyLink Japan earns revenue across three streams: (1) B2C retail of hobby goods priced in domestic Japanese yen to international buyers, (2) B2B wholesale to other retailers and resellers, and (3) third-party logistics and e-commerce services (3PL/3PEC) to outside companies that use its warehouse and fulfillment infrastructure. Beyond the retail storefront, the company operates sub-brands HLJ Pop (fan manufacturing, launched 2019), HLJ Select (premium and limited-edition collectibles, launched 2019), and hobbylink.tv (content including Gunpla TV and Toy Tengoku on YouTube), alongside a wholly-owned subsidiary, Beaver Corporation (acquired December 2013). Distribution partnerships include exclusive international agreements with GomoraKick (Kaiyodo International) for premium Ultraman statues and limited-edition replicas. Revenue figures, funding history, and ownership structure beyond founding management are not publicly disclosed.
HobbyLink Japan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HobbyLink Japan
- Legal name
- HobbyLink Japan Ltd.
- Website
- https://hlj.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- HobbyLink Japan Ltd. is a privately held Japanese online retailer operating hlj.com and hlj.co.jp, selling 120,000+ anime figures, model kits, and collectibles directly to hobbyists and businesses across 220+ countries via a custom multi-currency e-commerce platform with integrated global shipping.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HobbyLink Japan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Hobby & Collectibles Retail
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Toy and Hobby Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423920)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Collectibles, Trading Cards & Blind Box Toys Retail (CRALAFAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Hobby & Model Kits Distribution (RC, Scale Models, Miniatures) (CRAOAMAD)
Keywords
Where HobbyLink Japan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sano
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
HobbyLink Japan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- B2C Retail Sales: Direct retail sales of hobby products including anime figures, action figures, model kits, Gundam products, hobby publications, and collectibles to individual consumers worldwide.
- B2B Wholesale: Wholesale sales of hobby products to other businesses and retailers.
- Third-Party Logistics and E-Commerce Services (3PL/3PEC): Provides logistics, warehousing, and e-commerce services to other companies, generating service fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual product pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
HobbyLink Japan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HobbyLink Japan operates the world's largest online hobby retailer (hlj.com) selling over 120,000 Japanese hobby products — anime figures, action figures, plastic model kits (Gundam, military, aircraft, ships, cars), hobby publications and collectibles — directly to individual hobbyists in 220+ countries at domestic Japanese prices with multi-currency checkout and nine international shipping options. It complements retail with the Private Warehouse storage and consolidation service, the hobbylink.tv content division, and the HLJ Pop and HLJ Select in-house product lines, alongside B2B wholesale and third-party logistics/fulfillment services for other businesses.
Product overview
HobbyLink Japan operates a multi-platform e-commerce ecosystem centered on HLJ.com, the world's largest online hobby retailer. The core offering includes over 120,000 hobby products across anime figures, model kits, Gundam products, and collectibles. Key supporting services include Private Warehouse for consolidated shipping optimization and hobbylink.tv for content creation. The company extends its reach through sub-brands: HLJ Pop (manufacturing brand for anime/pop culture goods) and HLJ Select (premium collectibles), while providing wholesale, third-party logistics (3PL), and third-party e-commerce services (3PEC) to business partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HLJ Pop: Manufacturing brand for anime, sci-fi, and pop culture goods, created by fans for fans. Launched with Animemories product line.
- HLJ Select
Products and services
- HobbyLink Japan Online Store (HLJ.com) International e-commerce storefront offering over 120,000 Japanese hobby products — anime figures, action figures, plastic model kits (Gundam, military, aircraft, ships, cars), hobby publications and collectibles — to individual hobbyists worldwide, with multi-currency checkout in 125+ currencies and nine international shipping options.
- HLJ Domestic Store (hlj.co.jp) Domestic Japanese e-commerce storefront at hlj.co.jp selling the same catalog of Japanese hobby products to customers inside Japan.
- Private Warehouse
Quantifiable outcome
- Ships to over 220 countries worldwide
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use HobbyLink Japan
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
HobbyLink Japan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature2 records
HobbyLink Japan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- GomoraKick (Kaiyodo International)minorPartnership for exclusive US distribution of limited-edition 1/10 scale 3D-CAD replica of 'Discovery One' spaceship prop from '2001: A Space Odyssey' (160cm/5ft 3in length, handcrafted by Japanese modelers). Launched under HLJ Select premium merchandise brand.
- GomoraKick (Kaiyodo International)minorPartnership for premium Ultraman statues including Ultraman Tiga (80cm, ¥158,000), Ultraman Taro (35cm, ¥34,800), and Garamon (20cm, ¥59,800). GomoraKick provides highly-detailed statues sculpted by Takashi Kinoshita and Ryu Oyama, with exclusive international distribution by HobbyLink Japan.
- Beaver Corporationcore100% owned subsidiary of HobbyLink Japan Ltd. Located in Japan with its own website at beavercorp.jp. Acquired in December 2013 as a subsidiary company.
- MailchimpminorMarketing platform used for email newsletter distribution. Customer information is transferred to Mailchimp for processing in accordance with privacy practices.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
HobbyLink Japan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AmiAmi: Japan-based online retailer specializing in anime figures, model kits, and hobby goods with global shipping. Closest direct competitor to HLJ in the Japanese hobby e-commerce category.
- Mandarake: Largest Japanese specialty retailer of secondhand and new anime, manga, and hobby collectibles, with international shipping. Competes directly with HLJ for anime figure and collectible buyers.
- CDJapan: Japan-based e-commerce exporter of anime merchandise, figures, music, and hobby goods. Direct peer in cross-border Japanese hobby product export.
- BigBadToyStore: US-based online retailer of action figures, import toys, and collectibles. Competes with HLJ for North American collectors of Japanese import figures and model kits.
- Hobby Search (1999.co.jp): Japanese online hobby shop offering model kits, figures, and collectibles with international shipping. Direct head-to-head competitor in scale model and figure categories.
- Crunchyroll Store: Online retailer of anime merchandise including figures, apparel, and collectibles tied to Crunchyroll's streaming audience. Competes with HLJ in anime fan e-commerce.
Broad incumbents
- Good Smile Company: Major Japanese figure manufacturer and distributor (Nendoroid, figma, scale figures). Both supplier and adjacent retailer; competes for premium figure buyer mindshare.
- Amazon Japan: Dominant marketplace carrying hobby products, model kits, and collectibles. Competes with HLJ on convenience, pricing, and Prime shipping for the same buyer base.
- eBay: Global secondary marketplace with strong depth in collectible figures and rare hobby items. Competes with HLJ for international collectors, particularly for used/out-of-stock items.
- Kotobukiya: Established Japanese manufacturer of plastic model kits and figures with its own retail channels. Supplier to HLJ but also a competing retail destination for hobbyists.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HobbyLink Japan social profiles
Digital presenceHobbyLink Japan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HobbyLink Japan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
HobbyLink Japan subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
HobbyLink Japan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HobbyLink Japan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HobbyLink Japan
What does HobbyLink Japan do?
HobbyLink Japan operates the world's largest online hobby retailer (hlj.com) selling over 120,000 Japanese hobby products — anime figures, action figures, plastic model kits (Gundam, military, aircraft, ships, cars), hobby publications and collectibles — directly to individual hobbyists in 220+ countries at domestic Japanese prices with multi-currency checkout and nine international shipping options. It complements retail with the Private Warehouse storage and consolidation service, the hobbylink.tv content division, and the HLJ Pop and HLJ Select in-house product lines, alongside B2B wholesale and third-party logistics/fulfillment services for other businesses.
Is HobbyLink Japan a public or private company?
HobbyLink Japan is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was HobbyLink Japan founded?
HobbyLink Japan was founded in 1997. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is HobbyLink Japan based?
HobbyLink Japan is headquartered in Sano, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does HobbyLink Japan make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. B2C Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are B2B Wholesale and third-Party Logistics and E-Commerce Services (3PL/3PEC).
Who are HobbyLink Japan's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AmiAmi, Mandarake, CDJapan, BigBadToyStore, Hobby Search (1999.co.jp) and Crunchyroll Store. Broad incumbents are Good Smile Company, Amazon Japan, eBay and Kotobukiya.
Does HobbyLink Japan have an API?
No public API is recorded for HobbyLink Japan.
What industry is HobbyLink Japan in?
HobbyLink Japan's product category is Online Hobby & Collectibles Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAFAI, Collectibles, Trading Cards & Blind Box Toys Retail, with a secondary code of CRAOAMAD, Hobby & Model Kits Distribution (RC, Scale Models, Miniatures). Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.