Of all the online shops I’ve used for Japanese goods so far, Amazon.co.jp has got to be the best (with CD Japan coming in closely behind). They ship most of their stuff within 24 hours and they arrive at my doorstep in Singapore in 2 or 3 days flat. That’s insanely fast, and the shipping rates are not really through the roof either. Its so godamn fast that the stuff usually arrives before they can even deduct the cash from my debit card account XD And none of the stuff has been even the slightest bit damaged thus far.
However, I recommend Amazon.co.jp only for artbooks or Visual Fanbooks, as those cost enough to offset the 300 yen per item cost. If you want to purchase stuff like light novels or manga, its still better to go to Kinokuniya. Ultimately, the prices would be almost the same, but the difference is that you can browse through the stuff in the bookshop before making a final purchase. Plus if you are a Kinokuniya member, it is slightly cheaper to purchase from Kinokuniya compared to online.
Purchasing artbooks off Amazon.co.jp is MUCH CHEAPER than anywhere in Singapore (and probably most of Asia as well) EVEN with the shipping cost factored in. For example, the Little Busters! Visual Fanbook cost me a base price of 3150 yen (SGD$41) and probably about 4000 yen (SGD$52) if you factor the shipping in, which is still much cheaper than the inflated SGD$66.42 offered at Kinokuniya. If you don’t believe me, you can just take a trip down to the Orchard Branch one of these days to checkout the artbook section. The Little Busters! fanbooks have been sitting there for quite sometime now.
I would also recommend purchasing at least 5 items to cut down the average shipping cost (but be sure not to exceed SGD$400 as the government will charge GST!). I added in a light novel (Shakugan no Shana vol. 1) to lower the ASC, and the other items are the first two ARIA artbooks, the latest issue of Comp’s H and of course, the Little Busters! Visual Fanbook.
Arguebly, the Visual Fanbook was actually an impulse purchase initiated by this English review, the first English review I ever saw on Amazon.co.jp which did result in much lulz! Whoever this guy is, he has demonstrated enough knowledge of modern Japanese visual culture to write a competent anime blog and should:
I will probably be dedicating editorial blogposts to the artbooks after I go through them a few times in lazy Sunday afternoons with Key/ARIA soundtracks playing in the background and a nice cold beer 
Bonus: This issue of Comp’s H came with a Tomoyo serving you bento in bed A4 size “clear” folder. I don’t forsee myself bringing this one to school for fear of damaging it XD
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June 3, 2008 at 8:40 pm
bj0rN
I thought that CompH was quite old already. And i got my LB Artbook from kino during the 20%. A good 40+ bux too
June 3, 2008 at 8:47 pm
dKiWi
It was out of stock in SG when I wanted to purchase it but Amazon always overstocks this kind of stuff. Comp H is tricky to get locally since its not a regular publication. Will sell out soon though.
Yupz the LB artbook is like… oh my f*cking god! if you like Key’s works and don’t get this one you’re doing yourself a huge disservice. Natsume Rin’s blur moe-ness is not too far behind Noumi’s closed-eyes moe look ^^
June 3, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Stripey
The LB! Fanbook is indeed very impressive. Hardcover and massively packed with artwork, CG and more, it’s good value for money indeed.
And boy I need to learn to shop with Amazon.jp!
June 3, 2008 at 10:36 pm
moexdx
talking about Kinokuniya, I remembered seeing them selling a Serial Experiments lain artbook at SGD$98.. and if i’m not wrong, the book actually had the price USD$25 printed on it..
June 3, 2008 at 10:48 pm
dKiWi
lol teh horror! But to correct wrong sentiments, Kinokuniya does provide very competitive prices for a lot of their imports, particularly manga imported from Taiwan. Its just that they figured that artbooks cater to a niche interest and probably decided to take advantage of imperfect knowledge.
I called them up when Seven Seas was shipping their very first light novels and they said they ain’t taking them either, sheesh. We always got Ani-Play though.
June 4, 2008 at 5:10 am
Crisu
I make Amazon.co.jp orders every two months so I can get the latest Comp H’s. Although this bimonth’s issue seems to be late (or discontinued?). I get the Megami Magazines, too, and a friend orders Comp Ace, Shounen Ace, Dengeki Daioh, and Comptiq.
Group orders are the best, so you can split that 2700 yen base shipping (before the 300yen per item). At least it’s 2700 for America; I don’t know how much express shipping is to Singapore.
I agree that the speed is awesome, and the prices are pretty much the best you’ll get for the speed, quality, and convenience.
Now if only I lived in Japan, so I can get free shipping after spending 1500 yen. Just 1500 yen!
June 4, 2008 at 9:54 am
dKiWi
base is 1900 yen to SG for books and 1400 yen for DVDs and CDs or Blu-Ray discs. I’m planning to get 5 centimetres per second on blu-ray soon ^^
The prices are damn bloody low. Its such a pity that you can’t purchase eroge and visual novels from Amazon.co.jp. SUCH A PITY…. it would save me a bomb. I’m planning to get Clannad Full Voice and Planetarian sometime soon, and I think I’ll have to rely on PaletWeb (not sure whether they are trustworthy) or Himeya Shop (they are great, but the prices are somewhere in the stratosphere).
And Comp H’s is not a regular publication like I said. Its not even bi-monthly. Verified this with the Kinokuniya staff when I wasn’t really into Amazon.co.jp. Its under NewType and they just publish one whenever they wanna fight with Megami lulz.
October 23, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Barbara60
Most people agree that it is legitimate for jewelers to make ornaments out of raw gold, but they often deny that the same applies to the manufacture of coins. ,