Wherever you are in the world, you’re probably at least somewhat familiar with raffles. You buy a number of entries (usually tickets), they’re thrown into a box, and a select number of tickets are drawn as the winners. Each ticket has an equal chance of winning a prize, but not every ticket wins. It’s all good fun (if you’re a winner, anyway).
But losing stinks, right? What if you want to be a winner EVERY TIME? Then you’ll want to try a kuji raffle.
What is a [Character] Kuji?
(Not to be confused with actually lotteries)
With the rise of blind boxes and gachas, Japan has been enhancing the thrill of purchasing anime, manga, and game merch. Character kuji, especially Ichiban Kuji, has been a popular way of potentially winning a beautiful figure or large plush for a cheaper price.
Convenience stores, bookstores, game centers, and of course anime shops all over Japan have sold Ichiban Kuji pulls (or draws) for between 350 JPY and 800 JPY each. (Kuji prices can vary.) If you purchase a kuji pull, you’re guaranteed to win one of the prizes.
However, in recent years, many kuji have opted to sell pulls online—sometimes even exclusively.
💡Tip: While most other proxy services avoid purchasing kuji items for customers, DEJAPAN can make the purchase for you!
Important Terms with Kuji
Now, before you go and start ordering kuji pulls, there are a few key words and phrases you should understand before jumping in.
- Random: The results are entirely random with the probability displayed on the page. While this used to be the standard, this format has become quite rare in recent years.
- Box: Each account is given a box, or a box can be selected. Each box has the same number of items at the start, and results are pulled from this pool. It gives a higher guarantee of winning if you have a specific item you want to pull. Most online kuji now follow this formula.
- Bonus Item: Most kuji raffles provide a bonus item if 10 pulls are purchased together. If you want to get the bonus item, you’ll need to purchase 10 draws all at once (not separately) as they can’t be added together after the fact.
- Last One Prize: A special, limited edition item which can only be claimed if you pull the last item in the box. It acts as an incentive to pull items, even if the remaining prizes are of a lower rarity.
Comparing Kuji Sites
There are plenty of online kuji sites these days. Most of them showcase different anime or character goods. From Jujutsu Kaisen and Oshi no Ko to Mofusand and even Pino ice cream, there’s a kuji raffle for almost any fandom.
We’ve gathered some of the top sites below to compare.
(You can view more information about each site through the hyperlinked site name.)
| Site | Types of Prizes | Price Range (as of date) | Shipping Fee and Time | Special Feature(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ichiban Kuji ONLINE | Exclusive anime, manga, and game-themed figures, plushies, and other merch from mainstream fandoms | 550 – 3,000 JPY | • 660 JPY • Usually ships 10 days after pull | Last One Prize (If you pull the last draw, you will get a bonus item) |
Kujibikido | Limited-edition anime, manga, and video game merch (especially for less mainstream series) | 550 – 770 JPY | • 550 JPY (every 20 pulls) • Ships 2-4 months after kuji is over (written on kuji’s page) | Bonus Item (Every 10 pulls) |
Sega Lucky Kuji | Popular anime, manga, and game prizes, plus the popular Yakuza video game series | 500 – 800 JPY | • 660 JPY • Ships 4 months after kuji is over (written on kuji’s page) | Bonus Item (Every 10 pulls) |
Kujimate | Prizes focus on popular anime, game, and voice actor collabs with that Animate quality | 770 – 1,100 JPY | • 594 JPY Free shipping with orders over 8,800 JPY | Can be purchased and shipped with other Animate orders (will ship only when all items are in stock) |
DMM Scratch! | In addition to anime and manga goodies, prizes also include VTuber merch and other special prizes (e.g., food, household items, and cosmetic items) | 770 – 1,940 JPY* | • 660 JPY (every 20 pulls) • Shipping date varies (written on kuji’s page) | Has a pity system. (Can get the prize you want after 50 pulls) |
Gashapon Online | Prizes are varied, ranging from larger figures to small keychains, mimicing the prizes from the ever-popular gashapon machines in Japan | 300 – 1,500 JPY** | • 660 JPY | Same prizes as a real Gachapon machine |
**Some premium gacha items can be up to 9,900 JPY. 🤯
Honorable Mentions:
These kuji have a more targeted genre compared to the ones on the chart.
- Oshi-Challe – Focuses on series targeted towards a female audience. Top prizes are unique art, while the rest are from the original manga. You can be sure to find some hidden gems here!
- Manpuku Gacha – Features gachas using art from official shoujo manga! While they lack in quantity, the quality of the items are top-notch.
- GamersKuji – Has kuji leaning more towards a male-targeted audience. While featuring anime series, they also have kuji of real idols and visual novel characters as well!
- Prism Chance – A kuji site that features BL manga series! Prizes are not just limited to new artwork, but also feature adorable plushies of the main ship.
- Melonbooks Kuji – Features kuji with more…adult content. Kids—stay away! ⚠️⛔
Although there are a variety of character kuji sites now, Ichiban-Kuji by far has the most active kuji and has options for many series.
How to Purchase?
Many proxies may not accept orders for character kuji, however, DEJAPAN can order them for you with 3 easy steps!
- Go to our Request Form and enter the URL for the kuji you wish to pull.
- Set the price and quantity and complete the payment.
- Once we receive your order, our Purchase team will make the order for you. We will send you a screenshot of your winnings via email so you know what you have won.
You will receive an email notification once your items have arrived at our Warehouse. Then, you can consolidate your parcel with other orders.
Personal Tips from Niko
DEJAPAN’s biggest otaku, Niko, regularly buys items from these sites for herself, and she has a few tips for new (and old!) customers when it comes to kuji.
Tip #1: Know When to STOP
Even if it’s a guaranteed win, kuji raffles are still a game of chance. It’s a type of gambling, and it can quickly become an addiction for some people. We know that the thrill of the gamble is enticing, but Niko insists that it’s important to set a limit for yourself.
Set a money limit or a pull limit before your purchase, and stick to it! This ensures that you won’t overspend OR get loaded with too many items that you didn’t want.
Tip #2: Be Alright with Low-Level Prizes
While there’s always a chance of winning the grand prize, let’s be honest. No matter how many pulls you buy, you’re more likely to win a bunch of low-level items rather than the big kahuna. Knowing this, before purchasing any pulls, make sure you’re alright with the low-level prizes for that particular kuji. If you’re not really feeling the small items, then it’s probably more worth your while to skip that kuji and look for something better.
Tip #3: Search for a Specific Series
Niko’s final tip is to search for a specific series you’re interested in. If you like a certain anime or character series enough, you’ll probably like any item you win—big or small. You’re guaranteed to have a successful, happy kuji experience if you already like the characters.
How do you search by series, though? Well, it’s simple. Just enter the series name plus “kuji” into your preferred search engine, and voilà—kuji raffles for your favorite series. 🤩 Depending on the series, you may even find that multiple sites are running kuji for that series. Pick one that suits your fancy, and feel free to shop to your heart’s content.
Conclusion
We’ve covered a lot of ground in this post, from explaining the basics of kuji raffles to comparing the most popular kuji sites. Plus, we taught you how to buy kuji through DEJAPAN (and some useful tips from Niko). Now you’re ready to go and score your own kuji items! ✨
So what are you waiting for? Feel free to submit an order for any of the kuji sites featured here (or anything else) via our Request Form.
Have any questions regarding an item or kuji you are interested in? Feel free to contact us or leave a comment below. We’d be more than happy to help! 😉
