The tariffs have been a walking nightmare for us otakus. Now, with this ruling, is there light at the end of the tunnel?

Since the start of Donald Trump’s tariffs, our way of otaku life has taken a massive toll. This ranges from price increases on home media like anime DVDs and Blu-rays, manga and light novels, and—arguably the worst—merchandise goods such as figures and cosplay items. Trump’s harsh tariffs on numerous nations around the world, including the motherland Japan, as well as China and Vietnam, have driven up prices for our goods to levels never seen before. To make matters worse, other sweeping trade policies—like the removal of the de minimis exemption—have made direct imports from Japan far more difficult and expensive. The situation became such a mess that numerous Japanese companies, such as Good Smile Company, AmiAmi, Tokyo Otaku Mode, and Solaris Japan, had to temporarily suspend shipments or dramatically change their policies for online purchases to the US. Things got so chaotic that some goods were delayed or even canceled outright. Tariffs have caused horrific harm to us otakus.

Now, today—February 20, 2026—there may finally be light at the end of the tunnel. The United States Supreme Court has struck down Trump’s tariff policy. In light of the chaos and price hikes we’ve endured, what does this exactly mean? The truth is, it’s genuinely good news and a huge relief for us otakus. As we all know, these tariffs have made collecting and our way of otaku life much harder ever since they were implemented. When Trump announced the so-called “Liberation Day” last year, launching sweeping tariffs across nations—including Japan and much of East and Southeast Asia—prices exploded, and nothing has been the same since. Now, with this ruling, what will happen next?

With the Supreme Court’s ruling, first we have to take a look at exactly what was affected and how they were affected?

First, we all know that home media—aka anime DVDs and Blu-rays—was affected by these tariffs. According to some consumers, even though home media wasn’t always directly targeted, many noticed prices increasing nonetheless. Anime DVDs and Blu-rays shot up in prices following the sweeping tariffs that were enacted. Series like Demon Slayer, Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen, and other less mainstream ones like Oshi no Ko and Spy x Family saw dramatic price increases. Limited editions imported directly from Japan (such as those from CDJapan) were atrociously affected, with prices shooting up to unprecedented levels. Even American companies like Crunchyroll and Sentai Filmworks saw dramatic price increases due to import duties—not just for consumers, but for the companies themselves as well. Trump’s potential threat to impose tariffs on foreign movie production outside the US also caused anxious reactions among fans, though it never materialized.

Anime home media has always been expensive—this is nothing new. That’s why when otakus show off their collections, most DVD and Blu-ray hauls are usually pretty small. Heck, it’s the same for me. For some reason, anime home media feels less accessible and slower to invest in compared to manga, which is much cheaper, easier to get, and widely available almost anywhere. Of course, prices still went up during the tariff period—not always through base price changes themselves, but via the direct tariffs that added duty taxes. Most ranged from 10–20%, sometimes a whopping 20–50% increase, making imports of home media from Japan far more expensive. And with the removal of de minimis, let’s just say collecting anime home media became a living nightmare. Average prices jumped to $80–150, when in the past (and I remember this because I still buy home media) they used to be $50–90. I’m not kidding…

Similar to anime, manga books were affected by the tariffs. Although, unlike anime—which bore the brunt of the tariffs—manga impacts were mostly mild. Most manga prices remained about the same, especially since the materials and resources used for manga were largely exempt from the specific tariffs implemented by the president. Either way, manga still fell under the tariff bracket, which imposed a 24–26% rate. Notably, manga also fell under the section of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS Chapter 49, codes like 4901 for printed books/brochures/leaflets), which classified manga as informational materials. This helped manga narrowly avoid a hard tariff, as opposed to anime DVDs and Blu-rays.

Nonetheless, manga was still somewhat affected by these tariffs—not specifically on the base prices themselves, but once again through imports. Everything that happened with anime DVDs and Blu-rays happened in exactly the same way with manga. The absence of the de minimis exemption, combined with import duties via Japanese companies, shortages, taxes, shipping issues like delays and cancellations, turned collecting manga directly from Japan into a huge issue for otaku manga collectors. Not to mention that companies like Crunchyroll, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and local comic stores faced serious survival threats due to these tariffs. It’s not so much about wanting to buy a Japanese One Piece volume at the labeled price from Japan, but more about the extra taxes that come with it. Tariffs were instrumental in causing these price hikes. Although manga’s overall effect was mild, it still caused massive headaches for manga readers and the otaku community.

Finally, perhaps the most affected part of otaku life that the tariffs brought hell to is merchandise and cosplay—ranging from figures, model kits, plushies, costumes, collectibles, and all other exclusive goods directly from Japan that are so popular among otakus. The tariffs weren’t just bad; they were devastating. The toll was so powerful that, even though the ruling has reversed them, many—including myself—say the damage has already been done.

Most of the merchandise we buy and collect, even though it’s from Japan, is actually made with materials or components from China. Trump implemented up to 50% tariffs on Chinese-made goods in some cases (though rates varied and stacked). Speaking of China, Vietnam is another major country producing figures and similar goods, and it to bore the brunt of the tariffs—making alternative production routes almost impossible. Because of this, items like figurines, model kits (such as Gunpla), and plushies (like those from the Fumo or Fuwa Furwa series) were atrociously affected. The unprecedented price increases were so horrific that they caused massive interruptions across the community, companies, and even the entire industry.

Prices shot up to crazy and unprecedented levels. The changes in these tariffs caused anime figures to range from $50–$100 more in many cases, in part due to the added duties passed directly to consumers. If the figure you wanted was already too expensive, imagine how much worse it got when you had to pay those additional duties on top. The chaotic changes in US-Japan trade caused many Japanese companies—most notably AmiAmi—to suspend deliveries or switch to costlier non-postal shipping, delaying orders by weeks or months. To make matters even worse, otakus importing directly via Japan Post faced suspensions, forcing reliance on pricier couriers like DHL.

To add further insult, due to the removal of the de minimis exemption—which previously allowed duty-free entry for goods valued under $800, with minimal paperwork and quick clearance (often just basic postal handling fees)—all shipments, regardless of value, now face formal or informal customs entry in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). The following consequences ensued:

• Applicable tariffs/duties (e.g., base rates on media like HTS codes for video discs, which might be low or zero in some cases, but layered with any remaining sector-specific ones).

• Brokerage/disbursement fees from carriers (FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.)—typically $50–$200+ per package for processing, even if duties are low.

• Potential Merchandise Processing Fees (MPF) and other charges.

• For postal shipments (e.g., Japan Post), there were temporary flat fees or percentage duties during transition, but full ad valorem rules apply now. This turns a simple $60–$90 import into something costing $100–$200+ in extras alone.

So there you have it—if you’ve noticed that the figure you always wanted is more expensive now than it was two years ago, well, you can thank the removal of the de minimis exemption. Sadly, this Supreme Court ruling doesn’t mean it will automatically come back. So, expect fees and shipping compliance to still be enforced for the time being.

This was a quick summary of what the Tariffs have done. Now, keep in mind, I’m not an economist. What I gave you was just a fraction of what these tariffs are doing to our goodies. With the supreme court’s ruling, what will happen next?

Tariff Collection Halt:

Effective immediately, the IEEPA tariffs will no longer apply to new imports. What does this mean? Simple: no more freaking 10–50% duties at the border. I’m confident and sure that many companies, such as Good Smile Company and AmiAmi, will be eager to do business again properly—without the fear of overcharging and uncertain business prospects that caused massive instability for the US anime market as a whole. It is widely believed that, slowly but surely, prices should start dropping pretty soon, and for those wanting to buy a figure from Japan, it’s surely expected to pay less than before. However, remember: the de minimis exemption still hasn’t been recovered yet. Goods valued under the price range will still have to comply with duties, meaning brokerage charges ($50–$200+ per package). So, if you’re planning some mega hauls, you may want to look at your budget first and find a way to buy them all without paying a bulk of extra fees.

Concerns Over Trump’s New Tariff Plan:

Obviously, Trump was quick to denounce the Supreme Court’s decision and has already announced a new 10% tariff plan implemented worldwide. This is being done under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. This act will likely take effect in a few days. The rates are much lower compared to before, but they will definitely still cause a few tiny headaches—though nothing as painful as the previous ones. It is capped at 15% under this authority and is temporary, lasting up to 150 days without congressional approval. Meaning, if Trump does not get Congress to finalize or extend this new order, the act will expire—meaning full tariffs (with the exception of de minimis issues) will be fully gone. He’s also eyeing Section 301 for targeted probes into “unfair” practices, which might hit electronics (e.g., anime-themed peripherals) or toys again.

What to do Next?

You may want to start a shopping spree already now that these tariffs have been removed. However, keep in mind that you may want to do it as soon as possible because that new 10% tariff will be added again in a few days. Of course, remember those tariffs are temporary unless Trump gets approval from Congress. However, with the GOP’s reaction, it is very unlikely that he will be able to get approval from Congress, as many of his own party members strongly object to his tariff policy. The removal of the IEEPA tariffs is a massive hurdle lifted—it was a monstrous tax-eating policy that held back a LOT of hauls that many otakus love to do. When it comes to de minimis, you may want to carefully check what you’re going to buy, because remember: you still have to comply with the rule, and any goods over the value threshold will no longer qualify for exemption—regardless of price, you’ll still have to pay duties and fees.

Shortages will be less likely to be an issue compared to before. The tariffs caused massive disruptions that led to widespread shortages of goods. That’s why many items that were readily available online between 2020 and 2024 are now mostly difficult to find—tariffs created huge chaos for consumers. Expect the free market for goods not sold directly by official companies to start correcting itself. Meaning, if you check places like local shops, anime conventions, or online marketplaces like eBay and others, we might see prices drop as the tariffs’ influence on free-market pricing fades. They played a big role in inflating costs and causing massive headaches for us otakus.

I don’t want to blow the confetti just yet, but with this stepping stone, I definitely feel like things will get a lot better for us otakus. The tariffs ate us alive and made it hard to buy the goods we wanted. While it’s not a full blowout, I’m sure that step by step, we’ll get one. I miss my Gunpla hauls and my anime figure hauls, and cosplay hauls aren’t easy at the moment, so I’m hoping things will get better. At the rate it’s going, I’m confident it will!

Thanks for reading my fellow otakus! Don’t forget to like, share, follow, and check out my socials!