Animate specializes in anime and manga-related merchandise. Let’s take a look at the manga and anime culture that is growing in Ikebukuro from the perspective of Animate’s flagship store in Ikebukuro.
Exterior of the Animate Ikebukuro flagship storeOriginal Source: Animate
With locations across Japan, the anime store known as Animate is one of Japan’s leading specialty stores for anime and manga related merchandise.
In particular, the flagship store in Ikebukuro, Tokyo can be said to have one of the largest selections of such products in Japan.
On each floor of the store, they sell manga, anime, and game-related software, merchandise, and more.
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Ikebukuro, aiming to become an “International City of Arts and Culture,” is attracting attention as a city in the midst of redevelopment.Within Ikebukuro, there is also an area packed with female customers called Otome Road (lit., “Maiden Road”), where stores offering products that cater to women are concentrated. One of those stores, Animate is starting a new initiative in the city.
Interior view of the Animate Ikebukuro flagship store.Original Source: Photo by Yuka Ikenoya（YUKAI）
We visited the flagship store in Ikebukuro to find out why people are drawn to Animate and what initiatives the store is taking alongside the developing community.(July 2020 Interview).
Portrait of Chikako Uemura, manager of the Ikebukuro flagship storeOriginal Source: Photo by Yuka Ikenoya（YUKAI）
Creating a store that boosts anime and manga culture
“We try to increase the level of recognition of various works by creating in-store recommendations sections to display things like new products and works that customers respond well to,” says Chikako Uemura, manager of the Ikebukuro flagship store.
Besides sales, the store also hosts events featuring invited guests such as voice actors (seiyū), artists, and creators.
Interior view of the Animate Ikebukuro flagship store.Original Source: Photo by Yuka Ikenoya（YUKAI）
The maturing anime market
Because the flagship store in Ikebukuro is so large, it also attracts many customers from other prefectures and countries.
“Since there are many female-oriented stores in the surrounding area, the Ikebukuro flagship store has slightly more female customers. Our main customers are junior high school through university-age individuals, but we have many adult customers as well.”
Interior view of the Animate Ikebukuro flagship store.Original Source: Photo by Yuka Ikenoya（YUKAI）
In addition, the number of families visiting the store has increased in recent years. “People in the generation that grew up during the The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and K-ON! boom in the 2000s are now becoming parents, and we are seeing a trend where they are enjoying works from the revival of these series with their kids. The anime market seems to be maturing, as we are also seeing more grandparents and grandchildren visiting the store together.”
Interior view of the Animate Ikebukuro flagship store.Original Source: Photo by Yuka Ikenoya（YUKAI）
A source of information for communities across Japan and Asia
Animate stores are located across Japan and in other Asian countries. “There is always at least one store in each of the 47 prefectures. These stores serve as places for fans to gather and sources of information for each community.
We try to differentiate the stores by highlighting the characteristics of each community. For example, the Shinjuku store and Shibuya store promote works with a strong subcultural bent.”
Each store strives to utilize its own unique characteristics. In addition to nationwide sales promotions, stores also compete with each other in contests to show off their uniqueness through store displays.
Interior view of the Animate Ikebukuro flagship store.Original Source: Photo by Yuka Ikenoya（YUKAI）
A “symbol of Japan” for overseas fans
“Currently, because we have set up an environment that allows us to share contents from Japan with fans overseas, new works are gaining popularity without any time lag between the trends in Japan and abroad.”
Interior view of the Animate Ikebukuro flagship store.Original Source: Photo by Yuka Ikenoya（YUKAI）
“For customers who visit from abroad, Animate offers an extensive lineup of authentic, non-pirated products in the original Japanese at regular prices. Many think of Animate as a symbol of Japanese culture.”
The Animate Ikebukuro flagship store and neighboring Hareza IkebukuroOriginal Source: Photo by Yuka Ikenoya（YUKAI）
Contributing to Ikebukuro’s new urban development
Toshima City’s vision is to become an “International City of Arts and Culture.” To that end, the city has constructed various new infrastructures including the Hareza Ikebukuro commercial complex, which encompasses a movie theater, multipurpose hall, and other facilities. In March 2023, the Animate Ikebukuro flagship store also plans to be renovated and will have a larger grand opening. “Not only do we want to expand the store, we also want to create more spaces for events and boost manga and anime culture by collaborating with other facilities in the area.”
Animate is undergoing large-scale expansion focused on commercial contents.
Here in Ikebukuro, the “International City of Arts and Culture,” the store is attracting attention for the core role it plays in the city’s development initiatives. In collaborations with partners such as Hareza Ikebukuro, which has a theater facility capable of hosting live performances and 2.5-dimensional stage productions, signs of new manga and anime contents overlaying art with reality can be felt.
We’ll be keeping an eye out for new contents developed in the future.
Cooperation: Animate’s flagship store in Ikebukuro
Text: Yumiko Watanabe
Photo: Yuka Ikenoya（YUKAI）
Edit: Yuka Miyazaki（BIJUTSU SHUPPAN-SHA CO., LTD.)
Supervisor: Hirohito Miyamoto（Meiji University）
Written in 2020 (Updated in March 2022)
