The largest anime goods shop in the world, rebuilt and expanded in 2023 into a nine-storey tower with a theatre, event halls and a café. Animate is where Japan’s anime industry sells direct to fans: new manga volumes, Blu-rays, character acrylic stands, voice-actor CDs and the limited bonuses that drive collectors to queue around the block on release mornings. Ikebukuro’s branch is also the chain’s headquarters.
Weekday mornings are the calm time. Scan the lobby displays for current collaborations, then take the lift to the top and browse down. The nearby Animate Café and the shops of Otome Road make a full day of fan culture for anyone with a favourite series.
Tips
- Limited-run collaboration goods and purchase bonuses are stacked by the entrance and sell out by evening on release day
- The upper floors hold a theatre and exhibition spaces that run paid character exhibitions, with separate tickets
- Goods are sorted by title rather than type, so look for your series on the floor directory first