What other travelers are saying about Animate Ikebukuro
Animate Ikebukuro Main Store is a must-visit destination for any anime and manga enthusiast in Tokyo. Spanning multiple floors, this colossal store offers an unparalleled selection of merchandise, making it a true paradise for fans.
Upon entering, you're immediately immersed in a vibrant world of colorful displays and enthusiastic shoppers. Each floor is dedicated to different categories, from manga and light novels to figures, plushies, and character goods. The sheer variety is astounding, covering a vast array of popular series and niche titles alike. Whether you're searching for the latest releases or rare collectibles, you're likely to find it here.
The store's layout is well-organized, though it can be a bit overwhelming due to the sheer volume of items. However, helpful staff are usually on hand to assist if you get lost or need help locating a specific item. Beyond just shopping, Animate Ikebukuro often hosts events, collaborations, and limited-time pop-up shops, adding to the excitement and making each visit a unique experience.
While prices are standard for anime merchandise in Japan, the extensive selection and the lively atmosphere make it a worthwhile trip. Be prepared to spend a good amount of time exploring, as there's something new to discover around every corner. It's more than just a store; it's a cultural hub for the anime community.
I didn't expect that I came across to main store of Animate. I actually came here because I want to attend Mairuma Exhibition only, but didn't expect this is the main store.
I didn't remember all of the floor, but as long as I can remember there 8 floor for all animate building.
1st floor for gacha
2nd floor for manga in general
3rd floor for manga BL or BL stuff if I'm not mistaken
4th-7th floor for merchandise, yume, cosplay, idol, anime, etc.
8th floor for exhibition.
For each floor there're gacha as well. They displayed the merch that will available asap, like next week or next month even. There're also floor that display for pop up store. Last time I can see pop up for Gintama, in front of the building of Animate also have cafe event for Gintama as well.
I like this place so much, it feels like heaven for otaku like me. The staff also nice, even though they can't speak English, they will use app to communicate with you.
This place also accept automatic payment for cash and also card. For the gacha, they ofc had cash machine that turned into 100 yen coins. They also had stamp here!
If you are a ACG enthusiast then you should visit here.
Its a relative large building, and I will suggest tourist to visit here rather than the shop in Akihabara, as this is larger in space which you feel more comfy to visit, plus more products available.
You can find almost all the most popular comics, anime, games, figures here. They also include the ACG culture related stuffs such as v-tubers goods, CDs related to anime, character goods and more.
Absolutely huge store (understatement of the year!) which is very well laid-out and tons of stuff for anime and manga fans (especially BL fans). Store gets very busy in the evening though, so might be better visiting earlier in the day if you’re not a fan of crowds.
Such a great place! Felt like a museum to me who's a fan of manga/anime and cosplay. I found merch of lots of anime like MHA and Jujutsu Kaisen that had collabs. But also lesser known anime like SK8.
The manga and BL selection is great though I can't read Japanese well so quite useless to me.
The cosplay section was well furnished and promoted some products through showing them used in My Dress Up Darling (great promo that makes you want to try cosplay if you never tried it before).
Animate Ikebukuro offers a wide selection of anime and manga-related products, including figurines, DVDs, Blu-rays, posters, keychains, plush toys, trading cards, books, and stationery. You can also find limited-edition merchandise exclusive to Animate.
Animate Ikebukuro is situated in the Ikebukuro area of Tokyo, close to Ikebukuro Station. The store is a short walk from the east exit of the station and is well-signposted for visitors.
Yes, Animate Ikebukuro is tourist-friendly, and many of the staff are accustomed to assisting international visitors. While most signage is in Japanese, it's possible to navigate the store and enjoy your shopping experience.
Yes, Animate Ikebukuro offers tax-free shopping for international visitors. To take advantage of this, make sure to bring your passport and meet the minimum purchase requirement, which is typically around 5,000 yen for eligible items.