Japan’s Best Anime Retailer Is Finally Coming Stateside

Never doubt the power of anime, alright? The industry has solidified its powerhouse status in recent years, and anime is bigger than ever in the United States. This means it is easier than ever to find anime goods on the fly, and at long last, Japan’s biggest anime retailer is finally coming to the United States.

Oh yes, that is right. Animate is finally coming to America. The popular Japanese chain will open in Los Angeles, California shortly, so collectors better get ready.

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If you did not know, Animate LA is ready to take over the Del Amo Fashion Center. The store will be located in Suite 511 on the upper floor, and Animate will be open seven days a week. This location marks the second to open in Los Angeles as Animate expanded to America in the early 2000s. Sadly, the chain ended up closing its first LA location, but this one will hopefully plant roots.

For those unfamiliar with Animate, the chain is the largest retailer of all things anime in Japan. The store began in 1983 in Tokyo, and Animate has grown well beyond its Ikebukuro boundaries since. At this moment, there are 118 Animate stores open between South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Thailand. Now, the United States is joining that list after Animate’s first stateside store closed in 2003.

As you can imagine, anime fans are eager to see what Animate can bring to fans in America. Plenty of stores have brought in anime from Walmart to GameStop and even surprise picks like Hobby Lobby. As streaming services continue to invest in anime, retail sales tied to the industry are only growing. So hopefully, Animate will be able to expand its reach stateside once its new LA branch opens.

What do you think about this Animate grand opening? Will you be checking out the store? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!