Best Places in Japan to find Key merchandise

[Leo_Otaku]

I'm going to Japan again in July. This time I get to go to Akihabara again. I had a failed attempt the lasttime I went. I haven't been to Akiba in 5 years XD.

Anyway so I don't go crazy, can someone tell me some stores asides from Gamers that would sell any related KEY merchandise. I don't care if it is expencive I saved up some money for this trip. I have a guide that tells of some great stores in Akiba. But I know some of you guys have gone there so would know where to look.

Thanks ^-^

[zalas]

You'd probably want to hit up Animate or maybe Mandarake.

depends on what you are looking for. though keep in mind you won't find alot of Key merchandise unless you have the money to fork out for it, alot of things I found were in glass display cabinets, hence how I got the Misuzu scarf.

but places like Animate and Gamers have some nice stuff like stationary wise but of course you do find other interesting things, eg my Clannad pillow :). other places to look are K-Books and alot of the figure shops. Oh how I wish I was in Japan again. going to Akihabara 7 times was the best.

[procyon]

Used places for the win. There really isn't a whole lot of Key stuff out at any given moment (though they might be in a big run-up-to-new-Kanon-anime mode), but if you count past years its enormous. So a lot of the really cool stuff, you'll only find used. And as for the more common things (music CDs, the games themselves, etc.) you'll save money. The used stuff tends to be in such good shape that you won't be able to tell except for the price. Well, and that its marked as such :)

Anyway, the used places are scattered all around the place, though up a couple floors in the building across the street from Gamers (is that K-books?), has a bunch of stuff. The main thing is just give yourself a bunch of time, and just wander.

If you have a chance, check out the stores in the back of the Nakano shopping complex. From what I recall, theres some good stuff out there too.

[Nani]

Courtesy of Toysdaily :
http://www.toysdaily.com/phpBB2/view...er=asc&start=0

In addtion, there are some second-hand anime shops beside Sunshine City 60 at Ikeburuko.

[Leo_Otaku]

Thanks alot guys ^-^ I'll write down these stores and keep that map. What are some names of some used merchandise stores?

adun50: I was looking for plushies like potato and the bean filled Piro. Also I recently saw the Ayu backpack on auction. I never knew it existed. Any really cool plushies or neat items or the usual stuff. Almost anything in good selection. I have a few thousand to spend so it shouldn't be too bad.

Which store was the scarf at?

Non key items would include Ojamajo Doremi merchandise. It is harder to find because it ended in 2002 and OVA 2004.


worst thing is I miss the day that the Kanon prelude comes out :( I leave August 4th :(

[procyon]

Originally Posted by Leo_Otaku

Thanks alot guys ^-^ I'll write down these stores and keep that map. What are some names of some used merchandise stores?

adun50: I was looking for plushies like potato and the bean filled Piro. Also I recently saw the Ayu backpack on auction. I never knew it existed. Any really cool plushies or neat items or the usual stuff. Almost anything in good selection. I have a few thousand to spend so it shouldn't be too bad.

Which store was the scarf at?

Non key items would include Ojamajo Doremi merchandise. It is harder to find because it ended in 2002 and OVA 2004.


worst thing is I miss the day that the Kanon prelude comes out :( I leave August 4th :(

Just a heads up, some stuff that you see once in a while on yahoo japan auctions and the like will be hard to find, even in Akiba. Last time I was there a couple years ago, i saw zero Piro plushies. I actually couldn't find a couple of the things I was looking for. Probably because I suck at looking, but still...

On the other hand, you'll probably find a whole slew of things that you didn't even know existed that will suck your money away...

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Leo_Otaku

I was looking for plushies like potato and the bean filled Piro. Also I recently saw the Ayu backpack on auction. I never knew it existed. Any really cool plushies or neat items or the usual stuff. Almost anything in good selection. I have a few thousand to spend so it shouldn't be too bad.

Which store was the scarf at?

Potato and Piro plushies you probably won't be able to find in Akihabara. as for the Ayu backpack, oddly enough a shop owner I know has one in stock. and being the bastard that he is tempted me to buy it last time I saw him at the convention, though I held back in order to buy other things. as to whether he still has it is another question. the scraf I found in K-Books (which is across the road from Gamers Akiba) in a glass case, and oddly enough it was the only one.

having a few thousand is good, but don't go too crazy, I clearly spent a good $700 US in Akiba easily in one day, and that doesn't not include travel and food.

if you get the chance, goto Ikebukuro Sunshine City and across the road there are a few hobby shops such as K-Books. BUT I found that some items were cheaper there than in Akiba, but of course in Akiba they're all marked up. There's also an Animate next to K-Books. Unfortunetly Gamers in Ikebukuro has closed down but Toranoana is still open there.

Forgive the uninformed, but would K-Books be a shortened form for Kinokuniya Books?

Nope, it's a totally different store, more tailored to anime and random otaku goods.