An Otaku's Guide to Buying Japanese Pop Culture Merchandise

A sampling of places otaku can buy apparel, Jpop, Jrock, geta, bento boxes, plushies, anime figures and other Japanese entertainment merchandise.

For some otaku, anime and manga are just the beginning of their fascination-obsession with Japanese pop culture. Whether it's Glico Pocky or Japanese ear cleaners, there is a plethora of Japanese merchandise that otaku can purchase locally or online. This is a selection of what I have tracked down in my searches as well as places I have shopped at.

Shopping for Japanese Entertainment Merchandise in North America

Chain bookstores such as Chapters/Indigo, Barnes & Noble and Powell's Bookstore stock a variety of manga and graphic novels. These stores carry most of the popular titles, including Bleach, Chobits and Naruto.Larger city centers also have independent comic and hobby stores that sell anime, manga, figures and other toys. The following are some anime-related stores in North America:

1. Kinokuniya Bookstores are found in Australia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand,Taiwan and the USA (California, New York, Oregon and Washington). Kinokuniya carries CD's and videos by popular Japanese artists and bands such as Arashi, Yui and Rie Fu.

2. Shirokiya (Honolulu, HI) is a Japanese department store in Ala Moana Center. Otaku can find a wide variety of merchandise, including kimonos, geta, Jpop and Jrock CD's, sake sets and food.

3. Konbiniya Japan Centre (Vancouver, BC) carries a wide selection of Japanese products, including Japanese DVDs, drinks, food, karaoke, kitchenware, manga and snacks.

4. Broadcast Entertainment and Fantasia (Markham, ON) carries anime DVD's, CD's, key chains, bags and other knick-knacks. There is a wide assortment of Helly Kitty merchandise, such as pencil cases and wallets.

Buy Anime, Manga and Video Game Merchandise at Anime Conventions

The Dealer Room, also referred to as the Vendor Room or Exhibitors' Hall, is a mecca for anime fangirls and fanboys. Large anime cons can draw hundreds of exhibitors. For instance, Anime North (Toronto, ON) had over 200 tables of merchandise at its 2010 convention, while Sakura Con (Seattle, WA) had more than 100 vendor booths.At anime and comic conventions, enthusiasts can purchase everything from cosplay accessories, anime DVD's, Jpop CD's, video games, plushies, bags, manga, light novels and figures. The Artists' Alley sells anime-themed posters, bookmarks, comics and buttons drawn by emerging and established artists. Popular series such as Bleach, Code Geass, Fullmetal Alchemist and Hetalia Axis Powers are popular sellers.

Shopping Online for Japanese Apparel, Music, DVD's, Manga and More

This is a short list of reputable online stores that sell legal anime-related and Japanese entertainment merchandise:

1. Animenation (Tampa, FL): Founded in 1995, Animenation has over 8,000 products and gets 15 million page views per month. Bestsellers include Bleach manga and DVD's, Soul Eater DVD's, Samurai Champloo action figures and the Appleseed EX Machina figure. Ships worldwide.

2. CDJapan (Tokyo, Japan): Founded in 1997, CDJapan, sells a wide selection of the hottest Jpop and Jrock by artists such as GACKT, BoA, Do as Infinity and Kanon. CDJapan also sells anime OST music and singles from popular anime such as Macross Frontier and Soul Eater, as well as apparel, books, magazine, figures, collectibles and games. Ships worldwide.

3. J-List (Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan): Founded in 1996, J-List now serves 200,000 customers worldwide. J-List also has a North American office in San Diego, CA. Thousands of products are available, from magazines to cosplay, calendars to t-shirts and more. Popular items include the Saori Hara Special DVD Box Set, Tsumugi Kotobuki Figma Action Figure from K-ON!, and Shirokuma Ice Cream Drops. J-List has a separate area for adult material. J-Box is a special section for shoppers under the age of 18.

4. Right Stuf Inc. (Grimes, IA): Founded in 1997, Right Stuf is an online anime superstore which sells a wide selection of anime merchandise anime DVD's, manga, games, bags, plushies, wall scrolls and other collectibles. Popular sellers include the Ouran High School Host Club Hunny's Rabbit Plush Bag, Tsundere Tribute Japanese t-shirt and the Tsubasa Necklace: Sakura Feather

5. Yesasia (Hong Kong, Japan, Korea): Founded in 1998, Yesasia has been ranked in the Top 50 and Top 500 Lists for Top Retailer Websites. Yesasia sells anime, movies, plushies, models, electronics and models from popular anime such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and the Gundam series.

When shopping online, shoppers should buy from retailers with a solid reputation, good customer service and a satisfactory returns policy. For more information about online shopping, read the Consumer Guide to Internet Shopping.

Otaku Customer Reflections

In my pursuit of otaku goodies, I have shopped at anime conventions, at local stores and online. If you have a chance to go to Shirokiya in Hawaii, you won't be disappointed. Three floors of Japanese culture. I could have spent hours in there!

As for the online stores, I have shopped at CD Japan, Animenation and JList. All three have a wide selection of anime, cosplay and manga products. Orders are quickly filled and the quality of the products are high.

From hoodies to Gundam models and from Hiragana flash cards to cosplay caps, there are numerous places for anime, manga, gamers and geeks to get their "Japanese fix". Local bookstores, anime conventions and Internet retailers offer countless items to suit otaku of all ages and interests. References:

J!-ENT: Sakura Con 2010 was Another Huge Success.

The Asunaro Club's Guide to Japanese Music: Where to Buy Japanese Music.

Challenging My Real Time Listening Comprehension

Sensei and her teaching assistants have started to play CD's containing Japanese conversations in real time. Our task has been to see just how much we can pick out. The answer? Not much.

Nothing makes it so blatantly clear just how far we have to climb than listening to that CD. It made it obvious just how much sensei and her assistants have slowed down their speech for us.

On the first pass, we caught the odd word. By the third pass, we were able to catch phrases - so long as the CD was paused after each phrase!

The question now becomes, "How to practice this at home during the week?" Here are a few ideas that sensei, my classmates and I have come up with:

• listen to Japanese radio shows

• listen to Japanese music

• watch Japanese shows - raw, or without looking at the subtitles

The trick is to listen to the track several times, to see if you can pick out a little bit more each time. むずかしい です ね？

Kotatsu ga suki desu!

Oh, how I love my kotatsu. On an episode of Minami ke Taidaima, the Minami sisters warmed up their clothes using their kotatsu. I can tell you that works well.

Check out my Kotatsu Table Making Project album here.

The Best of Soul Eater CD Review

For fans of the popular fantasy-shonen anime Soul Eater, "The Best of Soul Eater" is a great collection of theme songs, OST tracks and character songs.

Soul Eater fans can rejoice. As the title says, The Best of Soul Eater CD does contain the most popular tracks from the popular anime Soul Eater. Excalibur is nowhere to be heard; just 51 minutes' worth of J-Rock and J-Pop hits sung by popular artists such as T.M. Revolution and Stance Punks, as well as character songs performed by the original voice actors (seiyuu) from the Japanese production.

About Soul Eater the Anime

Soul Eater is a supernatural shonen anime based on the long-running manga created by Atsushi Okubo of the same name. Soul Eater the animated series is produced by Bones/Square Enix (Japanese) and FUNimation/Media Factory (ADR, English).

Students of the Death Weapon Meister Academy are classified as weapons or weapon meisters. There, they learn the skills and knowledge to defeat wayward souls before they turn into something worse. Weapons and meisters are paired together based on soul compatibility. They work together to collect the souls of 99 monsters in the hopes of transforming the "weapon" partner into one of Lord Death's Death Scythes. The story centers around three teams: Maka and Soul, Black Star and Tsubaki and Death the Kid and the Thompson sisters, Liz and Patty.

Punk, Rock and Pop in The Best of Soul Eater the CD

It is difficult to put The Best of Soul Eater into one classification. It's edgy J-Rock. Then, it's punk rock and then it turns into sweet and sugary J-Pop.

The Best of Soul Eater contains full versions of all the intro and outro theme songs from Soul Eater. There's "Resonance", a driving rock song performed by T.M. Revolution. Punk rock band Stance Punks perform the first outro theme "I Wanna Be", which starts simply with voice and broken chords played by the guitar. That quickly switches to a strong punk groove.

The character songs sung by the Japanese seiyuu are a welcome addition. These were first released as CD singles. "Maurve iro no Sympathy" (Mauve-colored Sympathy) is a fast J-Rock number sung by Chiaki Omigawa (Maka Albarn) and Kouki Uchiyama (Soul Eater Evans).

"My Star" is also a quick number, with more of a "battle-mode" groove, sung by Yumiko Kobayashi (Black Star) ad Kaori Nazuka (Tsubaki Nakatsukasa). One could almost picture Black Star circling his opponent and then launching in "Speed Star" mode in concert with the driving percussion.

"Sore ga Bokura no Michishirube" (It is Our Guide) is a catchy J-Pop tune sung by Mamoru Miyano (Liz) , Akeno Watanabe (Death the Kid) and Tarumi Nakahira (Patty) . Their weaving melodic lines are well-balanced. One could say, it's symmetrical (Death the Kid's obsession).

Memorable tracks from the Soul Eater anime soundtrack (Soul Eater OST) also made the cut, such as "Psychedelic Souljam" and Death the Kid's theme song "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Have a Nice Dream". The CD wraps up with one bonus track, "Soul's Crossing". This is the theme song from the game Soul Eater Monotone Princess, performed by T.M. Revolution.

The Best of Soul Eater Track Listing

1. resonance

2. I Wanna Be

3. Style.

4. PAPERMOON

5. Bakusou Yume Uta

6. STRENGTH.

7. Mauve iro no Sympathy

8. My Star

9. Sore ga Bokura no Michishirube

10. PSYCHEDELIC SOULJAM

11. harmoNIZE

12. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Have a Nice Dream

13. soul's crossing (Bonus Track)

The Best of Soul Eater Album Details

• Featured Artists: T.M Revolution, Stance Punks, Kana Nishino, Tommy heavenly6, Diggy-MO', abingdon boys school, Lotus Juice and Shinya.

• Music Director: Akiko Yodo, Reo Kurosu

• Recording Producer: Ryo Ohyama, Keiichi Tonomura

• Label: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., Miya Records Co. Ltd.

• Released: April 22, 2009

• Also included: 46 page booklet containing the lyrics, performing artist, production credits.

The Best of Soul Eater CD - as Catchy, Edgy and Fun as the Anime

For fans of the anime Soul Eater, there are no "misses" on this CD. It is a well-balanced compilation of the most popular J-Pop and J-Rock songs from this hit anime. Fans of anime music and even listeners unfamiliar with the world of Soul Eater could enjoy the CD for its diversity, sound quality and artwork.

Source:

Anime News Network (accessed June 1, 2010)

September 2, 2020 Update: The Best of Soul Eater is no longer available at CD Japan and Amazon. However, you may purchase the Soul Eater Original Soundtrack 1 through Amazon.

Red and White Calgary Comic and Toy Expo 2010 Review

Star Wars shirts, vintage comics and memories abounded for collectors at the 2010 R&W Club Comic & Toy Expo, held Sunday, October 17, 2010 in Calgary, AB.

For one day each year, Calgary’s Red & White Club is transformed into “geek heaven” for fans of vintage comics, toys and collectibles. 2010 marks its 16th year, making this Calgary’s oldest comic expo.

Artist Alley Provided Relaxed Atmosphere to Chat with Guest Artists

This year’s special guests at the Red & White Comic and Toy Expo were comic illustrators Cary Nord and Riley Rossmo. Nord is well recognized for his work for Marvel Comics and Dark Horse Comics. His illustrations have appeared in Ghost Rider: Crossroads, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Conan the Barbarian.

Rossmo has worked for AIT/Planet Lar, IDW Publishing and Image Comics. His credits include Proof and Cowboy Ninja Vikings. He graduated from ACAD and got his start doing generalist illustrator.

“I really love comics and migrated from there to comic books,” he said during a brief chat with Suite 101. His first break in comics was in 2006 for Seven Sons, a graphic novel.

Although he has been to other comic book conventions in Calgary, Seattle, Toronto and San Diego, Rossmo prefers the laidback atmosphere at the R&W Comic & Toy Expo. “I have more time to just relax and talk to people. I don’t have to rush.”

Contests and Giveaways at the Red & White Calgary Comic and Toy Expo

Nineteen fans, representing a diverse mix of shows, comics and ages, entered this year’s costume contest. They paraded around the 13,400 square foot room for all vendors and visitors to see.

Among the entries were Black Canary (Jessica Lowe), Aqua Man (Dave Cunningham) and Wonder Woman (Katie Herrington). This was the second year Herrington and Cunningham attended the show, while 2010 marks Lowe’s third time.

“I planned this since Comic Con,” said Herrington, who began making embellishments and improvements to the original Wonder Woman costume she purchased in the summer. The belt was her pride and joy.

“I found out about this last night,” admitted Bailey Parker, who cosplayed a Timelord from Dr. Who. She spent 18 hours making the ornate headdress out of craft foam and hot glue. Although her costume is a work in progress, it was good to earn an Honorable Mention.

Viking Venom also received an Honorable Mention. Third place went to Batman & Robin, while two Halo marines snagged second place. First place went to young Aurora Quilliams, who portrayed Dalek from Dr. Who.

All of the cosplayers acted for the camera while independent filmmaker Phil Spink (The Godchild) captured the action. Spink also conducted on-site interviews with visitors and vendors.

A variety of door prizes were awarded throughout the day. These were donated by the vendors.

A Treasure Trove of Video Games, Cool Shirts and Old Comics

There was an eclectic mix of comics, toys and collectibles up for grabs at the R&W Comic and Toy Expo, including Pac-Man belt buckles, Kingdom Hearts tee-shirts, mint condition issues of Battle of the Planets and an old LP featuring the original Spock from Star Trek, Leonard Nimoy. Gamers could buy old computer and video games, such as Tetris and Street Fighter, as well as old game systems.

John Quong, owner of the Treasure Cove, has been a vendor at the Comic & Toy Expo since its inception. He left his career in criminal law to take a brief sabbatical to indulge in his passion, comics and toys. “All of a sudden, the two-year sabbatical turned into 23 years in the business,” he chuckled.

His experience has been extremely positive. “This is my love. This is my era. I love dealing with this stuff and the people that know what it is and appreciates it just as much as I do.”

For Sid Olivier, 2010 marks his debut at the Red & White Club Comic & Toy Expo. He sells old collectibles and toys at Where on Earth Did You Get That?, Southern Alberta’s largest antique mall. “I have a personal fascination with what I call the “hunt”. The thrill of the hunt,” he explained. “Making the find has always been a kick. I love the history. I love the research element to it.” One of his unique finds on display was an old Ronald McDonald phone that was given only to store managers.

Although there was a voluminous selection of comics new and old, there was a limited selection of anime and manga merchandise. “We didn’t see much in the way of anime,” remarked Alina Zaitsoff, an anime and manga otaku and first-time attendee at the expo. “A few random figures. The only one that popped out was Vash the Stampede but it was poor quality.”

The Red & White Comic ad Toy Expo – No Hollywood Glitz, Just a Place to Buy Stuff

“A lot of the shows are veering off into celebrities, autographs and photographs and that’s fine,” said Michael Pavlic, one of the organizers of the Calgary Comic and Toy Expo. Pavlic, who owns Purple Gorilla Comics, joined forces with Ben Falconer of Phoenix Comics this year to organize the event after Steve Fuller stepped down.

“There is a demand in this town, in Southern Alberta for folks who want to come and buy some comics and toys. They don’t care about autographs; they don’t care about any of the rest of that stuff. They’re here to buy some swag. That’s what we’re all about.”

Like many avid comic collectors, Pavlic’s love for comics goes beyond being a hobby. “It’s been a lifelong passion, not hobby. Passion.”

Pavlic’s passion for comics was fueled by a childhood memory. “I was visiting my aunt who was at university at the time,” Pavlic explained. “One of her room-mates had a bunch of comic books. He handed them to us and I looked through one. There’s this one image in this issue of Fantastic Four that burned into my brain.”

He never forgot the experience of looking at that one illustration. When he began collecting comics years later, he set off to track down that issue. “It took me eight years to find out which one it was.”

Final attendance figures for 2010 are 850, comprised of 600 adults and 250 kids. In previous years, the Red and White Comic and Toy Expo entertained between 500 – 700 attendees a year. This year’s event, which took place on October 17, 2010 at the Red & White Club featured comic artists Cary Nord and Riley Rossmo. Vendor tables triggered waves of nostalgia with cool shirts, old computer and video games, vintage comics and figurines.

Originally published on Suite101.com on October 21, 2010. All rights reserved by Rhona-Mae Arca.