This guide covers Manhattan (mainly Midtown and Chinatown), as well as some spots in North Jersey and Philadelphia. Japanese merchandise covered include videos, DVDs, CDs, books, comics, tankoubon (manga collections), wallscrolls, toys (both mass-market and artists' pieces), apparel, models, import games, and Sanrio. With a few notable exceptions, there are no chain stores featured in this list. If you want to know where you can find the nearest Virgin Megastore, Tower Records, Fye, or Suncoast in NYC/New Jersey/Philly, you can always visit those companies' websites. This list is intended to be a bit more specialized, serving the more discriminating, sophisticated J-pop shopper.
All reviews by Reeve unless otherwise noted. Updates, reviews, and/or additional information is always welcome; please email me if you have something to contribute! Last updated July 2008.
Jump to Reeve's Current Favorite Five Stores:
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Specialties: The best spots for... Translated manga: Kinokuniya, Forbidden Planet, Jim Hanley's Universe, Midtown Comics Translated anime: Image Anime Japanese magazines (incl. manga): Kinokuniya Japanese manga collections (tankoubon): Book-Off, Kinokuniya Japanese DVDs: Book-Off Japanese games: Video Games New York, Book-Off Artbooks: Kinokuniya Model kits/supplies and Chogokin: Image Anime Toys in general: Forbidden Planet, Toy Tokyo, Image Anime Capsule toys, trading figures, and Kubricks: Forbidden Planet, Toy Tokyo, Kid Robot Music (anime/game OSTs): Kinokuniya, Book-Off Music (J-Pop/J-Rock): Book-Off Mangaka Reference Books: Midtown Comics, Kinokuniya Sanrio: Sanrio, Iki Iki Rare/out-of-print stuff: Book-Off, Video Games New York Miscellaneous: Dead Stores - Information about stores that have closed and/or moved. |
For more information about visiting and getting around in New York City, I recommend the following sites:
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Regional transit:
MTA and Long Island Railroad (NYC-area transit) New Jersey Transit PATH (NYC/Northern New Jersey transit) SEPTA (Philadelphia-area transit) Amtrak Regional Anime Conventions and Related Events: Anime Expo New York R.I.P. AnimeNEXT Big Apple Anime Fest R.I.P. MangaNEXT New York Anime Festival New York Asian Film Festival New York Comic Con New York-Tokyo Film Festival Shoujocon R.I.P. Yuricon |
Miscellaneous Resources:
Anime Web Turnpike Comic Shop Locator Service Japan Society NYC JETAANY's Guide to Japanese Resources in NYC NYC Comic Book Stores NYC.com Philly.com Sanrio Store Locator |
New York City: Midtown Manhattan
Getting there: All of these stores are within walking distance from each other, so just take any of the following subway lines to Times Square (42nd Street): 1, 2, 3, A, E, N, R, Q, S, or W. If you're coming in via New Jersey Transit, Long Island Railroad, or Amtrak, you can start your trip by walking from Penn Station (34th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues). For those of you taking Metro North, Grand Central Terminal is also close by to many of the stores on this list.
Kinokuniya Books (1073 Avenue of the Americas [6th Ave], between 40th and 41nd Streets)
Hours: 10am-7:30pm, seven days a week
Phone: 212-869-1700
Email: nyinfo@kinokuniya.com
Nearby landmarks: Bryant Park, New York Public Library
Anime Merchandise: Imported Japanese tankoubon, anime and manga art books, special editions/boxed sets, Studio Ghibli merchandise (books, videos, etc.), English-translated manga, anime DVDs, anime and video game soundtracks, anime and video game sheet music, manga and anime magazines, anime collectables, art books, and much more.
Other cool stuff: Import and domestic art and design books, several books on learning Japanese, Japanese pens and stationary (including San-X goods), books, magazines, CDs, DVDs.
Online: http://www.kinokuniya.com
Review: This new Kinokuniya, replacing the old Rockefeller Center store, is much more spacious and better organized than the old one. All of the anime and manga goods are located on the second floor, which also houses a cafe; magazines occupy most of the first floor, and the basement contains stationary and non-manga Japanese books. This is my favorite store for picking up import stuff—and with good reason: they offer a sizable amount of merchandise at reasonable prices. They also carry an incredible selection of translated manga (including what's quite possibly New York City's largest selection of translated BL/yaoi manga). Along with all these goodies, there's also CDs and DVDs, including anime and game soundtracks, as well as English-translated live-action and animated Japanese cinema, collectables, and more.
Nintendo World (10 Rockefeller Plaza; on 48th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues) (Note: Formerly known as Pokémon Center New York)
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 9am-8pm, Fri-Sat: 9am-9pm, Sun: 11am-6pm
Phone: 646-459-0800
Nearby landmarks: Rockefeller Plaza (of course), NBC Studios
Anime Merchandise: Nintendo merchandise, including consoles, games, accessories, guides, toys, etc.
Online: http://www.nintendoworldstore.com
Review (by Squelch203): Pokemon inhabits first floor: figurines, games, etc. Also, Nintendo DSes are available for customers to play with/use. The second floor contains what would be expected at a Nintendo store, including games, guides, accessories, wearables, stuffed animals, consoles, and stations where various multiplayer games can be played head to head with others at the store. There is also a short history of Nintendo's console and handheld releases going all the way back to the console that was to rival the Atari 2600 but was never released. All the consoles and handhelds that are featured are on display in the middle of the room.
Review: Squelch203's review was pretty dead-on, but I'd like to add that Nintento World carries some exclusive items, including limited-edition versions of handhelds (such as the GBA and DS). A great place for browsing if you're a gamer—the store is worth visiting for the display of old/rare Nintendo consoles alone.
Book-Off (14 E. 41st Street, between 5th and Madison Avenues)
Hours: 10am-8pm, seven days a week(?)
Phone: 212-685-1410
Nearby Landmarks: The New York Public Library (the main building, with the lion statues out front)
Anime Merchandise: Tons of inexpensive used tankoubon; some books, back issue magazines, used videos and soundtrack CDs.
Other cool stuff: Japanese pop CDs—dirt cheap!
Review: Our third Japanese bookstore on our list specializes in used books, and a lot of these used books are tankoubon! Just about every major publisher is represented, and there are many volumes here that you'll probably never see anywhere else. All of this manga, along with artbooks and English-language volumes, is housed on the second floor. The first floor is devoted to used (non-manga and comics) English-language books, Japanese and American CDs and DVDs (including anime and anime/video game soundtracks), and Japanese and American video games. My favorite part of this store is the one devoted to Japanese CDs—here, you can pick up used import CDs (including plenty of J-Pop, J-Rock, and soundtracks) for between $7 and $20, as well as the occassional brand-new album.
Keep in mind that, since this store specializes in used goods, you probably don't want to go in here hunting for something very specific. Still, this store is a must-visit.
Side note: Yagura Japanese Market is on the very same block, just east of Book-Off. One can get lunch there and/or pick up any number of Japanese snacks—including Lotte gum and numerous flavors of Pocky—for reasonable prices.
Midtown Comics (200 W. 40th Street, on the corner of 40th and 7th Ave.)
Hours: 11am-9pm Monday-Saturday, 12pm-7pm Sunday
Phone: 212-302-8192 (800-411-3341 outside NYC & within the U.S. and territories)
Email: info@midtowncomics.com
Nearby Landmarks: Parsons School of Design, Times Square
Anime Merchandise: Translated manga, American manga, import and domestic anime magazines, DVDs, action figures, statues, and more.
Other cool stuff: An excellent selection of comics, graphic novels, magazines, reference books, and supplies. Great discount program ($20 credit after each $100 spent in the store). Also holds comic book signing events.
Online: http://www.midtowncomics.com
Review: Midtown is one of the best places in the area to buy translated manga. On the graphic novel side of things, they have a diverse selection—from popular series like Ranma 1/2, harder-to-find stuff like Futaba-Kun Change!, American manga like Gold Digger, Korean manhwa, and Chinese manga. Occasionally, they'll also get import books. They also carry import and domestic magazines as well as the complete line of the translated Manga How-To books. There's a second floor as well, where one may find back issues, toys, statues, and adult comics (including hentai and some yaoi manga). On the anime side, their anime DVD section is fairly small, though it's worth noting that they carry bootleg versions of certain older anime that one would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.
Side note: Midtown Comics has a second store near Grand Central Station.
Sanrio (233 W. 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues)
Phone: 212-840-6011
Nearby Landmarks: Ford Theater for the Performing Arts, Port Authority Bus Terminal
Anime Merchandise: None, unless you consider Hello Kitty anime.
Other cool stuff: Sanrio goods!
Online: http://www.sanrio.com
Review: Not long ago, Midtown Manhattan finally got its first official Sanrio store. Aside from the goods found in other Sanrio stores nationwide, this shop features the exclusive "NYC" line of Hello Kitty products. If you've never been in a Sanrio store, here's what you can expect: lots of merchandise (from t-shirts, to stationary, to shower curtains and waffle irons!) featuring the Sanrio stable of characters. These characters include favorites such as Hello Kitty, Chococat, Cinnimaroll, and (my main man) Badtz-Maru. In addition to their stock of domestic goods, Sanrio regularly features imported items with both popular characters (such as those named above), and lesser-knowns like Shinkansen, Hoshinowaguma, and Sweet Coron.
Review (by Squelch203): Not quite as much merchandise as I was expecting but still worth a trip. If you've never had Hello Kitty gum, then you should definitely try it. In terms of merchandise Chinatown, especially in the shops on the lower floor of Elizabeth Center, has MUCH more Hello Kitty. Not the computers and party accessories that can be found at the Sanrio Store, but more of the kawaii merchandise.
Midtown Comics (459 Lexington Avenue, on the corner of 45th Street)
Hours: 11am-9pm Monday-Saturday, 12pm-7pm Sunday
Phone: 212-302-8192 (800-411-3341 outside NYC & within the U.S. and territories)
Email: info@midtowncomics.com
Nearby Landmarks: Grand Central Station
Online: http://www.midtowncomics.com
Review: No review yet! Please note that this is the second Midtown Comics store; the main one is reviewed above.
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New York City: Chelsea/Murray Hill
Image Anime (242 W. 30th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues)
Nearby Landmarks: Madison Square Garden/Penn Station
Anime Merchandise: Model kits galore, Soul of Chogokin figures, gashapon, action figures, DVDs, soundtracks, t-shirts, Myth messenger bags, and much more.
Other cool stuff: Modeling supplies (including Gundam Markers and Tamiya paints), Nekopico markers
Online: http://www.imageanime.com
Review: This is easily the best place in Midtown to pick up anime DVDs; they have an amazing selection of domestically-released titles (and sometimes a few Hong Kong bootlegs), and their prices are quite good—DVDs usually cost around 20% less than the suggested retail price. There are plenty of anime soundtracks as well (again, many domestic releases and a few Hong Kong bootlegs). There's not too much in the way of books and magazines, besides some model mags and the How to Draw Manga books. However, where this store really shines is in the diverse selection of model kits and die-cast toys/chogokin they carry—just about every giant robot show is represented here in one way or another. There are also a fair number of action figures and novelties (including gashapon, UFO catcher plushies, keychains, t-shirts, etc.) available as well. Please keep in mind that this store specializes in plastic mecha kits, and (to the best of my knowledge) doesn't carry any garage kits or statues.
Review (by Squelch203): Talked to one of the owners about special orders, niche markets, and other considerations that he has to make for his store. He said that they used to carry more specialty merchandise but since they are only making a few dollars per item sold they have had to stop carrying most of those sorts of things and only stock items that will move off the shelves quickly. (This all got started because I asked him if he had hear of a series called Dougram/Fang of the Sun Dougram, which he had heard of, but didn't carry any of its merchandise.)
Jim Hanley's Universe (4 W. 33rd Street, between 5th Ave. and Broadway)
Hours: Mon-Tues, Thurs-Sat: 9am-11pm , Wed: 8:30am-11pm, Sun: 10am-7pm
Phone: 212-268-7088
Nearby Landmarks: Empire State Building (right across the street!)
Anime Merchandise: Great selection of translated manga, some anime and toys. Also holds signing events and has a storewide sale at least once a year.
Online: http://www.jhuniverse.com
Review:This store is large and expansive, with much of the same merchandise that Midtown Comics offers, if not more. They reorganized things awhile ago, and now have all of their comics grouped into general genres (as opposed to everything lumped together, in alphabetical order), which makes one-stop manga shopping that much easier (and enjoyable!).
Cosmic Comics (10 E. 23rd Street)
Phone: 212-460-5322
Nearby Landmarks: Flatiron Building
Online: http://www.cosmiccomics.com
Review: No review yet!
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New York City: Greenwich Village/East Village/SoHo
Getting there: Take the N, R, Q, W, 4, 5, or 6 trains to Union Square (14th and Broadway) or 8th Street. For Kid Robot, take the yellow lines to Prince Street.
Forbidden Planet (840 Broadway; on the corner of 13th and Broadway)
Hours: 10am-10pm Monday-Saturday, 11am-8pm Sunday
Phone: 212-473-1576
Fax: 212-475-6180
Nearby Landmarks: Union Square, The Strand (the world's largest used bookstore)
Anime Merchandise: Translated manga, DVDs, toys, soundtracks, and more.
Other cool stuff: Video games, graphic novels, many collectables.
Online: http://www.fpnyc.com
Review: The NYC branch of the famed chain of British comic stores, Forbidden Planet is another great place to shop; not as comprehensive (comics-wise) as its bretheren in Midtown, but notable nonetheless. They have an excellent selection of translated manga in their new upstairs area (a discount is available for most multiple volume purchases), as well as both domestic and import toys/figures and collectibles, anime soundtracks, DVDs, and (occasionally) artbooks. The import toys are mainly of the bishoujo variety and often priced on the high side, but otherwise, it's one of the better places in the city for anime-related toys.
St. Mark's Comics (11 St. Mark's Place)
Phone: 212-598-9439
Review: No review yet!
Toy Tokyo (121 Second Avenue, 2nd Floor)
Nearby Landmarks: New York University, Cooper Union
Anime Merchandise: Toys, figures, gashapon, and Kubricks.
Other cool stuff: Any type of toy you can imagine, from anywhere, including limited-edition Hong Kong figures.
Online: http://www.toytokyo.com
Review: This tiny store is crammed to the gills with toys of all kinds—from old Star Wars action figures to the lastest stuff from Asia, including lots of goodies from Japan. Among the Japanese toys one can pick up here are a wide variety of blind-box trading figures, including Kubricks and Re-Ment; action figures of Doraemon, Astroboy, and various other anime characters; Medicom Disney figures; urban vinyl and artists' toys (including some Takashi Murakami stuff); and much, much more. Definately worth a visit for serious toy collectors.
Video Games New York (202 E. 6th Street)
Hours: 11am-10pm Sunday-Wednesday, 11am-11pm Thursday, 11am-midnight Friday-Saturday
Phone: 212-539-1039
Nearby Landmarks: New York University, Cooper Union
Anime Merchandise: Import games
Online: http://www.videogamesnewyork.com
Review (by txonil): You'll find old systems (Atari, Commodore 64, Game n Watch, and older ones I don't even know...), used games (especially a wall full of NES, SNES), some import games, and current systems that they have in stock. Prices are kinda steep though.
Toy Zipangu (206 E. 6th Street)
Hours: 12pm-8pm Monday and Wednesday-Saturday, 12pm-7pm Sunday, Closed Tuesdays
Phone: 212-387-8057
Nearby Landmarks: New York University, Cooper Union
Anime Merchandise: Japanese retro toys and other collectibles
Online: http://www.toyzipangu.com
Review (by txonil): Great store if anyone is into Saint Seiya.
Kid Robot (118 Prince Street, west of Broadway between Wooster and Greene Streets)
Nearby Landmarks: The Apple Store.
Anime Merchandise: Collectable figures, gashapon, and Kubricks.
Other cool stuff: Numerous artists' toys, including Hong Kong and American figures.
Online: http://www.kidrobot.com
Review:Another small store for the toy collecting set, Kid Robot is an upscale boutique located in SoHo. They have a wide selection of import and domestic collectable toys, including urban vinyl made by their own "Kid Robot" imprint! Among the Japanese goodies which can readily be found here are a wide variety of artsy gashapon, a few action figures (such as Panda-Z), and high-end goods (like Hong Kong-style Tokyo Tribes figures).
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New York City: Chinatown
Special note: Chinatown is the Bootleg Capital of New York City (and probably New York State, too), and anime is no exception. All of the stores on this list sell official merchandise, though some might also carry bootlegged DVDs, CDs, cards, and other items. For information on how to spot bootlegged anime products, I highly recommend the Pirate Anime FAQ.
Getting there: Your best bet is to take the 6, J, M, N, R, Q, or W to Canal Street, as these trains will plop you right in the middle of Chinatown.
Iki Iki (formerly Dragon Bazaar) (2 Mott Street, near Citibank)
Anime Merchandise: Sailor Moon prismatic cards, Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and Sanrio!
Other cool stuff: More Sanrio!!!
Review: If you can't find it at Sanrio on 42nd Street, you might be able to find it here. Iki Iki specializes in official Sanrio and San-X merchandise, and they have a few things that have been out of production for awhile, so it's worth a visit if you have some holes to fill in your collection. They also have some Sailor Moon cards and bootleg toys, and cute cel phone faceplates.
Also note: There are a number of other stationary shops in Chinatown that stock official Sanrio gear, most of them on Mott Street. Dragon Bazaar just has one of the larger Sanrio selections; therefore, the special mention.
Review (by Squelch203): Aside from the loads of Sanrio stuff the only other stuff that I saw were some Yugioh cards. When I was there last spring I asked about Gundam models and they said that they carried them a long time ago, but not any more. I didn't see any evidence of anything Gundam related during this visit either.
Anime Cookies (68A Mott Street)
Anime Merchandise:Model kits, wallscrolls, card games, etc.
Review (by Squelch203): I found this store by accident and almost fell down the steep stairs that lead to it. It had a warped posterboard sign with a lot of anime related posters taped to the railings at the top of the stairs. Inside they had some of each of these things: Yugioh cards, wall scrolls, posters, and mecha models including Gundams and Patlabors. I didn't spend a lot of time in this store since it was really cramped, but it looked like it might be pretty good to check out again and they might have some other stuff tucked away in one of the corners. Now that I think of it, it might have been the remnants of Wah Kue, Inc. if they lost their lease, but I saw no Legos or any modeling supplies.
Update (by Squelch203): At 5:30 or so they were closed and the cardboard sign was gone, but the stickers and advertisements down the stairwell were still there. In Elizabeth Center's basement, a store (Unit #26) had a sign on their door that customers should come see them at Anime Cookies, 68A Mott St. Though the store was closed I could see in Unit #26 which had lots of models, toys, manga, keychains, etc. Definitely worth stopping by there again.
Elizabeth Center (13-17 Elizabeth Street)
Anime Merchandise: Models, videos (including rentals), DVDs, gashapon, import games, soundtracks, and more.
Other cool stuff: Sanrio and other kawaii goods.
Review : Go to the basement of this cramped Chinatown mini-mall and you'll find a small array of anime, video game, and stationary shops to suit just about any otaku. Just don't be intimidated by the clautrophobic environment and sheer amount of merchandise...
Review (by Squelch203): This was my most fruitful stop, and I'm glad I found it in this shopping guide because I definitely would have passed by had I not known what was inside. My favorite place was called Initial D (Unit #21) where they had PS2 and other console games, console accessories, random computer parts, and boxes upon boxes of Gundam models, most of which were very decently priced. If I ever finish the five I bought there I will definitely return in search of more.
J&L Game Trading Inc. (28 Elizabeth Street)
Phone: 212-233-3399
Fax: 212-233-5981
Anime Merchandise: DVDs, import games.
Other cool stuff: Video games galore.
Review: This store boasts an impressive selection of video games (both domestic releases and Japanese imports) and Hong Kong DVDs. They carry some toys and other collectables as well. The prices aren't the best, but it's worth a browse if you're into import games.
Unet Inc. (9 Elizabeth Street)
Hours: 10am-8pm seven days a week
Phone: 212-625-8235
Fax: 212-253-4318
Anime Merchandise: Figures, trading card games, model kits (mostly HG and MG Gundam kits), gashapon, domestic manga and magazines, and more.
Other cool stuff: Stationary items.
Review: This is one of the newer anime specialty shops in Chinatown, mainly focusing on figures (a mix of Japanese imports and U.S. rereleases of Japanese items) and collectable card games such as Yu-Gi-Oh. As with other Chinatown stores, the prices tend toward the high end, but there are some bargains and rarities to be found if one looks hard enough; on my last visit, I was surprised to find a box full of Madreal and Fafi-designed Sony "Time Capsule" figures for only $5 each. Not a "must-visit" store, but definately good for browsing.
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Queens
Anime Castle (35-32 Union Street, Flushing)
Phone: 347-438-1296
Anime Merchandise: Just about anything you can think of.
Other cool stuff: Import and domestic video games, Japanese snacks.
Online: http://www.animecastle.com
Review: No review yet!
Bonus Stage (21-08 31st St., Astoria)
Phone: 718-701-1370
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 12pm-8pm, Fri-Sat: 10am-8pm, Sun: 11am-7pm
Online: http://www.bonusstagevg.com
Review: No review yet!
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Just Outside the City
Kinokuniya Books (at the Palisades Mall - 3360 Palisades Center Drive, West Nyack, NY)
Phone: 845-353-6600
Review (by Steve): The store is located on the third floor, right over by the JCPenny's. This Kinokuniya is decent/adequate, having a little bit of everything the main Manhattan store has (lots of US release manga, Japanese manga, stationary, toys, import anime/manga merchandise, kids' section, DVDs [import/US release], import CDs, magazines, art books, Japanese books) for the most part. At times, the Manhattan store may have things that the Palisades Kinokuniya doesn't have and vice versa. At least with a mall location, the store hours are much better, and the sales tax in the mall when compared to the city isn't that bad either. The unique part of this store is the fact that it's located in one of the largest malls in the US, and a decent alternate for people who can't get into the city as often as they should. Parking at this mall can be a nightmare depending, but there's much more at this mall to do as well!
Anime Castle (77 Searing Avenue,
Mineola, NY)
Phone: 516-214-4484
Anime Merchandise: Just about anything you can think of.
Other cool stuff: Import and domestic video games, Japanese snacks.
Online: http://www.animecastle.com
Review: No review yet!
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Northern New Jersey
Special note: Since I don't drive, none of these places contain driving directions. However, I have included public transit directions wherever I could. Also, it may be noted that anyone I know who has ever driven in North Jersey has complained to me about how godawful it is. You've been warned...
Mitsuwa Marketplace (595 River Road, Edgewater, NJ)
Directions: NJ Transit bus 158 makes a stop right at the Mitsuwa Marketplace. There is also a specialized Mitsuwa shuttle that goes to Mitsuwa to/from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, and parking is available for anyone who chooses to drive.
Phone: 201-941-9113
Hours: 9:30am-9pm, seven days a week
Online: http://www.mitsuwanj.com/en/index.htm
Review (by Steve): The bookstore there is a Sanseido book store. It's a really nice store, with stationary, magazines, Japanese video rental, a children's section/children's book, manga, some manga in English (US release). Next to that is a store that has 2 stores in one, the "Utsuwa No Yakata" and "Mars NY." The Utsuwa store sells lots of Japanese housewears kitchenware stuffs-bowls, cups especially. The Mars NY section sells predominantly toys... imported Gundam kits, clothing, suitcases, cards, cellphone charms, stickers, stationary, imported kids' toys, school supplies, amongst many other things.
Side Notes (by Steve): Inside the main supermarket building, there is of course the supermarket section, several small vendors, and several food restaurants/counters within. The outside of the supermarket had been renovated in the past year, so it looks nice. The inside is really clean and spacious, really nice. There are some non-Japanese people that work in the supermarket section (esp the cashiers), but the prices are easy to read/understand (in English and Japanese). A Shiseido cosmetics is in the same shopping complex. In the back, there's a Matsushima steakhouse.
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Philadelphia: Center City
Getting there: Having lived here for five years before my move to the NYC area, I had a chance to scope out the best spots for anime, manga, and other Japanese goodness; if you have the time, I recommend a trip to Philly, as it's one of the coolest cities there is. To get to Philly from NYC, you can take an Amtrak train from Penn Station, or, if you want to save some money, there's NJT's Northeast Corridor train. If you take this latter option, get off at Trenton, where you can transfer to the SEPTA (Philly transit) R7 regional rail line. Take this train to Suburban Station, which is right in the heart of Center City Philly.
Please note: all of these stores are within walking distance of Suburban Station, which is on 15th and Market Street.
Also note: Chain stores like Tower Records, Suncoast, and Borders can be found in Center City Philly as well, and all stock decent amounts of anime and/or manga. But as I said before, this list is devoted primarily to independant stores.
Showcase Comics (aka Atomic City Comics) (640 South Street)
Phone: 215-625-9613
Anime Merchandise: Translated manga, card/roleplaying games (Pokemon, Ani-Mayhem, Yu-Gi-Oh, etc.), some anime videos/DVDs and collectibles
Other cool stuff: Comics, toys, etc.
Review:Now about half the size of its previous incarnation (which makes it the same size as their location ten years ago), Showcase Comics still sports a good selection of merchandise, including manga, American manga, and anime magazines. When I lived in Philly, I made a trip to this place about once a week to pick up new comics and browse the graphic novels. There's also some roleplaying stuff for sale, including anime-based RPGs. Friendly staff, too.
Out of Time Comics (1410 Chestnut Street, between Broad and 15th)
Phone: 215-569-3669
Nearby Landmarks: Really big Tower Records, City Hall
Review: This store boasts a decent selection of comics and graphic novels; and yes, this does include a wide variety of translated manga. They also stock lots of toys; as well as cards, shirts, and roleplaying games (the pen and paper kind). No anime videos, and not many imports (other than a few artbooks and anime magazines). The staff is really cool as well.
Fat Jack's Comicrypt (2006 Sansom Street, just south of Chestnut, between 19th and 20th)
Phone: 215-963-0788
Review: Probably the largest comic store in the city, with whole sections devoted to individual genres, including Japanese comics. This is the store in Philly where Japanese kids shop for manga, as they stock import tankoubon of many of the most popular series. They also have a few artbooks here and there, as well as current and back(!!!) issues of Animage, Newtype, and other import anime magazines. There's also a few rare domestic books (suspiciously, I would see some of these show up in a certain South St. used bookstore before turning up on the shelves of Fat Jack's), and, of course, the prerequisite translated manga and American manga. Lots of current and back issues of translated manga as well. A small amount of anime videos and DVDs, model kits, hentai manga (in the adult section), and toys round out the store's Japanese-related goods.
Side note: Across the street from Fat Jack's is the Roxy Screening Room. This is a small art-house theater that has been known to screen anime on occasion.
Philly's Chinatown (starts at Arch St., north of the Gallery mall on 11th and Market Streets)
Review: I don't yet have a description written of some of the stores in Philadelphia's Chinatown; however, this area isn't very big, so feel free to explore. If you're into Sanrio, there's a really great store there called Asia Craft Imports that sells products with Sanrio characters, Doraemon, Little Bobdog, and others.
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Dead Stores
New York City
Anime Crash (13 E. 4th Street)
Status Report: This store, often credited with being the very first anime-dedicated shop in the United States, first opened in 1994. Sadly, it has been closed since at least 2002.
Kinokuniya Books (10 W 49th Street)
Status Report: This store has moved to a new location.
Asahiya Bookstore (52 Vanderbuilt Avenue; later moved to 45th Street, between 5th and Madison Avenues)
Status Report: This long-time Midtown mainstay, and a low-key alternative to Kinokuniya, closed its doors for good on October 31, 2009, after a lengthy going-out-of-business sale. It is sorely missed.
Image Anime (103 W. 30th Street)
Status Report: This store has moved to a new location.
Game Express (126 W. 32nd Street)
Status Report: This once-excellent game and anime store has closed (and the building they were in has since been demolished and replaced with a new one). However, their website is still active and taking orders.
Wah Kue, Inc. (58 Mott Street)
Status Report (by Squelch203): This store no longer exists, at least not at this address. An electronics store called Digital Electronics now occupies this space.
Octopus Kingdom (150 Lafayette Street, Suite 28)
Status Report (by Squelch203): This was my favorite place last spring, but unfortunately they have since disappeared. I tried calling their number while I was there but the number had been disconnected without any further information. Just by chance I asked a mail carrier who said that they may have moved over to Mott Street but then they either moved again or went out of business.
Anime Max (47-A Mott Street)
Status Report (by Squelch203): No toys, anime, or DVDs. I asked the clerk who said that they no longer carried DVDs. Now they only carry purses and women's clothes.
Northern New Jersey
Explosion! Anime and Collectibles (19 Eastman, Cranford, NJ)
Status Report: Explosion was a great store—lots of cool toys and statues, decent prices, and a nice staff. I'd suspected for some time now that they've closed down, and a trip into Cranford confirmed that. This store is sorely missed.
Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania
Quakerhead Collectibles (533 South Street) and Anime Bento (606 Baltimore Pike, Springfield, PA)
Status Report: This (frequently pricy, but always worth visiting) store, specializing in anime DVDs, import and domestic toys, and other collectables, closed and was reopened in Springfield as Anime Bento. However, this new store is now closed as well.
First compiled April 2002 | Last updated November 2009 | Copyright 2002-2009, The Blue Shinra Project.
Guest reviewers: Squelch203, txonil, and Steve.
Additional condtributors: Heero Rocks My Socks, Emi A., Daniel Marx, ianthefira, mydruthers, robinterrae, and Senor Pinata.
Special Thanks: David Asher and MangaNEXT.