London is no stranger to Japanese culture – never is that clearer than in the abundance of anime shops dotted across the city. These are the ones to have on your radar.
Whether you’re into collecting manga comics, kawaii plushies, graphic novels, or anime characters, if you know where to look, London has one of the most extensive shops dedicated to this growing niche outside of Japan.
Step away from reality and explore the rich, fantastical worlds of Studio Ghibli to the darker themes explored by the likes of Deathnote, Paranoia Agent, and Tokyo Ghoul.
So if you’re big into anime and want to know where to fuel your passion, or if you’ve always wanted to get into manga and never known where to start, join us as we take you on an odyssey to the best anime shops London has to offer.
Best Anime Shops in London
Japan Craft
Camden’s Japan Craft is a must-visit if your love for Japanese culture extends beyond anime. While we adore their massive choice of Japanese cultural snacks, candles, decoratives, and tableware, those seeking to sate their anime hunger won’t go short.
With floor-to-ceiling shelves stacked with everything anime and manga-related you could possibly want to find, we suggest blocking off an entire day in your schedule just for Japan Craft.
You can enjoy one of their endless supply of comics or animated novels while sitting down with a box of green tea Pocky and stock up on cosmetics, accessories, and outfits for your next visit to Comicon.
This place is a veritable Aladdin’s cave for anime enthusiasts.
Forbidden Planet
West End
Located in the heart of London’s West End, Forbidden Planet is a mecca for anime and manga fans, with almost 3,500 manga titles to choose from.
With that kind of choice to trawl through, friends and family may need to send out a search party for you!
But that’s not all – Forbidden Planet stocks a vast array of anime toys and collectibles to choose from, as well as hosting regular anime events where enthusiasts can congregate over sushi and sake (yum!) and just indulge with like-minded folk.
They also hold regular signing events where fans can meet their favourite authors and get merch signed.
TokyoToys
Sidcup
TokyoToys recently added a Greater London store to their Glasgow and Birmingham shops, popping up in Marechal Niel Parade, Sidcup.
Although a little way outside the centre of London, it’s well worth the half-hour train ride from Charing Cross. This award-winning store has more than a decade’s experience that they’re only too willing to chat about with other anime fans.
Anime lovers can gorge themselves on more than 50 anime series, 18 Manga book genres, an army of figurines and statues, bespoke Mecha kits, ten trading game collections (yes – including Pokemon), and, of course, the staple of any self-respecting anime store, plush toys.
Even better news -Tokyo Toys also runs a weekly trading card casual turn-up-and-play session.
Gosh! Comics
Located on Berwick Street, Gosh! Comics is an old-school boutique comic book shop that prioritises content over flashy decor and displays. If you’re looking for rare collectibles, there’s an excellent chance that a visit to Gosh! won’t disappoint.
Although the range of comics on offer at Gosh! looks modest at first glance, once you get beneath the surface, you’ll quickly find that this is the place for the biggest enthusiasts – run by even bigger enthusiasts.
Gosh! sells some of the rarest collectibles and signed copies, hardly ever seen at some of the bigger stores, among its specially-curated range of classic anime and modern favourites.
Japan House
Japan House is a cultural arts centre that brings everything to do with Japanese culture to the heart of London. Spread over three floors, they host regularly evolving free exhibitions and events and are home to the AKIRA restaurant and The Stand cafe.
Recent events have included an outstanding exhibition purely dedicated to LGBTQIA+ manga to show how anime culture has helped challenge stereotypes and conservative social norms in Japan.
If anime and manga are your main Japanese jam, we urge you to head to their shop, which stocks a vast range.
If you want to learn more about Japanese culture while you’re shopping, this is the place to spend a few hours.
Raygun Comics
While we’d be happy to recommend a visit to leafy Richmond in isolation, it’s a must-visit for anime fans since it’s home to one of London’s finest comic stores, Raygun Comics.
While Raygun doesn’t solely cater to anime fans (those into Marvel, DC, etc., are equally well-provided for), there is an enormous choice for those who dig manga.
Not only is there a colossal range of titles to choose from, but the staff at Raygun are also incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. What they don’t know about anime probably isn’t worth knowing.
As well as comics, there’s plenty of anime merch available, including card decks, paintings, and anime cel-ga (celluloid pictures).
Mega City Comics
Another Camden anime-friendly haunt is the comfortable and homely comic megastore Mega City Comics. Like Raygun, Mega City is a store that caters to comic fans of every hue, but anime fans are certainly not short-changed.
They stock a colossal range of anime and manga, including most limited editions. Meanwhile, fans can keep an eye out for signing sessions involving their favourite authors and artists.
The customer service is friendly and knowledgeable. Anything they don’t stock, they’ll move heaven and earth to source for you.
Best of all, you can pre-order releases to get that appetite of your truly whetted.
Japan Centre
Fans of anime and all things Japanese become used to the unexpected, and our left-field entry for one of the best places for anime in town is Japan Centre.
This Japanese food hall opened its doors in 1976 and has sold the best Japanese ingredients to Londoners for almost five decades.
What isn’t so well known is the range of manga on sale, from Ribbon to Shueisha’s V Jump.
Open until 10 pm on weekdays, we’ve found the cafe is the perfect spot to enjoy a cup of authentic green tea while reading your new manga titles. Even better, the food hall sells an extensive range of anime-inspired food and drink, which is well worth checking out.
Animetal
Whatever your anime and manga loves, there’s every chance Animetal in Covent Garden will have what you need. As well as all your fave publications, pretty much everything you could ever want in terms of anime figures is catered for at this store.
As well as hosting a fun and friendly place for anime and manga fans to hang out and add to their collections, Animetal is on a mission to educate fans on how to spot bootleg and unlicensed merch.
The Comic-Con store in Covent Garden also serves sushi, bubble tea and matcha ice cream. It is introducing a unique Studio Ghibli area specifically catering to fans of Miyazaki, Suzuki, Takahata and Tokuma.
Plugy
It’ll surprise no one familiar with Camden Market to discover that there is now a full-time anime store here, specialising in kawaii gifts.
Plugy is a little store run by fans of all things anime and manga and stocks everything the discerning lover of Japanese culture could wish for, from plushies to figurines and magazines to charming phone stands and screen protectors.
Although anime is Plugy’s chief focus, they also stock a decent selection of Thai and Chinese fashion pieces, making it a great spot for niche gift shopping.
ARTBOX
Stepping back to Covent Garden, ARTBOX is the UK’s retailer of authentic Sanrio goods, shipped directly from Tokyo.
Big Japanese names such as San-X, tokidoki, Pusheen, and BT21 are readily available, with gifts including all your favourite anime and kawaii bits and pieces. These include fashion accessories, stationery, homeware, plushies, bags, and just about anything else you could think of.
Open 7 days a week, ARTBOX is the perfect stop-off in central London for anyone wanting to indulge their love of all things Japanese.
Bubble Pop Shop
Bubble Pop is just around the corner from Forbidden Planet and Covent Garden – a store that is one of the most comprehensive stockists of anime, manga and geek culture apparel.
Marketing itself as a community of like-minded geeks, Bubble Pop is way more than just a store. It’s a place where enthusiasts can get together and mutually indulge their passions of all things Japanese.
Whether you love to geek down in Demon Slayer, Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh or Naruto, Bubble Pop has you covered. In addition, they have a wide range of Sanrio gifts, from Hello Kitty to Pusheen – even Sylvanian Families.
Gamers are catered for, too, with Kirby, Pokemon, Mario and Sonic figures and collectibles, and, of course, K-Pop fans can feed their frenzy for all things BTS and Black Pink.
