Written by Kevin Lew -- 'The Lai-Lai Boy' kasumi@eden.com
Last updated: 26 October 1996
Now, Shinjuku is generally a crappy place to buy anime things. However, if your hotel is in Shinjuku (like mine was) then maybe this could be something nice to know. It's really easy to find things here, since all of these things are on major streets.
This is one of the infamous Comic Forest shops, often seen in TV ads and sometimes radio shows. Many die-hards will not like to shop at a Manga no Mori, since they give no omake (freebies) when you buy things. Many anime stores will give free posters and stuff when you buy enough items. Despite this store is VERY small, it's crammed with manga stuff.
This is literally right across the street from the JR Shinjuku Shin Minami (New South) Entrance, slightly off to the right. Look for the big orange sign.
This is a small anime store, also known as the Anime Pero. It has a limited selection, of course.
It's in a very easy location. If you can find the Shinjuku Toei Theater, then it's right next door. The theater is located east of the Shinjuku station, and should be on Shinjuku-don.
This is a fairly good sized model/garage kit store. They do have a collectible card game center one floor below the main store. The CCG stuff is the same junk that you can get in the U.S., except most are translated into Japanese. Yes, they sell Ani-Mayhem cards there (they are in English).
If you keep walking east (on Shinjuku-don) from the Pero anime store, within about 100 meters is an intersection. If you turn left there, you'll see the Yellow Submarine store sign on your right -- look up. The store is located on the upper floors of a building.
This is another anime store like Pero. It's also a small store, with a limited selection. However, this is one of the VERY few anime stores that accept credit cards, and they don't have some outrageous minimum purchase requirements.
This is borrowed from Jeff Okamoto's FAQ: Continue walking east on Shinjuku-dori, and you'll see a Wendy's on the corner to your left. Turn right and go about one block. Animec is on the second story. If you don't want to walk all this way (it is very far), the Shinjuku-Gyoenmae station of the Marunouchi subway line is at the corner of the Wendy's.
This store isn't really an anime or manga store like the others. However, it does carry the newest anime CDs, LDs, and games. Older stuff is typically harder to get there, but it will depend on the popularity of the item. One important point of this place is that they allow you to use credit cards.
It's located west of the Shinjuku Station, and I've been told that it is VERY easy to find.