AKIHABARA KOTOBUKIYA — Attraction in Tokyo

Possibly one of the worst stores in all of Akihabara - and even Japan. The store itself is located in an old building so it feels like a warehouse, and combined with the 'fragrance' of PVC figurines, it even feels like some monstrous sweat shop.

One critical thing to note before everything else is that Ami-ami DOES NOT discount your orders when they ship overseas. By doing this shady trick, they probably snatch an extra 7% of every single overseas purchase you make from them. Don't encourage their unscrupulous tactics buying from them. They are manipulating foreign Otaku fans for their own profit.

Also, the store's customer service is virtually nonexistent as some other people are saying, and the overall policy and general customer service of their online store is completely appalling as well. If you place an order, be ready to 'pay up' or be kicked out of their membership for life(^^). If you expected some sort of kindness and Japanese-style sekkyaku dealing with these people... well, they feel more like drug dealers than store clerks. But I don't really blame the employees as their attitude generally means the owner of the store trains them to be that way.

They do have an average-sized collection of PVC figures and plastic models, but they are always about 15-20% more expensive than the sellers on Amazon not to mention Amazon online itself. There is absolutely no merit to this store, but it is a brick-and-mortar store of otaku goods so if you like that stuff, have a day or two off and really need to window-shop something in Akihabara, you could very well browse the items here and buy somewhere else like Sof○ap a few meters away where the clerks at least thank you for buying something or be practical and buy online like Yahoo auction or Amazon. As long as you pay attention to the user reviews, online purchasing definitely beats the daylights out of this...

If you’re a fan of beautifully made figures, model kits, or just high-quality anime merch – Kotobukiya is a must. This store is sleek, bright, and feels more like a designer toy museum than a chaotic anime shop.

The main floor has a fantastic rotating display of new releases, with glass cases showing off all the details. Upstairs, you'll find more specific themes – fantasy, sci-fi, gaming characters – all from major franchises like Evangelion, My Hero Academia, or Final Fantasy.

What’s awesome is how clean and organized everything is. It’s easy to browse, and the staff are friendly but let you enjoy the displays at your own pace.

Prices reflect the quality – not cheap, but worth it if you’re a collector. I grabbed a limited-edition figure here that I haven’t seen anywhere else. Top-tier experience for anyone who loves well-crafted...

Kotobukiya is quite unique among the figure and merch stores in Akihabara in that it has designated sections for particular franchises, and only sells new products (as opposed to a combo of new and 2nd hand like many similar shops).

This affords them a lot more space and creativity to layout the shop floor in interesting and accessible ways. Unlike other similar stores, even when it's busy you don't feel too cramped and rushed whilst browsing here.

They often have displays of art and figures showcasing upcoming products, or promoting a particular show or game. I miss their dedicate Metal Gear display they had, a real spectacle.

The staff are friendly and helpful, and there's plenty of them on each floor so you'll not be stuck waiting for assistance if you need it.

Make sure to add Kotobukiya to your itinerary...