5 essential places for manga and anime lovers in Tokyo

DiCE Ikebukuro is the largest manga kissa, which is similar to an Internet cafe, in Tokyo. They stock about 180.000 manga titles on eight floors. Like Internet cafes, they have PCs, shower rooms, and bars. They even have an ice-cream machine (can be used without additional charge!) and a karaoke facility.

The shop of the Shonen Jump manga magazine. You can buy a variety of items illustrated with popular characters as well as comics. Some of them are only available from this shop. The shop’s character Junta was created by Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball.

Ge GE Ge no Kitaro is a popular manga and anime series, which was created in 1960. The characters of the series welcome you in the cafe where you can enjoy an original menu. See illustrations by the series’ author, Shigeru Mizuki, on the second floor.

Tokiwaso is a block of flats that was built in the fifties and demolished in 1982. Several famous manga artists, such as Osamu Tezuka, Fujio Fujiko (both of them), Shotaro Ishimori, and Fujio Akatsuka lived here. Now there is just a monument to remind you that the building once stood here. You can still visit many of the places frequented by the artists in the area.

A must-see if you want to experience Tokyo’s subculture. Here you can find newly-published manga in rare first editions as well as figures and trading cards. You may find collectibles of anime characters that you used to watch on TV when you were a kid. Very pricy.