Amin Abbas

Mandarake, a Japanese retail chain that sells a wide range of secondhand collectibles and otaku-related goods, opened a new branch in Kyoto on Oct. 17.

Mandarake is known as the world’s largest secondhand comics retailer. The company’s financial success is cited by Philomena Keet in Tokyo’s Fashion City.

A representative of Mandarake shared exclusively with Arab News Japan the story and challenges of opening the new branch in Kyoto. “The theme of the Kyoto branch is the fusion of the historical city of Kyoto and the culture of Mandarake,” he said. “The highlights of the store are the lineup of products that will satisfy customers seeking Japanese subculture and the Torii gate inside the store.”

“This was the first new branch opening in a new city in over 10 years, so it was a matter of how to establish Mandarake in a new location,” he added.

About the response and feedback from the visitors who visited the new branch, the representative said “We had a lot of visitors on the opening day, and the products we had prepared for the opening, including Mandara products, were available to customers, so we were able to meet their needs.”

Regarding Mandarake’s upcoming projects and activities following the opening of their new branch in Kyoto, “We are going to strengthen the buy-back at the Kyoto branch. We will handle a wide range of items, such as vintage and current toys, trading cards, and books related to subcultures that are currently attracting attention”.

Mandarake participated for the first time in the Middle East at World Art Dubai 2023 earlier this year, where they showcased collectibles and otaku-related goods like toys, trading cards, and posters, as well as exclusive figures for the event such as the Astroganger Dubai version, Battle Mech: Orichi MX1 (4th version), and Kaiju Sensha Aguirus (World Art Dubai 2023 Limited Color).