Japanese Anime in Tokyo (April 6, 2026)
There are many Japanese mangas that have influenced the lives of Will and Violet, and, vicariously, mine. The first one that Will introduced me to is a show called Re: Zero. It was a pivotal influence in his life. This story shared the pains of growing up and dealing with the pressures of life including failure. When I first began watching this show on Crunchyroll, I wasn’t routing for Subaru, the story’s hero. He was arrogant and not all that likable as a character. And, for my kids, that was entirely the point.
Fourth season of Re: Zero launches on it’s tenth anniversary - April 8th
While Re: Zero is a fantasy story, it’s grounded in very real terms. Subaru is buying snacks at a 7-11 when he’s whisked off to another universe. Naturally, he thinks he should be given all these abilities, but the only special power he has is that when he dies, he time skips backwards before his death as a sort of “do over.” From this he learns humility, develops his skills, discovers true friendships and explores the meaning of life. It really grows on you if you’re able to accept the first few episodes as laying the groundwork for everything else.
Some of the many characters in Re: Zero
The last time we were here in Japan, Violet used most of her birthday money to acquire figures from Re: Zero and a few other Japanese Anime series. And, it turns out, that’s part of the fun. The shopping for different figures in these anime storylines is a bit like shopping at Costco. You’re pretty sure they have what you are looking for, but there’s no overall layout, so you pretty much are forced to go through aisle after aisle discovering all that the store has to offer.
One section of one store on one floor of a 10 floor dedicated building
At one point Elena marveled at the massiveness of all these anime figures and commented, “I don’t see how so many of these shops are able to thrive here. This 10-story building is just one of many in this area of Japan dedicated to these kinds of stores.”
We were quick to point out the price tags. One figure can go for $50 to well over $100 USD. They are small and you don’t need too many of them to sell for everyone to be happy. The cost to make is probably a few bucks (including the packaging) so the bulk of the margins are likely going to licensing royalties and the stores themselves. Yes, there are rent costs, but the individual stores tend to be small sub-leases of the floor’s layout, so many businesses are working together.
Other popular shows I’ve watched include One-Piece (currently doing a deal with the NBA and the main character), Jujutsu Kaisen, and Chainsaw Man. Each store has their own unique figures and some are “only available in Japan.” This is wonderful for both enthusiasts and collectors alike.
Having a crepe before wrapping up a long day of shopping
As we were walking home, I took a moment to share with both kids how special this time is with each of them. Every now and then I consider life’s impermanence and am reminded to savor these moments like the treasures they are as we travel the world together.
One side note I forgot to share yesterday is that after our dinner together with Leo and friends (see related post), Elena and I went out for karaoke and the kids came here on their own. Elena and I enjoyed our private booth singing together and Will and Violet got to explore all of this at their own pace.
Private karaoke booth where Elena and I enjoyed singing together
Here’s what’s CRAZY. We left at different times. Had NO intention of regrouping until we were all back at our Airbnb. But the train Will and Violet were on had some trouble, so they were forced to switch trains. When the doors opened there WE were.
Think about that for a moment. How many subways run every hour? (I think it’s about 12 (every 5 minutes). There are 10 cars on each subway, so even though we’re coming from different places not only do we have to be on the same timeframe to wrap up our evenings, but they have a 1 out of 10 chance on the specific train car.
Let’s just say the probability that they would “find” us on the exact train and the exact car is incredibly low. So I take that as a sign that we truly are all on the same wave length. While each of us is having our own individual fun, there’s a larger arc we’re all apart of here in Japan. I love the unexplainable serendipity of these unexpected moments.
