The animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store will hold a grand opening on March 16 2023 (Thursday). They have previously announced the addition of new spaces such as the "animate Theater" as well an exhibit space called "Space Galleria" - are you excited about what else could be in store?
As the grand opening approaches, we will be sharing early photos and info from inside the store with our "IkeAni Report" series.
This first report will cover the outside of the building and the first (ground) floor, as well as the intriguing animate Theater. Not to spoil our own post, but there's actually an elevator between the first and second floors now...!
Let's begin.
*Photos are of a building that is currently under construction. Elements may have changed by the grand opening.
Stylish and gorgeous outside
First, let's check how the building looks from the outside!
The construction scaffolding is finally gone. If you have visited Ikebukuro recently, perhaps you have seen it passing by.
Many of the buildings surrounding Naka-ikebukuro Park sport a stylish matching vertical stripe design - and now the animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store does too.
The blue sign hasn't changed - it's a perfect landmark after all!
Floor 1: An expansive open ceiling makes for a spacious entrance!
Let's move inside the building. The first thing you'll be surprised by is the huge open ceiling that reaches the third floor! It's a unique space to shop in.
The biggest impression: space! The floor itself will be twice as large as before, and combined with the open ceiling it feels wonderfully spacious.
The staff always stock the first floor with hot items, so we recommend browsing this area for the latest info before moving to the other floors.
There are also brand new stairs to look forward to!
And now for what you've all been waiting for... the animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store has an elevator between the first and second floors!
Try it out when you visit!
2nd Basement Level: Brand new experiences await at animate Theater
One of the biggest draws of the new animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store is the animate Theater! Up until now, the main reason to visit animate has been shopping. The ability to experience theater opens up a whole new world!
Let's take a look at the first photos of the animate Theater.
The first and second basement levels have been combined into once space, allowing for a high ceiling. There are lots of seats, so you can expect a comfortable experience!
The very first show to be held at the facility will be "HANA-Doll* THE STAGE -Another Universe-." We are so jealous of the fans who get to christen the space!
More to come!
We've only scratched the surface on upcoming features at the animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store - but we hope you now have a better idea of things! There's still a lot more to cover, so make sure to check back for our next IkeAni Report.