Developed since the 1980s, Japanese otaku culture created specialized retail formats for anime, manga, and game-related merchandise. 'Otaku specialty shops' concentrated in Akihabara, Ikebukuro, and Shinjuku form distribution channels for CDs, doujinshi, figures, and merchandise. The distribution system built by specialty chains like Animate, K-BOOKS, and Toranoana has become a crucial pillar of Japan's pop culture economy.
otakuanime merchandisepop culture economy