AS demonstrated by the massive crowds at recent anime festivals and cosplay events, Malaysia has a huge fanbase for Japanese anime and manga, which is one of the country’s best known cultural exports.
Besides binge-watching anime series and flipping through the latest manga titles, there’s nothing fans love better than collecting merchandise of their favourite characters to decorate their own personal spaces. After all, who doesn’t enjoy seeing the smiling faces of their favourite waifus and husbandos, or find inspiration in recreating fight scenes with figuras.
Consequently, there are many great places for Klang Valley-based otakus to visit, whether they are looking for the latest manga and anime merchandise, or want to hang out at an anime-themed restaurant. Here is the list of notable places for you to explore:
-> Hobility
Hobility is not your typical store; it is a haven for otaku to shop for their favourite merchandise. Hobility is a fairly widespread anime merchandise store in Malaysia, with locations in Bangsar, Sungei Wang Plaza in KL, and 1 Utama in Petaling Jaya, catering to fans across the country.
In addition to its physical stores, Hobility has a website where you can pre-order future products, browse new arrivals, or view their current stock.
Each type of product is organised into named categories on the website, providing a streamlined buyer experience.
Address: Menara Mutiara Bangsar, LG-5, Jalan Liku, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
-> Susanoo
If you are a big fan of the Naruto anime series, Susanoo, an anime-themed Japanese Yakitori & Izakaya restaurant in Taman OUG, is a must-visit. The restaurant’s interior design is full of interesting designs, including Sasuke’s Susanoo, which is one of the strongest powers that are available to the Uchiha clan.
Susanoo’s concept was inspired by the owners’ passion for playing with fire and the lesser-known Japanese cuisine of skewered chicken, which they describe as “the best“, according to Susanoo crew members on Instagram.
Address: Overseas Union Garden, 2A Jalan Hujan Rahmat 3, Jalan Klang Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur
-> AF-Hobby
AF-Hobby’s store in Ampang, Selangor, has shelves full of figurine boxes and walls covered with posters of upcoming products. Their impressive collection of figurines includes complex Gundams, detailed scaled figures, and cute Nendoroids, making it easy for you to satisfy your desire to take home your favorite anime characters.
And what if you don’t wish to travel all the way there? AF-Hobby also has a website where you can order products online, with a streamlined display that groups products into tabs at the top of the page.
Address: 36A & 38A, Jalan Bunga Tanjung 10, Taman Putra, 68000 Ampang Jaya, Selangor
-> Comic Paradise
With plenty of manga series collections ranging from classic to recent titles, Comic Paradise is a place that you will not easily forget. There are six locations in the Klang Valley and Seremban where you can pick up your favourite manga comics.
They are currently operating both in their physical stores, and online on their official Facebook page. Just message them on Facebook or Whatsapp for inquiries.
Stores: Sunway Pyramid, One Utama, Seremban Palm Mall, IOI City Mall, AEON Shah Alam and Eko Cheras.
-> OH! Gatcha
As its name suggests, the store has Gatchapon capsule machines for you to try to get your favourite miniature figurines and special items. These capsule toys, which are imported from Japan, consist not just of popular anime or manga characters, but also some interesting collectibles such as the Sumikko Gurashi or Tama-kyu Galma series.
Oh! Gatcha is a small store located on the second level of IOI Mall in Puchong, immediately recognisable by its bright yellow facade and anime miniatures on display.
Address: Lot S27, Level 2, North Court, IOI Mall, Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47100 Puchong, Selangor