Every anime and manga fan should be familiar with Animate. The popular chain store is where you can go for all the latest merchandise from your favourite anime and manga series – and rumour has it that the first Malaysian outlet will be opening soon!
Recently, many local anime fans have been buzzing about the possibility of the Japanese chain store opening an outlet in Malaysia. The rumours stemmed from a social media post depicting a job opening for the upcoming store. According to the poster, Animate Malaysia is in Kuala Lumpur and will open in November. The company in charge of the hiring is reportedly the consultancy agency World Mode Malaysia, which works with many Japanese retail brands.
The rumours were later seemingly confirmed by Cos-Mic, a reputable anime convention in Malaysia that recently shared an Instagram account. The account, believed to be the official account for the new store, stated that Animate Kuala Lumpur will be at LaLaport BBCC. The only posts on the account show a rendered image of the storefront but did not provide additional details.
Neither LaLaport BBCC nor Animate Japan have confirmed the news. Regardless, many local anime fans are excited at Animate finally opening its doors in Malaysia. Many said they’ve waited years for the chain store to open in Malaysia, adding that they’re excited to check out the offerings. Some also pointed out that many other anime-themed stores are opening in LaLaport BBCC, which could bring more traffic to the shopping mall.
If the rumours are true, Malaysia would be the second Southeast Asian country to have an Animate store, after Thailand. Are you excited about Animate Kuala Lumpur finally becoming a reality?
Sources: Twitter (1)(2), Instagram (1)(2)
