In a move that further solidifies the global rise of Japanese pop-culture, Bandai Namco is increasing its presence in the United Kingdom with the opening of its latest Cross Store expansion outside of Japan. 

This expansion follows the success of the Camden Market store, which marked Bandai Namco’s first foray out of Japan and into the UK market. The new store, located at London’s Victoria Place Shopping Centre, promises to deliver yet another much-desired immersive experience for fans of anime, manga, and video games alike. 

The Bandai Namco’s Cross Store Experience 

The Victoria Place Cross Store, which opened on November 14, introduces more UK residents to a new world of fun, playful experiences. Similar to its Camden Market location, the new shops offer fans the ability to explore a diverse range of Japanese inspired products and goodies. This includes an Ichibankuji store and Gashapon (also known as “Gachapon”) vending machines. 

The Bandai Namco Cross Store concept itself, which originated in Japan in 2022, aims to provide fans with a comprehensive view of Bandai Namco offerings, ranging from the latest games and character merchandise to amusements, food, and drinks.

This immersive approach allows people to delve into their favorite IPs through licensed official shops, complete with exclusive products and even specialty events.

Bandai Namco’s expansion into the UK is not limited to Victoria Place, as the company plans to open more stores nationally, building on the success of the Camden Market location. The move reflects the growing interest in Japanese pop-culture in the UK, with a substantial percentage of Brits already having collected Japanese collectibles for nearly a decade. 

When announcing its Victoria Place expansion, John McKenzie, managing director of Bandai Namco Amusement Europe, emphasized the company’s commitment to embracing the enthusiasm for Japanese culture in the UK market. 

“As Japanese culture becomes more loved in the UK market with food, art, anime, gaming and collectables, we continue to embrace this, listen to our fans and deliver rich products as we expand into further parts of the UK.”

– John Mckenzie, Managing Director of Bandai Namco Amusement Europe

The inclusion of new “Bandai Namco Group stores” in the UK fosters a sense of excitement and community, providing physical spaces for fans to engage in conversations, have fun, and explore collectibles.

About Bandai Namco’s Collection of Stores 

Bandai’s grouping of official shops brings together multiple elements of popular Japanese culture into a single space. The Victoria Place Cross Store itself focuses on bringing genuine Gashapon collectibles, Ichibankuji, and Sun-Star Stationery to more fans across the UK.

However, other experiences introduced by Bandai’s group stores include an Arcade, in-store Cafe, and official stores selling merchandise from Megahouse, Banpresto, and Bandai Namco itself.

Gashapon

The Gashapon Bandai Official Shop experience houses Bandai’s miniature capsule collectibles and official Gashapon vending machines. The name gashapon comes from the noise the machine makes when you turn the crank on the toy vending machine (“gacha”) and the sound of the capsule when it pops out of the machine (“pon”).

This popular Japanese experience offers a unique and interactive way for fans to collect miniature treasures of their favorite game IP’s.

There is an element of play for all ages when trying to collect the mini capsule toys, which includes everything from anime and manga gachapon from much loved shows like SpyxFamily and Demon Slayer, to the quirky, funny, and cute (#kawaii cats in a box gacha gacha, anyone?)

Ichiban Kuji

The Ichiban Kuji, meaning “Number One Japanese Prize,” adds an element of surprise to collecting, allowing customers to randomly obtain rare toys, figurines, and collectibles by purchasing a ticket and peeling to reveal their prize.

Operated by Banpresto, a typical Ichiban Kuji has anywhere from 60-80 tickets, with each one labeled A-Z depending on the lottery mix.

Prizes vary by season, but can include anything from posters, to stickers, rubber coasters, drink tumblers, acrylic lights, rice bowls, and rare collectible figures depending on the collection drop. The larger and more sought after prizes are usually A-C or A-E and all items are exclusive to the Ichiban Kuji, meaning they are not sold in stores and can only be won by lottery.

Sun-Star Stationery

Founded in Japan in 1952, Sun-Star Stationery is known for its affordable and innovative stationery items for studying and office use. The Bandai official shop brings a touch of ‘Practi-Kawaii’ to the experience, offering cute and practical stationery featuring popular Japanese characters.

Rise of Japan-Inspired Experiences

Beyond retail stores, the influence of Japanese pop-culture is extending into immersive and transmedia experiences globally.

In locations like San Francisco, companies like Sandbox VR are leveraging technology to offer consumers immersive experiences inspired by popular anime shows and games. The Squid Game Virtuals experience, based on the hit Netflix series, demonstrates the potential for blending virtual and physical elements to create engaging social experiences.

Nintendo NY, located in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center, stands as a testament to the enduring popularity of Japanese gaming culture. With 10,000 square feet dedicated to gaming goodness, the store provides an interactive space for fans to explore new titles, exclusive memorabilia, and iconic gaming superstars.

The success of Nintendo NY indicates the demand for dedicated spaces where fans can fully immerse themselves in the gaming world.

This shift reflects a recognition of the need to offer unique and engaging encounters in an otherwise crowded market of products. It also allows fans and story-lovers alike to feel like they are part of a greater community dedicated in full to the characters they love.

The success of Bandai Namco’s own Cross Store concept in the UK aligns with this trend, indicating a growing appetite for immersive experiences rooted in Japanese pop-culture.

Bandai Namco’s Vision for the Future

Bandai Namco’s expansion into the UK with London’s Victoria Place Cross Store marks a significant milestone for fans of Japanese pop-culture.

Hamish Kiernan, Commercial Director at Network Rail, expressed excitement about the opening of Bandai Namco at London Victoria Station, anticipating the positive impact on foot traffic to Victoria Place.

“The opening of Bandai Namco will undoubtedly create excitement and attract new shoppers to Victoria Place. We look forward to supporting its success and are thrilled to be part of their UK expansion.” 

– Hamish Kiernan, Commercial Director at Network Rail

Ultimately, the opening of the Victoria Place store signifies not only a new chapter for Bandai Namco in the UK but also a continuation of the global celebration of Japanese pop-culture.

What do you think about Bandai Namco’s global expansion efforts into non-Japanese markets? Feel free to share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.

^{Featured Image: Bandai Namco}

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