Anime...
I've found that lots of North Americans (as well as many Europeans) started learning Japanese as a result of initial interest in...manga. Yes, manga! Or anime. If you don't know what this is, why are you here? Because you obviously don't know much about Japan! Okay okay, I'll explain. Manga is the Japanese word for 'cartoon' or 'comic', and has become really popular overseas in recent years. For those learning Japanese, reading manga or watching anime can be a great form of study. So, for all those people looking for the cheapest manga, anime, artbooks and so on, keep reading...
And some might say that Okazaki is too small to suit their anime needs...
Not so! There are tons and tons of places in Okazaki to buy anime and manga. Let's look at a few...
Used Stores
Bookies
I love this place! Not only do they have a wide selection of used manga and a little bit more than the usual selection of anime tapes, but they also have items from UFO catchers, which are usually really rare. They also have a LARGE selection of anime magazines dating from verrry far back, as well as pencil boards, keychains, and other items. You can buy manga in sets here as well. Anime CDs on sale here too..see the Music page for details.
How to get there: Bookies also has 2 locations. Bookies is located in Tatsumi. Go north on Route 248 and turn right at the intersection with Seiyu. Follow the street up the steep hill until you come to a Pachinko parlour on the left-hand side and a set of lights. Turn left and follow the street down for a bit - Bookies is on the left-hand side. The other location, Bookies 2, is quite a bit farther.
Book Off
Probably the best place to go to find used manga. Don't be fooled by the word 'used': Book Off's manga is all in almost-new condition, with no folds or tears. There is a wide selection, and they often have sales. Most recent manga copies are 200-300 yen, while older manga can go for as cheap as 2 for 100 yen. They also sell art books, videos, doujinshi (stories that someone other than the original author writes about famous manga/anime/game characters), and novel versions of manga stories. There are some anime/game CDs in the music section as well (see the Music page for info on the CD selection).
How to get there: There are two locations (that I know of) in Okazaki. One is at the intersection of Route 248 and the road to Okazaki station. To get there, go down Route 248 past Jusco and turn left at the next set of lights. You should see the building. The other location is very far north, on Route 248 on the right-hand side, just before the city border line to Toyota! From Yamasa, it takes about 35-40 minutes to get there on bicycle.
Meiroku
Another great store...tons of manga, in singles and in sets, as well as magazines, and some UFO catcher toys! Doujinshi and art books are on sale too, as well as anime and movie DVDs, videos, and something rare...LDs!! On top of all this, when you buy something that costs more than 200 yen you get a 10 yen service ticket (aka 10 yen off of your next purchase). A must-visit. Other items on sale include magazines, non-fiction books, and Music CDs.
How to get there: Again, two locations in Okazaki, the closest to Yamasa being on Route 248 heading southbound (towards Gamagori City). It's right across the street from Shidax (karaoke bar) and Sega World. Mind you, it's quite a way down the road; by bicycle it takes about 10 minutes. The other location is in North Okazaki.
New Stores
Well, if it's a newly released manga series that you're looking for, you probably won't find it used for a month or two. The best thing to do is to buy it new. I'm not going to describe specific new stores, as new manga can be bought at pretty much every single book store in Okazaki. Good, easy-to-find stores include the book store on the 3rd floor of the Aeon shopping centre, the book store at the Seiyu intersection of Route 248 on the south eastern side, and the bookstore across the street from Nafco News.
If you're looking for toys and UFO catcher items, head for Toys R Us. They stock many anime and game figurines and items. Next to Toys R Us is Sega World, where you can find the latest UFO catcher items. Watch your wallet, though! To get there, go up the road that passes in front of Yamasa's Student Village past Nafco News, and turn left at the book store (mentioned above). Keep going straight until you are about to go over a second bridge; at this bridge, make sure you are on the righthand side before crossing, and then cross. On the other side is a ramp for cyclists and pedestrians which leads down to the Toys R Us area. (You can see Toys R Us and Sega World from the second bridge, so it shouldn't be difficult to find.)
There is also another Sega World in Okazaki, across the street from Meimutsudou (mentioned above) on Route 248 heading south. It's right next to Shidax Karaoke, one of the biggest karaoke bars in Okazaki.
