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next to a shop name to see a photo of it.
Compiled by Jonathan Weeks
Last revised 27th September 2002
Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, no guarantee can be given. Additions and corrections are welcome.
If you have an image capable browser, click on the icon
next to a shop name to see a photo of it.
Major Video Retailers
Most video shops stock anime to some extent. These are the big central
London department stores.
Japanese Book Shops
The Japanese community in London is big enough to support a few
bookshops. They all stock manga magazines, takubon (manga collections)
and artbooks.
Specialist comic/SF Shops
These are the notable shops in central London. They all stock US import
comics including manga translations.
Chinatown[section currently missing]
There are a number of shops in Chinatown that stock Hong Kong media
goods such as comics, posters, CDs, videos etc. Pirate goods are common.
Until I do some proper research here, you're on your own. Chinatown is
located in the area bounded by Shaftesbury Avenue, Leicester Square,
Charing Cross Road and Wardour Street.
Game Shops/Arcades
Specialist game shops and notable amusement arcades in central London.
Miscellaneous
Other places of interest not covered elsewhere.
HMV. 363/??? Oxford Street (two branches, east of Oxford Circus and opposite
Bond Street station) / Trocadero Center, Shaftsbury Avenue (west side).
The store near Oxford Circus is the main one. The video department
is on the first floor. Anime tapes are on the north side of one of the
free-standing display racks west of the escalators. Anime DVDs
are at the south end of the east wall. They also have a few anime
CDs in the soundtrack department in the basement, but they are
mixed in with the film soundtracks, so you can't easily browse them.
Tower Records.
1 Picadilly Circus (west side inbetween Picadilly and Regent Street)
The video department is in the basement. Anime tapes are on the back wall of
the department, furthest from the tills. Anime DVDs are at the south end of one of
the free standing racks, on the west side. They also have a selection of Japanese
anime and game import CDs in the games department, a range of J-pop imports in
the 'World Music' department, and a few Japanese magazines in the magazine section.
Virgin Megastore.
14 Oxford Street (Tottenham Court Road end) / Picadilly Circus (south side)
The Oxford street branch is the main one. The video and DVD department
is on the first floor. I don't know where the anime tapes are. Anime DVDs are on the
south side of one of the free standing racks, towards the middle of the floor. They
also have a few anime CDs in the soundtrack department filed under 'Manga films'.
Adanami Shobo.387 Edgeware Road, Colindale (just south of Oriental City)
Tel: 020 8201 3499
A second-hand Japanese book shop open only on Saturdays and Sundays.
Prices to bring even the stingiest otaku to their knees. They have a rack of
J-pop CDs as well.
Asahiya Shoten.
Oriental City, 399 Edgeware Road. (turn right out of Colindale station,
then right at the end of the road)
Tel: 020 8200 0039
The largest Japanese bookshop in Europe, with the most comprehensive selection
of manga and takubon anywhere. Good prices.
Japan Centre.
212 Picadilly. (south side, near Picadilly Circus)
Tel: 020 7439 8035
Mainly a book shop, but they also sell anime and manga related
merchandise, and even have a few imported videos and games. Prices are
high, but there is usually some unsold stock being cleared out cheaply.
JP-Books.
Dorland House, 14-20 Regent Street (part of the Mitsukoshi department store, south of Picadilly Circus)
Tel: 020 7839 4839
I haven't visited this one yet.
OCS Books.
2 Grosvenor Parade, Uxbridge Road, Ealing.
(turn right out of Ealing Common station)
Tel: 020 8992 6335
Doesn't stand out from the others particularly.
B-Hive
28 Denmark Street
Tel: 020 7836 3036
A comic shop.
Comic Showcase.
63 Charing Cross Road. (West side, just north of Leicester Square station)
General comics store with a good range of translated comics and some UK
anime videos.
Forbidden Planet.
71 New Oxford Street, (south side, near Tottenham Court Road station)
Tel: 020 7836 4179, website: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com
The largest specialist SF/comic shop in the UK, including an excellent
range of anime goods by default. Manga and magazines are at the back of
the shop on the west wall. Videos, books, T-shirts and merchandise are in
the basement near the back. Models, trading cards and badges are mixed in
with the relevent sections elsewhere. Closed on Sundays.
Gosh!.
39 Great Russell Street (opposite the British Museum)
Tel: 020 7636 1011
A comic shop, specialising in non-mainstream comics, including a
comprehensive range of manga translations. My personal favourite of
all the London comic shops.
Orbital
9 Old Compton Street (near the Charing Cross Road end)
Tel: 020 7434 9363
A comic shop.
The following shops stock translated comics and UK videos but are not centrally located:
Avalon Comics.
143 Lavender Hill, Clapham (5 mins walk from Clapham Junction)
Mega City.
18 Inverness Street, Camden Town. (north west of Camden Town station)
Advanced Console Entertainment (ACE).
Ganton Street, Soho (off Carnaby Street)
Specialist import game shop. Good service, high prices.
Casino Leisure Centre.
Tottenham Court Road (inbetween Goodge Street station and the Church of Scientology)
Notable as being a beta test site for some arcade game manufacturers (e.g.
Capcom, Komani). This means that they get new games in before anyone
else, or get machines that never appear anywhere else.
Computer Exchange.
32 Rathbone Place. (off Oxford Street near Tottenham Court Road)
New and second hand Japanese/US/UK games of all descriptions.
Retro department in the basement stocks all manner of legacy games and game
systems. The only thing they do not stock are Nintendo imports.
Funland.
Trocadero Centre, 40 Shaftesbury Avenue. (near Picadilly Circus)
Website: http://www.londontrocadero.com
Labyrinthine indoor theme park and biggest amusement arcade in
London. Has the best range of machines overall, and several unique rides.
Namco Station.
County Hall, Riverside Building, South Bank (between The London Eye and Westminster Bridge)
Tel: 020 7967 1066, website: http://www.namcostation.co.uk
Another big arcade, but with the added attraction of a bar and pool hall.
Arigato.
48 Brewer Street, Soho. (north of Picadilly Circus)
There are lots of shops around London that stock Japanese groceries, but
this is the only one that is centrally located.
Comet Miniatures.
44-46 Lavender Hill, Battersea. (north side, near Queenstown Road)
Tel: 020 7228 3702, website: http://www.cometminiatures.co.uk
Model kit specialist. A gold mine of Gundam kits, toy robots, vinyl kits
and other goodies. Stock includes some pirate (Elfin) kits.
Hamleys. 188 Regent Street. (east side, near Beak Street)
Website: http://www.hamleys.co.uk
Huge toy shop. There's a Sanrio section on the fourth floor (if you don't
know what Sanrio is, count yourself lucky).
Oriental City.
399 Edgeware Road, Edgware. (turn right out of Colindale station,
then right at the end of the road)
Website: http://www.orientalcity.net
Big shopping mall. Everything a Japanophile could wish for - restaurants,
bookshop, toyshops, Sega Dome, supermarket, etc. Check out the sweets
section in the supermarket for some interesting goodies.
The Pontefract Castle. Wigmore Street (on the corner of St
Christopher's Place, north of Bond Street station).
An ordinary pub most of the time, but turn up on the first Sunday of any
month from noon onwards, and you'll find the London Anime Club up to no
good in the basement. Usually attended by a few anime dealers such as
United Publications and Otaku Publishing. Meetings are not guaranteed to
take place, so check with their website at http://www.anime.org.uk before
attending.