Cel stores in Tokyo?

[sugarcels]

I have a friend who JUST left to live in Japan and teach English. Because she's awesome, she offered to go to Tokyo and search anytime I might want her to find something (she said she needs excuses to go around and explore, so...).

Of course, one of those things will be cels xD

I'm sure at least one person on this board has been to the land of the rising sun, so do you know of any "hot spots" for cels? Directions or general areas/"prefectures" (or whatever they're called - I admit I've always found those confusing) would be very helpful.

I of course will not be "forcing" this on her right away, but I'm very excited and just want to have this information in my hands now, before I forget.

Thanks!

[SqueakyGate]

I have not been to Tokyo since I have started collecting cels, but did run across this link and saved it for future reference.

http://kawaii.animanga.com/shop/index.html

also this link on RS I had tucked away in a file.

http://www.rubberslug.com/board/showthread.asp?T=1506

These may be some relevant info or at least a place to start…

[duotrouble]

I'd answer except it seems I answered in the RS one already. But I will just say that for the most part, there aren't any "cel stores". Mandarakes are the closest you come to that. And if you want something behind the glass, you're walking straight up to the checkout counter as they consider that a sale.

[sugarcels]

Well, OK. Not a "cel store" per se - but I had it in my head there was some place where they displayed cels, and you could buy them, and they'd be filed away by series, or something XD

... I really don't know anything, do I?

[duotrouble]

I can totally see how you'd think that. I think I did before I went in 2002. I was surprised at how much I had to search for cels. When I went in 2004, we were prepared for that so without looking for cels, we found them everywhere. Most anime-related stores have a few cels tucked away. We typically found them in a small brown box in the back of the store on the floor.

But like I said before, Mandarake actually has stores where the cels have their own section. You can just flip through them for hours. And depending on which Mandarake you go to is whether or not the series are labeled.

[Ryouko]

I've been to the Mandarake stores in Tokyo and Osaka this week, and both had very small selections of cels... and almost all from older and unidentifiable series. XD Kind of sad. Probably better for my wallet though (instead I splurged on an unhealthy amount of doujinshi).

[duotrouble]

The Mandarake store to go to is the one in Nakano. They have many series. In fact, that's where I first met Curt from Asylum. Although at the time, I didn't know who he was. It was 2 weeks later at AWA when I put 2 and 2 together.

http://www.mandarake.co.jp/en/shop/nkn.html

[Ryouko]

Ah, that explains it. We went to the Shibuya store while in Tokyo. We're heading to the Umeda one today, since we're still in Osaka.

[Cloud]

Was the trip worth it?

[sugarcels]

Thanks for the info, guys. Really sorry about the trouble U_U;