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Godzilla Official Store Opens in Osaka

OSAKA, Sep 16 (News On Japan) - The third Godzilla official shop in Japan has opened in Daimaru Umeda, Osaka, specializing in merchandise from the popular tokusatsu series.

'Godzilla Store Umeda' opened on September 13, offering around 800 different items, including T-shirts featuring Godzilla illustrations and figurines of characters from various Godzilla series. Exclusive items unique to the Umeda store include Osaka-inspired "okonomiyaki-colored" Godzilla figurines, making it an irresistible lineup for fans.

That said, having Godzilla figurines in a department store known for high-end brands may seem a bit out of place...

(Naohiko Nakanishi, Manager of Sales Department 1, Daimaru Umeda): "If we try to offer the same lineup and services as Hankyu or Hanshin, we’ll lose. So, we thought about what else we could offer and decided to create a Japan pop culture shop. We want a wide range of customers, both young and old, domestic and international, to enjoy it."

Daimaru Umeda, which has already introduced entertainment shops like the "Pokemon Center Osaka" and "Nintendo OSAKA," plans to continue expanding its anime content strategy to attract a broad customer base.

Source: MBS

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