Cathy MerrittGone are the days when liking anime is considered nerdy and uncool. It has become a sensation and one of the most popular animation genres in the world, and Toronto is no exception to its power.
The growing anime community in the city has led to many anime shops popping up—from manga shops to stores selling authentic figurines. From these, we handpicked the best.
If you’re looking to enter the anime community or planning to expand your anime collection, here are the top places you shouldn’t miss!
Address: 1008 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4J 1M2, Canada
Website: http://www.navitoworld.com/
Contact details: 416 205 0008, [email protected]
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday: 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Otakus collecting anime figurines will absolutely be blown away once they step foot inside Navito World. This anime shop in Danforth is jam-packed with all sorts of figurines, from chibis to Gundams.
Navito is also a licensed distributor of authentic Japanese figurines, model kits, toys, and accessories. With so many counterfeit items popping up in the market, you can rest assured that any figurine or toy you buy from the shop is original and authentic.
They have figurines from Final Fantasy VII, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, and more. They also have anime plushies, badges, coasters, key chains, and other accessories.
| Pro Tip: Browse through their website first before coming to the shop. The shop is tiny and can accommodate not more than ten people, so finding the ones that you like can take time. |
Conspiracy Comics Games & Anime
Address: Oakville Place, 240 Leighland Ave, Oakville, ON L6H 3H6, Canada
Website: https://conspiracycomics.com/
Contact details: [email protected]
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Conspiracy sells almost anything about anime, including shirts, mugs, plushies, Funko Pop figurines, and trading cards.
Moreover, they have one of the widest comic selections in the entire GTA—ranging from DC and Marvel to some of the most popular anime mangas you can think of.
If you live outside of Oakville, Conspiracy Comics has seven different locations throughout GTA that you can check out. They have one in Burlington, Brampton, Toronto, Georgetown, Hamilton, and Etobicoke.
| Pro Tip: Their website is essentially an online shop where you can order some of their products. They offer free shipping for orders over $100, so if you have friends who plan to order from them, you can just order in bulk together. |
The Beguiling
Address: 319 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1S2, Canada
Website: https://www.beguilingbooksandart.com/
Contact details: 416-533-7313, [email protected]
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
The Beguiling, founded in 1987, is one of the oldest and most well-known comic and graphic novel shops in Toronto. They have a wide range of books, including Canadian Comics, French Graphics, and, of course, anime mangas.
They regularly stock up their manga section, so you can find some popular ones like the latest volume of Case Closed, Kaiju No. 8, and Demon Slayer. They also have manga sets, like the Dai Dark box set and the complete box set of The Promised Neverland.
If you’re looking for an old anime manga, The Beguiling regularly purchases comics published all the way from the 1930s, so you might be able to find it here. They have an Otomen volume 1 to 18 set and the 1985 Mai, the Psychic Girl manga set.
| Pro Tip: They require masks for you to enter. They have some in store in case you forgot yours, but if you’re more comfortable using yours, don’t forget to bring it! |
Sarah & Tom
Address: 624 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6G 1K7, Canada
Website: https://kpopworld.ca/
Contact details: 416-535-4619, [email protected]
Operating hours: Monday to Friday: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sarah & Tom first started as a small shop selling Japanese and Korean stationery but is now more well-known for its K-pop and anime-related items. The shop has a whole section filled with anime plushies, figurines, pins, keychains, stickers, and posters.
The shop has items related to One Piece, Demon Slayer, Hunter X Hunter, Naruto, My Hero Academia, and more. However, this might not be the right place for you if you’re looking for mangas since their anime section focuses more on accessories and toys.
Sarah & Tom has six stores throughout Canada if you live outside Toronto City. They have one in Hamilton, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, and Ottawa.
| Pro Tip: This is one of the top K-pop shops in Toronto, so it gets pretty hectic whenever popular groups have comebacks. If their website is hosting a pre-order, then it’s probably for a popular group, and you’d want to avoid visiting around that time. |
Anime Alley
Address: 384 Yonge St Unit 71, Toronto, ON M5G 2K2, Canada
Website: https://animealley.ca/
Contact details: 416 591 7699
Operating hours: Monday to Friday: 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Anime Alley is a new anime shop in Toronto that many don’t know of and often gets overshadowed by older shops. But this small shop is a paradise for any otaku, especially those who love collecting anime trading cards.
The shop offers some trading cards that you would otherwise have a hard time finding at other anime shops. They have a bunch of graded Pokemon cards everywhere you look in the shop.
Anime Alley also sells figurines from popular anime shows and video games like Persona 5, One Piece, Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Kuroko’s Basketball. You can also find more anime accessories and plushies if you explore the store.
| Pro Tip: The shop offers gift wrapping services on their website, so if you plan on gifting something to an anime fan, you can simply order from them and avail of their gift wrapping service. |
Silver Snail Comic
Address: 809 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1G1, Canada
Website: http://www.silversnail.com/
Contact details: 647 646 0889
Operating hours:
Monday to Saturday: 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Silver Snail Comic has over 45 years of history, making it one of Toronto’s oldest and most trusted comic shops. It remains one of the top go-to places for comic fans, including those who love mangas.
The shop has both old and newer mangas, from the classic Akira series to the latest volume of Demon Slayer. They even sell popular mangas in complete sets for those who want to start reading or collecting them.
There are also a bunch of superhero and anime figurines, Funko Pop models, and customized bags. You might also find some vinyl records, DVDs, and video games here if you’re into them.
| Pro Tip: Silver Snail is open to buying comics from collectors. If you have mangas that you want to dispose of, you can sell them to the shop as long as they’re still in good condition. |
AnimeXtreme Inc.
Address: 327 Spadina Ave. Main Floor, Toronto, ON M5T 2E9, Canada
Website: https://animextreme.ca/
Contact details: 416 979 0399
Operating hours:
Monday to Thursday: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Friday and Saturday: 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
AnimeXtreme is probably the most popular anime shop in Toronto and for a good reason. They’ve been around for over 20 years and have built a solid reputation when it comes to selling authentic and good-quality anime figurines, toys, and model kits.
Some common action figures and model kits you’ll find in the shop include Kamen Rider, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Gundam, Initial D, and a lot more. Other collectibles include Street Fighter gloves, Kamen Rider gear, and One Piece toys.
Aside from toys and action figures, AnimeXtreme also boasts a wide collection of manga. You can find Golden Kamuy, Happy Kanako’s Killer Life, Hinamatsuri, Devil Survivor, and more displayed neatly on their shelves.
| Pro Tip: If possible, don’t bring a bag when you visit. They ask customers to leave their bags on the desk, so there’s a chance that another customer might mistakenly take yours. |
401 Games
Address: 750 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4Y 2B6, Canada
Website: https://store.401games.ca/
Contact details: 416-599-6446, [email protected]
Operating hours:
Monday to Friday: 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
401 Games is another must-visit anime shop for those looking for trading cards. The shop has an extensive card selection from Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic, One Piece, Digimon, and more.
The shop has some rare cards that can be pretty hard to find in Toronto. You can also pre-order various trading cards from the shops, including both sports and Disney cards.
Aside from trading cards, 401 games also offer scale models for aircraft, cars, ships, and more. Its shelves are also stacked with board games, ranging from common board games like Scrabble to special-themed ones like Arkham Horror.
| Pro Tip: Bring your deck whenever you visit the shop if you love having card duels. It has duelling tables where you can play with other customers. |
Anime City
Address: Floor 1, Chinatown Centre, 222 Spadina Ave., unit 102E, Toronto, ON M5T 3B3, Canada
Website: https://www.animecity.ca/
Contact details: (437) 880-7668
Operating hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Anime City is more known as an online anime shop in Toronto, but it recently opened its first physical store in Chinatown. You can now personally check out their collections of your favourite anime toys, manga, comics, and video games.
The shop has a huge collection of figurines from Bleach, Gundam, Demon Slayer, Digimon, and more. It also has sofubis or soft vinyl from popular anime shows like Kamen Rider and Ultraman.
For anime fans who also love cosplaying, this is the place to go! They have several cosplay and props that can elevate your outfit, including authentic Kamen Rider belts, Sailor Moon brooch sets, Kira Kira masks, Demon Slayer swords, and more.
| Pro Tip: They ship everywhere in Canada and the United States, so if you plan to send a gift to someone outside of Toronto, the shop can be very helpful! |
Cyber City Comix
Address: 1025 Steeles Ave W, North York, ON M2R 2S9, Canada
Website: https://cybercitycomix.com/
Contact details: 416 667 7592
Operating hours:
Monday to Friday: 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday: 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Established in 1995, Cyber City is another well-known comic shop in the Greater Toronto Area. They sell American comics, Japanese mangas, toys, statues, novelties, and trading cards to every collector.
The shop has massive shelves filled with different volumes of different mangas, such as One Piece, O-Parts Hunter, Naruto, Negiho, D.Gray-man, and more. It also offers some anime Blu-rays for those interested.
Aside from these, you’ll find anime figurines displayed around the shop that you can purchase. There are also shelves with starters, boosters, boxes, and sets of major card games, like Pokemon and Magic.
| Pro Tip: Cyber City offers a $20 lifetime membership. With this membership, you can get 15% off new comics, mangas, art books, magazines and more. |
