Anime merchandise booths turn a shopping complex in the Hongqiao CBD into a hotspot for enthusiasts. [Photo/WeChat ID: hongqiaoshangwuqu]
The inaugural Shanghai Summer International Anime Month — which ran from July 4 to Aug 10 — turned the Hongqiao International Central Business District in Shanghai into a hotspot for anime enthusiasts, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from around the world.
The celebration featured major ACGN (anime, comic, game and novel) expos, pop-up stores and unique markets, drawing fans eager to buy exclusive merchandise.
Tickets for popular expos sold out quickly and local hotels and restaurants thrived with increased bookings.
Spanning over 135,000 square meters, the event hosted exhibitors from 37 countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, and Japan. Many fans traveled long distances to join the festivities, making it a heaven for anime lovers.
Zhu Rui, manager of an anime pop-up store in Hongqiao, said that their main customers were young adults aged 18 to 25, keen to purchase merchandise related to their favorite characters. Anime themes were visible throughout the city, on trains, buses and even boats — proving to be a magnet for young consumers.
The surge in "second dimension" interest is revitalizing traditional shopping centers, transforming them into emotional consumption venues. Fans are said to love dressing as their favorite characters and buying anime goods, finding emotional satisfaction in these activities.
China's anime market is booming, with the "second dimension" user base expected to grow from 210 million in 2017 to 526 million by 2025.
This year, the anime merchandise market is projected to reach 652.1 billion yuan ($90.87 billion) — showing anime's growing influence beyond niche circles and into widespread culture.
