Anime Pop-Up Shop

Hey Roamers! Want to hear about that time I thought I was going to an anime-con type of pop-up shop but that’s not what it turned out to be?

No? Well I’m going to tell you anyways.

Do you see who I see? @jasperthebombay is always lurking

So while scrolling through IG I came across an ad for:

Anime March Madness NYC Pop-Up: Anime March Madness NYC Pop-Up (Anime March Madness NYC Pop-Up)

I typically bypass these kinds of ads. But, with Attack on Titan back this month, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba slated for April, Jujutsu Kaisen finally returning, and me realizing I needed more anime swag? My curiosity was piqued; and you know what they say about curiosity & kitties… 🐈‍⬛

Upon a brief investigation, I was left with the impression that the pop-up would include anime inspired attire, and possibly trinkets, by a brand called Valeza. I’ve never heard of them nor have I been to one of these so there was no harm.

It was suggested to reserve a spot, though walk-ins were welcomed.

I reserved a spot for 2pm which meant I got to sleep until noon-ish 🛌 However, as the time neared I didn’t feel like getting out of bed. For once it wasn’t due to aches & pains. I was comfy.

What did make me get out was the fact that I’d told an acquaintance of mine about the event and they were interested. So I eventually got my a$$ out of bed, and dolled up for a change.

👁️👃🏾👁️ I was originally going to cosplay as Killua

I arrived there, went inside and my initial reaction was not joy. I was underwhelmed, but that was due to it not being what I expected. I thought people would be there in cosplay or that my eyes would land on some Hunter x Hunter merch right away.

Instead I was, understandably, greeted with a few racks of clothing which included hoodies, t-shirts, windbreakers & puffer jackets, and a mirror set up in the back. Apparently there were hats on sale but, after inquiring, was told only one remained. I also noticed a few backpacks for purchase.

You know I had to get Mr. Eren “Malcolm X” Yeager in my closet!

Some cool merch by a few different brands.

As I’m writing this I realize that this pop-up catered more towards the streetwear aspect of fashion, and that I can easily see the kewl undercover nerds rocking this for their own enjoyment and aesthetics. It’s easy to visualize people in Japan rocking these, and the skateboarding types of the US as well.

I’m by no means a casual anime fan — and would probably dedicate this entire blog to it if I got too carried away — so my headspace was structured differently that day. My biggest gripe was that there weren’t any unique pieces catering to more classic titles like Berserk, Inuyasha, or even Hunter x Hunter. Or perhaps I missed out on those.

I very much wanted to love this jacket and to buy it, but something is missing from it. Perhaps if one of my fave characters was printed on it…

Alas, I did not leave empty handed. I was able to find three pieces of t-shirts that appealed to me. I’ll be repping Eren, Power and Itadori for years to come.