London’s vibrant anime and Japanese pop culture scene has made the UK capital one of Europe’s best destinations for Bandai Gashapon hunters. From the iconic Japan Centre in Piccadilly to anime specialty stores in Soho, Chinatown, and beyond, London offers more gashapon opportunities than many visitors expect. The city’s diverse and enthusiastic otaku community has driven steady growth in capsule toy availability across multiple neighborhoods.
Whether you’re a London resident planning your next gashapon outing or a visitor who wants to incorporate some capsule toy hunting into your trip, this guide covers the best locations, what to expect in terms of pricing and selection, and tips for making the most of London’s gashapon scene. Let’s explore where the best capsule toys in the UK capital can be found.
Japan Centre — London’s Premier Japanese Retail Destination
The Flagship Japan Centre at Piccadilly
The Japan Centre is perhaps the most well-known destination for Japanese goods in London, and it’s an excellent starting point for gashapon hunters. Located conveniently near Piccadilly Circus in the heart of London, the Japan Centre stocks a curated selection of Japanese products including food, beauty items, stationery, and importantly, anime merchandise including gashapon capsule toys.
The gashapon selection at Japan Centre tends to focus on popular Bandai series featuring major franchises like Dragon Ball, One Piece, and seasonal favorites. The store’s stock is regularly updated, and new arrivals often correspond to major anime releases and Bandai’s global release schedule. The Japan Centre is a reliable first stop, particularly for visitors who want a concentrated selection in a well-organized retail environment.
Japan Centre’s Online Shop
For those who can’t make it to the physical store or who want to check availability before visiting, Japan Centre operates a comprehensive online shop that ships across the UK and internationally. While not all in-store gashapon products are available online, the website gives a good indication of current product lines and pricing. Signing up for their newsletter is a good way to stay informed about new arrivals and special promotions.
Chinatown — A Hidden Gashapon Hub
Why Chinatown Has Gashapon
London’s Chinatown in Soho is concentrated around Gerrard Street and has expanded into Newport Court and the surrounding area. While primarily known for its restaurants and Chinese grocery stores, Chinatown has evolved to include a variety of Asian pop culture merchandise shops, and gashapon has found a natural home here. Several shops in the area carry Bandai capsule toys, particularly those featuring characters popular across East and Southeast Asian markets.
The merchandise mix in Chinatown’s anime and toy shops reflects the tastes of a diverse Asian community and international visitors, meaning you’ll sometimes find series here that are less commonly available in dedicated anime stores. It’s worth exploring multiple shops on a single visit, as stock varies considerably between stores.
Getting the Most from Chinatown
Chinatown is compact and walkable, making it easy to cover multiple shops in a single outing. The area is busiest on weekends and particularly lively around Chinese New Year, when special merchandise and seasonal items appear. Weekday visits tend to be quieter and give you more time to browse without the weekend crowds. Many shops here also have goods from other Asian countries, so you might discover unexpected gashapon varieties from manufacturers outside Japan.
Anime and Manga Specialty Stores in London
Forbidden Planet and Entertainment Districts
Forbidden Planet, with its flagship store on Shaftesbury Avenue in London’s West End, is one of the UK’s most well-known comics, sci-fi, and anime merchandise retailers. The store carries an extensive range of Japanese merchandise including some gashapon and capsule toy products. The selection varies, but Forbidden Planet reliably stocks officially licensed merchandise from major Bandai franchises.
The advantage of shopping at Forbidden Planet is the consistent quality of products — everything is officially licensed and the store has a good returns policy if there are any issues. Staff are knowledgeable about anime merchandise and can often help you find specific products or tell you about upcoming stock arrivals.
Smaller Specialty Shops in Soho and Beyond
London’s Soho and the surrounding area hosts several smaller anime and manga specialty shops that often have excellent gashapon selections. These independent stores frequently import directly from Japan and carry newer series faster than larger chain retailers. While their physical space is often limited, the concentrated selection and enthusiastic staff make them worthwhile visits for serious collectors.
- Independent anime shops in Soho often have the most current Bandai releases
- Staff at specialty stores tend to be collectors themselves and provide excellent recommendations
- These shops frequently run sales on older gashapon series when new ones arrive
- Many have social media presence where they announce new stock arrivals
Shopping Centres with Gashapon Machines
Westfield and Major Shopping Centers
London’s major shopping centers have been gradually incorporating Japanese and Asian merchandise retailers, some of which include gashapon machines. Westfield London in Shepherd’s Bush and Westfield Stratford City both have anime-related retailers that may carry gashapon products. As these shopping centers continue to diversify their retail mix, the presence of gashapon machines has been increasing.
The convenience of shopping center locations — with their extended hours, food courts, and covered environment — makes them practical gashapon hunting grounds, particularly in London’s unpredictable weather. Check the directory of specific Westfield locations before visiting to confirm which stores currently carry gashapon merchandise.
Box Park and Pop-Up Markets
London’s innovative pop-up retail spaces like Box Park in Shoreditch and Box Park Croydon have hosted anime merchandise pop-ups and regular vendors that carry gashapon. These markets change tenants frequently, so what’s available depends on timing. Following Box Park’s social media accounts or checking their vendor listings before visiting will tell you if any current tenants carry gashapon.
Events and Conventions for London Gashapon Fans
MCM Comic Con London
MCM Comic Con London, held at ExCeL London in the Royal Docks area, is one of the UK’s largest anime and pop culture conventions and a significant event for gashapon collectors. The event takes place twice yearly (typically in May and October) and draws exhibitors from Japan and Europe who bring gashapon machines and exclusive merchandise.
Bandai or its UK distributors sometimes attend MCM with machines featuring event-exclusive content or early access to new series. The convention floor can be crowded, particularly on peak days, so arriving early is recommended if you’re specifically targeting gashapon merchandise. Many exhibitors sell out of their most popular items by the afternoon of the first day.
London Comic Con and Anime-Focused Events
Beyond MCM, London hosts various anime-focused events throughout the year where gashapon and capsule toys feature prominently. London Anime and Gaming Con and London MCM are among the events worth checking for gashapon opportunities. The Japan House London occasionally hosts Japanese culture events that may include gashapon demonstrations or sales.
- Check event websites for exhibitor lists before attending to plan your gashapon shopping
- Convention-exclusive gashapon items can be valuable collectibles
- Artist alley at conventions sometimes has fan-made gashapon-inspired accessories
- Event timing often aligns with new Bandai series launches for promotional purposes
Pricing and What to Expect in London
London Gashapon Pricing
Gashapon in London is naturally priced higher than in Japan due to import costs, shipping, and the general higher cost of retail in the UK capital. You can expect to pay between £3 and £6 per capsule for standard Bandai series. Premium series or exclusive items may cost more. This compares to approximately ¥200-500 (roughly £1-2.50) for the same items in Japan.
Some stores offer bulk purchasing options or slightly reduced rates if you’re buying multiple turns on the same machine. These arrangements are worth asking about if you’re planning to spend significantly at a particular location.
Finding the Best Selection
London’s gashapon market is not as saturated as major Japanese cities, which means stock rotation can be slower. Some stores may have older series in their machines even when newer releases are available. For the most current series, Japan Centre and the most active anime specialty stores in Soho and central London typically update their stock most frequently.
Following London-based gashapon and anime merchandise accounts on social media — Instagram and Twitter are most active — gives you real-time updates on new arrivals and helps you plan visits when fresh stock has just come in.
The London Gashapon Collector Community
Online Communities and Meetups
London has an active gashapon and capsule toy collector community that organizes online and occasionally in-person meetups. Facebook groups and Discord servers dedicated to UK anime merchandise collecting are the most active communities. Members share tips on where to find specific series, trade duplicates, and discuss the hobby in general.
Trading and Secondary Market in London
Like all gashapon markets, London has a secondary market for capsule toys. UK platforms like Vinted, eBay UK, and Depop have sections where sellers offer gashapon figures and collections. Local collector meetups sometimes feature trading tables where members exchange duplicates for pieces they need. The collector community is generally welcoming and enthusiastic about helping newcomers find what they’re looking for.
London’s gashapon scene may not be as extensive as Tokyo’s, but it’s rich enough to provide exciting hunting opportunities for collectors and newcomers alike. With dedicated stores in accessible central locations, major conventions that bring exclusive merchandise, and a passionate local community, the UK capital is a genuine destination for gashapon enthusiasts in Europe. Whether you’re making a day trip to Chinatown and Soho or attending MCM Comic Con, London’s capsule toy scene has plenty to discover.