Akihabara's Gachagacha Neighborhood and Gachagacha Situation [Akihabara News]

A project introducing interesting spots and shops unique to Akihabara!
that name as well"Akibabura News' will start today.
The theme for this first event is straight forward!Akihabara's Gachapon Machines]!

Let's take a look at Akihabara's gachapon spots and the Akihabara gachapon area!

This time, we also received cooperation from Gachapon Kaikan, who shared a variety of stories with us.

What is the joint project "Akibabura News"?

"Passion Conference" is a 30-minute live broadcast by Ichigo Animation that delivers various information about Akihabara.
Akihabara Base Camp is a blog and video streaming service that provides information on Akihabara stores and Akihabara-related information.
A collaborative project between two people who love Akihabara and work daily to revitalize the city!
We bring you the latest happenings in Akihabara using blogs, videos, and live broadcasts!

It's packed with information on Akihabara, from the latest news to hot spots, and more to help you enjoy Akihabara to the fullest!
You might discover a new side of Akihabara that you didn't know existed?

Basic knowledge about gachapon. From sales methods to single-use fees.

There are many gachapon spots in Akihabara.
The storefronts of anime shops and the back alleys between buildings.
They range from large electronics retailers to gachapon specialty stores.

Most of the items sold here are manga, anime, and game-related, but there are also some unique original products.
Gachagaya machines for popular IP titles are relatively easy to find anywhere, but it can be difficult to find places that carry slightly more unusual products.

What is the appeal of Akihabara, where a wide variety of gachapon machines are mixed together?
With that in mind, let's take a look at the Akihabara gacha area.

Keep in mind that gachapon are basically limited edition products.

First, I would like to introduce the basic specifications of gachapon.
All of the prizes in gachapon machines are limited edition items and will not be reproduced unless absolutely necessary.
This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and today may be your last chance to spin the gachapon.
"If in doubt, buy it.'
This is what's important.

It's human nature to be drawn in when you hear something is limited.
Since I had the chance, I decided to try my hand at the gachapon machine, and I will be sharing the results on "Passion Conference"!
I'm not kidding, the first gacha I tried in Akihabara was incredible!
Passion Conference scheduled to be broadcast on December 7th (Official channel "VLADLOVE OFFICIAL") Check it out!

The number of gachapon manufacturers is increasing every year

The number of gacha machines available at Gachapon Kaikan is approximately500 spaces .
The prizes are changed several times a month, and even with 500 machines in operation, it is not possible to stock most of the products that are on sale.
This is because the number of gachapon manufacturers is increasing every year, and the variety and number of products is becoming quite large.

According to what I've heard, the reason for this is that the number of gachapon manufacturers has doubled compared to a certain period in the past.
Even if the prizes are carefully selected at the purchasing stage, there is still a considerable amount to be purchased, so those purchasing the prizes need to have knowledge and the ability to identify trends.

Popular prizes also vary by region, so it's important to be able to quickly sense what's popular in Akihabara.
Currently in Akihabara,Original god""Horse daughter" is extremely popular and is a work that is definitely worth checking out.

How much does one gachagasha cost? Which is the most expensive?

What is the average price for one gachagasha machine?
In the old days, gachapon (the red gacha machines you see in front of stationery stores and supermarkets) cost 100 yen per play, or at most 200 yen.
Recently, the prices of gachapon prizes have tended to rise in proportion to their quality.
Some items that are well-made, divided, and painted can cost over 500 yen!

▲The higher the price, the higher the quality. Times have changed.

There are also gachapon machines that can be played using electronic money such as SUICA, and the most expensive one is2000 yenApparently there were some that were like this...I thought that the number must have increased by about 10 times compared to the past.

Are gachapon machines popular among women?

When it comes to gachapon machines, you might have the impression that there are a lot of prizes aimed at men.
In fact, until I heard the story, I also thought it was more popular among men.
However, the best-selling prizes are those aimed at women, and this trend has been particularly strong in recent years.

This is probably because they were able to discover potential customers. By the way, the best-selling item at Gachapon Kaikan is this:

▲ Rice futon. A product that can be combined with other character gachas and figures!

It seems that not only this product, but also items that can be combined with your favorite character goods are popular, and in some cases they may run out of stock before the character goods.
As is the case with other goods, it seems that the same is true in the gachapon world, where works and products that attract a large number of women are strong.

Gachapon machines are popular with foreigners. However...

The system and culture of gachagacha seems to have taken root to some extent in Asia, but in other regions there is no culture of playing or setting up gachagacha machines in the first place, and it seems that there are sometimes complaints from foreigners who try gachagacha for the first time in Japan.
"The character I wanted didn't appear!"
It's only accepted in Japan because people are taught from childhood that this is what gachagacha are, but to foreigners it's a unique culture.
I guess it's unthinkable overseas to leave a box containing money lying around.

Introducing Akihabara's Gachapon Spots

There are many gachapon spots in Akihabara.
There are quite a few spots, both large and small, so this time we will only introduce a few of them.
If you're not sure where to go, why not start by checking out the gachapon spots introduced here?

Gachapon Hall

If you want to play gachapon in Akihabara, this is the place!
Approximately 500 gachapon machines are available.
There is a wide variety of prizes available.
This spot can be said to be the top runner of gachapon machines in Akihabara.

Akihabara Gachagacha Shop

A gachapon specialty store located along Chuo Street.
The shop has been renovated from a space that was originally an electronics store.
Although it is a fairly small specialty store, it has a large number of machines installed.
It closes at 17pm, but it is open from 9am so it may be convenient for some people.

Next to Don Quijote Akihabara

It is located in front of the parking lot adjacent to the Don Quijote Akihabara store.
Be careful as they are installed on both sides of the parking lot entrance.
Why not check it out while you're shopping at Don Quijote?

Volks Akihabara Hobby Heaven 2

The machine is located next to the new Volks store building, which has moved from in front of the station.
They are lined up in two rows horizontally, making a great visual impact.
It is a recommended spot as it is easily accessible from the UDX side.

Akihabara's gachapon culture is likely to continue

The unique sales format known as gachapon and the existence of unique goods still fascinate many people.
The number of manufacturers is increasing rapidly, and the popularity of gachapon culture shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Akihabara's gachapon spots are bustling with activity.
When you come to Akihabara, please experience this mysterious culture "Get a GetawayWhy not have a great time at "?