Visiting the Production I.G Store

Hello everyone and welcome back to Tiro Finale for a store tour! Today, we will be taking a look at the flagship store of one of the biggest animation studios in Japan - and my personal favorite - Production I.G. Located in the heart of Tokyo, the I.G Store is located on the 7th floor of the Shibuya Marui departmental store in Tokyo's fashion district, Shibuya. For more information about the store's location, make sure to check out the store's official website (available in various languages). 

Upon entering Shibuya Marui, you might be forgiven for thinking that you are in the wrong place with the entire first 6 floors of the building seemingly being dedicated to women's fashion and with no reference to anime culture whatsoever. It is only once you reach the 7th and 8th floor does the entire complex transform. Not only is Production I.G's store on this floor but, there is even an area for temporary (anime) showcase and a meet-and-greet area.

As with every other Japanese store, there are strict rules on photography. Fortunately, the I.G Store did allocate certain key exhibits to be allowed for photography. These exhibits included several illustration boards drawn which were drawn and signed by key individuals in the production crew. 

Some of these were even rather recent, dating to just a month earlier from my visit. This particular board is to commemorate Production I.G's anniversary.

Ghost in the Shell is arguably one of Production I.G's most influential series. As such, it is no surprise to see a great deal of art surrounding it.

As of now, Production I.G only has a single flagship store and that is the one located in Shibuya.

Which is your favorite iteration of the Major?

Kazuchika Kise is the gentleman responsible for directing Ghost in the Shell: Arise.

Of course, no Production I.G store would not be complete without a Tachikoma!

And, not just one at that. The collective intelligence lives on.

Production I.G has three official store arts which feature a mix of Ghost in the Shell and the popular Shibuya crossing. You may purchase these artworks on anything from a canvas ($$$) all the way to a clear file which is the cheaper route that I opted for. If you are a fan of the Ghost in the Shell series, more specifically Stand Alone Complex, these artworks will no doubt speak volumes to you with their incredible attention to detail and little easter eggs peppered all over the artwork. 

Besides the exhibits in store, there is also a large exhibit area where Production I.G shows off work from its latest production. From character designs, principal sketches and various other artwork, this was an inside look at the production of whichever anime was featured. When I visited, the exhibit area was showcasing the second season of Attack on Titan. While nice, I would have still preferred to see the life-sized Tachikoma think tanks. 

One rather interesting recent addition to the I.G Store is the Virtual Reality Diver which allows fans to experience a Ghost in the Shell-esque VR experience. Diving has always been one of the big features of the Ghost in the Shell universe and delivering it as a VR experience was indeed a rather good idea. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to view it for myself. Fortunately, an app version is being planned for release soon. 

Located next to the I.G Store was the Mugiwara Store, an official One Piece merchandise store. 

A small collection of Gashapon machines all dedicated to Production I.G's works.

Psycho-Pass, one of Production I.G's original IP and greatest work. They will need to tread lightly if they are going to rebound from their floppy second season and questionable feature film.

A little sneakpeek at the available Ghost in the Shell merchandise.

Some Haikyuu merchandise.

More Ghost in the Shell merchandise.

All in all, the I.G Store was certainly not the biggest anime-store I had ever been too nor, was it the most popular by miles. But. the sheer number of exclusive merchandise coupled with all the signed art really make the visit worth it especially if you are a big fan of Production I.G or even just Ghost in the Shell. If you ever find yourself with some free time over in Shibuya, do yourself a favor and pay a visit to the I.G Store. Who knows? The life-sized Tachikoma may just be back. Until then, thank you so much for reading and have yourself a wonderful day ahead!