There’s a large variety of plastic models one can buy, and it’s not just about Gundam Seed; there’s also other anime goods and fashion accessories, which range from stuffed dolls to clothing! The selection will change as they experiment with testing the waters regarding what sells and what doesn’t. But for someone wanting products that other nearby operations don’t carry enough of, this place is it!
The name of the operation is a play on words. Hyoga Onda is the shop operator, and together with his father, Morgan, they thought hard on what to call the business. The elder is a wordsmith, and the idea came overnight. The son explained, “There’s no such thing as wordplay in the Japanese language. It’s very black and white whereas in the English language, there are so many puns and double entendres, and Otaki translates to nerd. So, why not shed some pleasant light on it rather than recognizing it as something negative?”
He believes his father hit it out of the ballpark with naming the store Otaki. Also, when asked about what product he’d like to bring in, he said, “I want the store to carry Star Blazers / Battleship Yamato; We should have more Kamen Rider and Ghost in the Shell. However, I don’t know about Power Rangers.”
Besides Oni Oni, which is a convenience store that sells delicious rice balls, and Sakura, which is a Japanese diner/grocery, the decision to open another operation was in response to the pandemic. Some folks wanted something to do. Although that time is behind us, these individuals didn’t quit these hobbies. That’s the reason this store is stocking up on those bestsellers and will consider how to expand from there. Who knows, maybe some Sanrio and Bandai products will sneak in too.
Also, the historic Market Square was once home to the infamous comic book store, Island Fantasy, and to have favourite hangout spot close by may well be fortuitous. That is because this operation closed its doors decades ago, and it defined part of this city’s Chinatown landscape. Within the block was once a store that sold donghua and Dragon Ball related products over Doraemon. Today, Otaki may well be posed to take over should it play its cards right, and yes, they sell Pokémon.
These days, people will find nothing anime related in the modernised block. Elsewhere, this operation knows they have to be careful. With Curious Comics and Legends Comics operating nearby, there’s no need to offer manga or any related material. As for other model kits or toys, they won’t be selling what Cherry Bomb Toys has, and as for BC Hobbies, they’re a municipality apart.
But there’s also another reason. “Lower Johnson is becoming a ghost town…. As there’s a lot of real estate opening up, we wanted to fill the space; after a couple of years of having Oni Oni open and everyone asking if we’d sell toys, we decided a proper business was needed,” explained Onda.
It was hardly tough for this manager to figure out what to bring in. What’s found during the grand opening is enough variety to even sate this roving reporter. That’s because of the display of Studio Ghibli models. There should be other products being brought in, but only time will tell if they can get in what I loved from the silver age of anime. Thankfully, this shopkeeper is planning to stay on top of trends as much as possible, and will bring in stuff as fast as possible. He even said, “I can guarantee that my stock will always rotate.”
And what’s important for this store’s success is in what he said, “I’m going to focus more on the heritage and knowing the history of the products I sell. Providing excellent customer service is significant.”
One idea Hyoga wants to implement is an online catalogue, and their official website is a work in progress. That way, people can order some Otaki branded goods and perhaps get exclusives to items that’s not available in the world of mail order. It’s tough to say when this will happen, since it’ll involve doing personal shopping for a lot of people. That’s how the current stock of Ghibli merchandise came to be since they were picked up after doing a quick trip to the Ghibli Museum.
And because of their popularity, “I know that there are a lot of knockoffs, and I would hate myself if I purchased one and tried to sell it. My customers are my most valued thing next to my store, and I want to be careful where I source my products,” said Hyoga.
He is also confident this new store will be good for the community. He knows there’s people here who love to try out new Japanese goods. Not only is it rare for a small city to have a store like this to cater to anime fans, especially those who love their ramen, but also to have operations who know their clientele by name when they walk through the door, speaks volumes. But as any business operator knows, it’s those returning loyal customers who keep these stores chugging along, which brings smiles all around.
Otaki Product and Store Gallery
