Everything You Missed at the Kodansha House Opening Party
New York Comic Con is already exciting for manga readers: fans are perusing the program schedule, tourists are catching flights, and cosplayers are making their final touches. As if things couldn’t get better (and spoiler alert: they do), Kodansha House 2025 officially launched last week!
The manga publishing powerhouse’s annual pop-up is back in SoHo with immersive installations, a retro arcade, and exclusive merchandise until October 19. From Tuesday through Sunday 12–9 PM, fans can lose themselves in two floors of manga magic.
“I think anyone who’s had a chance to visit Kodansha House — or even seen it being shared over social media — can see how it’s different from the ‘big tent’ conventions, much as we love those too. I can’t quite put it into words, you kind of have to see it for yourself, but Kodansha House is something we’ve put a lot of thought into curating an experience that’s tailored toward Kodansha’s identity as a manga publisher and part of the Asian pop-culture cosmos,” said Kodansha USA president and CEO Alvin Lu, on the event’s selling point.
The night before officially opening its doors to the public, EnVi had the opportunity to join press and influencers for Kodansha House’s exclusive opening party. Here is everything (and everyone) you might have missed!
A number of anime content creators made an appearance last Friday evening — CherryGem, Dyebones, Toji NYC, and many more. Manga authors Brandon Chen and Gigi Murakami also joined the celebration, along with multidisciplinary artist Anya Tisdale and breakout comedian Charlene Kaye.
“It felt like stepping inside the pages of my favorite manga. The art, atmosphere, and community energy made it an inspiring place to just chill and reconnect with creativity,” said social media personality Roger Moore Jr., also known as Metronade.
From the moment visitors step inside, it’s anime and manga galore. To the left of the entryway are the library and seating lounge, complete with loose manga pages hanging from the ceiling. To the right is the gift shop cleverly framed by first volume manga spines, where exclusive Kodansha merchandise is sold.
A few steps away from the entrance is the bar, where cocktails and hors d’œvres were served opening night. Just recently, it was announced that beloved East Village café Isshiki Matcha is supplying Kodansha House-exclusive specialty drinks inspired by A Sign of Affection, Fire Force, and Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku.
Further down are interactive photobooths based on Ghost in the Shell, Attack on Titan, and Blue Lock. Guests can free-fall through the metropolis of New Port City, tower over Wall Rose, and go ego-for-ego against Blue Lock’s star players.
Downstairs is a retro wonderland of arcade machines, moody red lighting, and vintage Japanese posters all over the walls. From Dance Dance Revolution to Mortal Kombat II, every corner is one nostalgia blast after another.
During the party, EnVi also caught up with content creator Kiane Efondo of Pop Up Girls, a community platform that discovers and promotes pop-ups, activations, festivals, and other immersive experiences around New York City.
“Seeing animes like Wotakoi and Blue Lock be a main feature of this event was incredible. To experience the love and appreciation that went into their installations… It was thrilling to see so much of what Kodansha produces receive their flowers, like Cells at Work and A Sign of Affection. I’m looking forward to more of Kodansha House around NYC, and what anime they might feature in their next pop-ups,” said Efondo.
Kodansha House’s program schedule is jam-packed with movie nights, mangaka visits, book clubs, karaoke parties, and more. To keep up with the excitement, be sure to check out the official Instagram and website!
Interested in reading more exclusive event content? Check out EnVi’s coverage of AAJA New York’s private MET party here!
