Square Enix Showroom: Shinra in Shinjuku

01.09.2008 by Patrick W. Galbraith

Square Enix is arguably the world’s leading company for RPG videogames, and it has a showcase and outlet for its goods, merchandise and products in Shinjuku, Tokyo, near the corporate headquarters. Despite their well-deserved reputation, the Square Enix Showcase is seldom on the radars or maps of fans because of its low-key promotion, poor location and capricious operating hours. However, if one is in the area and time allows, it is certainly worth the hassle of a weekend afternoon visit.

To get there, go to JR Shinjuku Station, take the South (Minami) Exit and, facing towards Yoyogi, turn right and head up the main road. It is a straight shot, but takes about 20 minutes or so on foot. Don’t be discouraged by towering office buildings and the roar of the interstate highway, because as absurd as it sounds it is in the shadow of these buildings, tucked under an overpass junction, that you will find the showcase. It is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. most weekends and sporadically in the first and last week of the month, but visitors should be sure to check out the schedule beforehand to avoid disappointment.

There may be a line if you arrive early, but the store interior is surprisingly spacious and almost never seems crowded. The layout of the single room is imaginative and effective. The front, lower, ground level outlet area is bright and colorful, full of cheap, cute, child-friendly merchandise ideal for travelers or lightweights looking for souvenirs. The back, raised, glass-encased showcase area is all low lighting on black marble, full of expensive, edgy, fan-oriented figures and jewelry for the geek elite.

Across all areas, however, be aware that prices are no better or worse than other stores physical or online, so don’t expect a bargain.

Overall, the stock is predominately dedicated to the two flagship franchises "Dragon Quest" and "Final Fantasy." Indeed, front and center at the entrance of the lower outlet area is a mountain of FF mascot plushies and DQ Smile Slime lime stuffies. The right side of this area is DQ goods, and the left has is a wide array of SQEX Toys and merchandise from other series. These include "Chrono Trigger," "Kingdom Hearts," "Soul Eater" and "Valkyrie Profile." The selection is small, but contains many new, rare and limited items, for example FF Tactics Trading Arts Figures, which sold out within days of release. The requisite swag – pencils, stationary, key chains – is also in stock.

Sure to please is the soundtrack and software library and back catalog, resembling a honeycomb filled with old and rare titles. The music filling the store is comprised almost entirely of BGM music from classic Square Enix series, so it is inevitable that one is drawn by stirred memories to the vintage merchandise. Most are for sale or can be ordered factory direct, and the music can be sampled at listening stations. Exactly what the intrepid buyer might sample or find on the shelves is always mixed, but there are gems a plenty. Sometimes new series and soundtracks are on display and available to sample.

Directly behind this area, below and behind the raised showcase, are examples of the Square Enix fashion and clothing line. Original hats with hardware and metallic designs pinned on mix Square’s trademark character designs with elements of punk. That said, the average price is about $140, so not exactly prime souvenir material. The shirts are black with a variety of unique and stylish designs inspired by videogames or entirely original, but each costs about $50 and size options are limited.

The real payoff is not the merchandise, however, but the pomp and decadence of the raised showcase area in the back of the room. Walking up the black marble stairs and passing through a glass tunnel under white lights, it is easy to indulge the fantasy that one is passing through the lobby of some Shinra corporate complex. At the top of the stairs is a high-quality cosplay replica of Vincent’s leather outfit from "Dirge of Cerberus." As if that is not enough, a right turn reveals a 1:1 scale one-winged Sephiroth model encased in the floor. Guests are free to take pictures of the tomb. Staff dressed in suits and conspicuous Shinra badges – a sharp contrast to the short-sleeve T-shirts and slacks of the staff out front – will even help take the picture, a welcome difference from Nakano and Akihabara. The music is a little more moody than the front area and sometimes trailers from upcoming videogames, anime and movies run on a special TV screen. In the center of the space, leather chairs are provided for high rollers to sit back and relax while they consider their purchases.

The left wall at the back next to the Vincent costume is for glass displays with new, upcoming and sale figures and models. The items range from $50 to $500, but snapping shots of statues is probably more satisfying and cost efficient. The rest of the platform showcase is for Square Enix jewelry and accessories, ranging from key chains for $12 to limited edition pieces for $200. There are affordable and quality pieces in between, and while they run a gamut of series and products (card cases, company badge holders, wallets, charms and various kinds of jewelry) the majority is "FF" (specifically "FFVII" and "FFVIII") and "Kingdom Hearts."

Is it worth the trip? Perhaps not for casual shopping, but it is a recommend for browsing gamer bling and seeing Lord Sephiroth in all his engineered glory.