Japanese retail initiative Animate Co will open a store in Bangkok’s MBK shopping centre in the second quarter of next year, part of a program to help spread anime and manga culture throughout Southeast Asia.

According to Japanese news media, the store will be run by Animate JMA, a Japan Manga Alliance subsidiary formed in September to promote manga and anime businesses outside Japan. It provides officially released products and aims to eradicate copyright thieves, pinpointing Thailand as a market with increasing copyright issues.

Animate was joined in the JMA’s creation by publishers Kadokawa Corp, Kodansha, Shueisha and Shogakukan.

The JMA Animate store at MBK will take up a massive 561 sqm space in the 89,000 sqm, eight storey mall.

The store will stock manga and anime titles, character goods, video software, figurines and other products. It will also provide spaces for live concerts featuring anime singers and concept shops.

JMA says if the initiative proves a success in Thailand it will open stores in other Southeast Asian markets.