Image from hedonisthk because I forgot to take one. LOL
Ever wonder where you could get a vast variety of books that aren't just limited to the English language? Well, if you ever decide to drop by Sydney, going to Books Kinokuniya is an absolute must-do in your checklist!
For those who are already enjoying their stay in the Land Down Under, this awesome heaven for books is located on the top floor of The Galleries, which is a 2-3 minute walk the Town Hall Station. The location itself is very accessible from all different directions as most trains to the city stop by at the station I mentioned.
For those who are already enjoying their stay in the Land Down Under, this awesome heaven for books is located on the top floor of The Galleries, which is a 2-3 minute walk the Town Hall Station. The location itself is very accessible from all different directions as most trains to the city stop by at the station I mentioned.
The moment you step inside Books Kinokuniya, the atmosphere drastically changes. It's as if you're drawn into a vast repository of information, culture, and entertainment, where you will find yourself lost if you're not paying attention to the surroundings. Just like any bookstore or library you visit, there are different aisles for different kinds of written media. But for today's topic, I am going to talk about their huge selection of manga and light novels, and Japanese magazines!
English-Translated Manga
As far as I can remember there are about 10 or more large bookshelves dedicated to English-translated manga! This section is actually the first one you'll see once you step inside Books Kinokuniya. Looking at this Dragon Ball shelf reminds me so much of my childhood!
Each shelf is arranged alphabetically and the newest releases are usually found on the front shelf near the entrance. Most of the titles you'll see are from very popular anime like Food Wars (Shokugeki no Soma) and most of these volumes are updated to the most recent volume.
If you're looking into older titles, you're most likely able to find it there as well! There are so many to choose from! The pricing for these mangas depends on their popularity and how recent or "ancient" the titles are. The recent ones are usually within $18-$25 AUD (approximately P730 to P1000) and the older ones are $12-$18 AUD (approximately P484 to P730).
Japanese Manga
Of course, if you're going full geek on manga collecting, Books Kinokuniya also has a huge aisle of bookshelves solely for Japanese manga which is at least 2 or 3 times bigger than the English-translated ones.
Most of the titles in this section have more volumes than the ones on the English section, but if you have only a little grasp on the Japanese language, you're better off getting the translated ones so that your purchases are worth it.
English-Translated Light Novels
Light novels are Japanese novels targeted for the young adult demographic. They are something you don't often see being sold in major bookstores in the Philippines and yet a lot of the popular anime in the recent years are based on them. As a fan of the Oregairu (My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong as I Expected) anime, seeing the actual English-translated light novels in this bookstore are a godsend to me.
There are around 4 to 5 tall shelves solely for light novels. The selection isn't that many but you'll see very popular titles such as No Game No Life, Sword Art Online, Re-Zero, and KonoSuba. These novels tend to be more expensive than manga averaging at $21 AUD (approx. P850) per volume. If you're more into written stories than illustrated ones, then the light novels are for you.
Japanese Magazines
If there are authentic Japanese manga, there are also authentic Japanese magazines for sale at Books Kinokuniya! You can find a lot of them beside the manga section. In the photo above, for example, are some of the most popular published magazines in Japan like Weekly Shounen Jump.
For the idol anime fans, there are also magazines specifically for the mainstream idol anime group like Love Live Sunshine. There are also ones for the hobbyists like Hobby Japan, but I wasn't able to take a photo of it.
If you're a fan of Arashi or any Japanese idols or groups, then Myojo is the magazine for you, albeit there's no English translation for it. For the gravure enthusiasts, they also sell photobooks of your favorite female artists who have done gravure photoshoots.
Overall Experience
There is more to the things that I have mentioned above. A day wouldn't be enough to finish strolling this vast repository of books and getting excited every time you see a familiar book takes a toll on your mind and body; it's exhausting, to be honest, but very fulfilling! If you ever plan on coming to Sydney just to buy manga or light novels, then bring at least $1,000 AUD to expand your collection. Now that I found this precious gem of a bookstore, I hope to find a music shop later on that also sells CDs of my favorite JPoP artists so I can listen to their awesome Japanese music!
See you guys next time!
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