is the retailing arm of MOVIC and is the largest retailer of anime, video games and manga in Japan. The first and flagship store of Animate was opened in 1983 in Ikebukuro, a district in Tokyo, Japan. Retail stores Currently there are 117 Animate stores in Japan, four in mainland China (Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Chengdu), two in Taiwan (Taipei and Taichung), two in Thailand (Bangkok and Rangsit), and one in Seoul, South Korea. Online stores Animate currently has two online stores: the animate Online Shop, which has been active since 2005, and animate International. Former stores Sakaihigashi Station, Osaka Los Angeles, California (closed in 2003) Hong Kong (closed in 2020) Subsidiaries Animate Film (アニメイトフィルム): An animation studio. Libre Publishing (リブレ出版株式会社): Originally part of Biblos Co., Ltd. (株式会社ビブロス) Following the bankruptcy of Biblos on April 5, 2006, caused by the chain bankruptcy started by its parent company Hekitensha (碧天舎), animate, MOVIC, Frontier Works Inc. funded the company allowing Biblos Co., Ltd., to continue operation. On May 1, 2006, the company was renamed Libre Publishing and became a subsidiary of animate Ltd. However, the company was still registered as established on December 28, 2000. Animate Oversea Co., Ltd. (安利美特股份有限公司): A joint venture of animate Ltd., Kadokawa Taiwan Corporation, and Nongxueshe (later United Distribution Co.). The company acts as an operator of Animate branches in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In 2000, the first overseas store was established in Ximending, Taipei. animate Shanghai Co.,LTD. (魅特（上海）商贸有限公司): Established in May 2011. animate Chinese online shopping platform (animate中国線上購物平台): A Tmall online store operated by animate Shanghai Co.,LTD., established in 2012-01-06. Animate North AMERICA, Ltd.: A North American subsidiary. acos co.,ltd. (株式会社アコス): A subsidiary specialized in costumes. ACOS animate costume kan (ACOS アニメイトコスチューム館): A chain of costume shops by acos co.,ltd. ACOS Online Shop (ACOSオンラインショップ): An online shop for acos co.,ltd. Japan Manga Alliance CO., LTD. (株式会社ジャパン マンガ アラインス): It is a joint venture of animate Ltd., Kadokawa Corporation, Kodansha, Shueisha, Shogakukan, established in 2015-09-01. The company was incorporated in Bangkok, Thailand in autumn 2015. The company acts as an operator of Animate branches in Bangkok. animate JMA Co.,Ltd: Established in 2015-09-28 as a 100% subsidiary of Japan Manga Alliance. The first animate shop under the company was opened in 2016-02-06 at MBK (Mahboonkrong) Center in Bangkok as animate Bangkok store (アニメイト バンコク店). Animate-GyaO Corporation (株式会社アニメイトギャオ)/animate Bookstore (アニメイトブックストア): An electronic book store. USA Animate Online Shop: An