Hello Anime

For my friend’s birthday, I told him that he could choose a mystery prize or I could take him out back and give him an angry handjob. Fast forward a few hours, and I’m searching for a gift at Hello Animé. His loss.
Hello Animé is an animé merchandise shop located inside The Mall at Stonecrest, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t distinguish between animé merchandise store and animé video store. Similar to how Hot Topic sells music/​band related clothing but almost no music, Hello Animé sells an assortment of animé paraphernalia but almost no animé videos. I suppose that’s just a sign of the times. In this Internet Age of downloadable/​streaming music, CDs don’t sell like they used to. Likewise, with downloadable/​streaming animé on Crunchyroll, YouTube, and Netflix, home videos don’t sell like they used to either.
As the name suggests, plenty of Hello Kitty stuff is strewn about, and Hello Animé seems to cater more to fangirls than fanboys. But video game merchandise is also represented, and the store is organized with most of the wares that appeal to girls on the left, whereas the stuff guys dig is on right. Items for purchase include book bags, messenger bags, tote bags, lunch boxes, toys, miniature statues, playing cards, key chains, wallets, shirts, writing utensils, jewelry, and snacks that Otaku and Gaijin prefer such as Pocky and those chocolate-​filled koala cookies. Prices are retail, or perhaps more, so don’t expect to find exciting deals. Hello Animé has a «no refund» policy, but you can exchange an item within 7 days. If you’re a collector, this goes without saying, but for others, carefully inspect before you buy.
Being at Hello Animé reminded me of how out of touch I am with Japanese animation; I can’t keep up with all the busty exuberant school girls with big eyes nor their stoic, spiky hair male counterparts. Hello Animé has a sister store at Mall of Georgia that focuses on comic books rather than animé. Given that Spider-​man, Batman, and Captain America are all still in my life, but Death Note, Kill la Kill, and Attack on Titan don’t interest me, you’re more likely to find me supporting the good olé’ U. S. A.