In honor of the return of historical-sci-fi-comedy anime Gintama to television screens across Japan, Namco announced the opening of three shops in Tokyo and Osaka starting on April 18.

The limited-time shops will be selling both limited Gintama merchandise as well as some super-limited items. Yes, it’s a collector’s dream and a civil-rights enthusiast’s nightmare as there are so many limitations to these stores you’d think you’d lost a few of your inalienable rights in the process!

■ Yorozuya & Shinsengumi

The three stores will roll out gradually starting with a Shibuya Parco location opening on April 18. The shop will be designed after the series’ Yorozuya (The Whatever You Need Store) where our heroes hang out and pick their noses between adventures.

This will be followed by a store in Shinjuku’s Marui Annex which opens on April 21 and will resemble a Shinsengumi (old-style Japanese police) station, where you can be sure the staff there are eager for you to join in the fun.

Finally, on April 25, another Yorozuya style shop will open in Namco Aeon Mall in Osaka…because we’re used to getting Tokyo’s sloppy seconds.

■ What’s inside

Upon first entering any or all of these shops you’ll notice various illustrations throughout. Why yes, thank you for asking, many of these are limited works which only can been seen inside these stores. The staff will also be cosplayed up to reflect either the Yorozuya or Shinsegumi shops to add to their ambiance.

Naturally, you’ll find all the regular Gintama merchandise you’ve come to know and love but there’s also a bunch of limited edition items that’ll only be sold at these shops!

Oh that’s still not limited enough for you? Okay, they’ll also have even more limited edition goods that won’t be sold but can only be won through one of those traditional Japanese lotto wheels known as a garapon.

Not only that, but those who makes purchases of over 3,000 yen (US$25) can also receive a plastic folder for their documents…sorry, I mean one of ten types of limited edition plastic things that hold paper!

To make things even more exclusive, each of these shops will only be open for about two months, so you’d better hurry. Heck, to make some of these items even more difficult to get I may just hang around outside the entrance and randomly tackle people who try to enter.

Information
Shibuya Parco Part-1 Store
18 April – 28 June
6F Shibuya Parco Part-1, 15-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya, Tokyo

Shinjuku Marui Annex Store
21 April – 21 June
7F Shinjuku Marui Annex, 3-1-26 Shinjuku, Tokyo

Namco Aeon Mall Dainichi Store
25 April – 5 July
4F Aeon Mall Dainichi, 1-18 Dainichi Higashi, Moriguchi, Osaka

Source: Namco via Famitsu (Japanese)
Top Image: Namco
Garapon Image: Amazon