Gashapon capsule toy shop in Manila has fans flocking

MANILA -- Since opening in Manila last November, Bandai's official store selling Gashapon capsule toys continues abuzz with fans, as the concept opens a novel avenue for extending Japan's soft power through content.

The Gashapon shop, located on the second floor of the newly opened Mitsukoshi BGC Japanese-themed shopping mall, has roughly 300 capsule toy machines for customers to choose from. This is the first official Gashapon shop that Japanese toymaker Bandai has opened in the Philippines, following locations in Singapore and Thailand.