What this is
Animate Gratte — the café arm of Japan's biggest anime merchandise chain — is marking two otome game milestones with themed food and drinks across its stores nationwide. The event celebrates the 10th anniversary of ".Bloom" and the 8th anniversary of "Mellow Kiss" through character-themed lattes, cookies, and ice cream running from mid-July through mid-August 2026. Select locations including Shibuya, Kichijoji PARCO, Sendai, and Umeda also carry ice cream alongside the standard menu, and the animate-dori store has a dedicated opening celebration campaign tied to the event.
Who should go
Fans of ".Bloom" and "Mellow Kiss" — both otome game titles with dedicated fanbases — are the clear audience here. Casual anime café visitors curious about the format will also find it accessible, but the appeal is narrow without prior attachment to either title.
Good to know
No tickets are required to visit animate Gratte — purchases are made in-store, though online sets may be available through the animate online shop, which accepts some foreign payment methods. The full menu including ice cream is only at five stores (animate-dori, Shibuya, Kichijoji PARCO, Sendai, Umeda); other participating stores offer lattes and cookies only. Animate Gratte cafés are typically small with limited seating, so arriving early in the day on weekdays is advisable, especially during the final week of the event. Bonus items tied to purchases are common at these events and tend to run out before the event ends — check the official site for details on what's available at each location.
This event was sourced and translated from Japanese by What's On Japan. Details may change — verify with the official source before attending.