A Special Look at the Square-Enix Store

In the Shibuya district in Tokyo, the Square-Enix Store faces the busy street in front of it, watching as cars and businessmen in suits go hustling by. There are really no stores to speak of near it; the surrounding buildings are primarily dull-gray office buildings and small restaurants that cater to their occupants during lunch time. In this drab palette, a bright-orange giant slime really stands out.

The store itself is located in the bottom floor of the Square-Enix company headquarters, and I'm sure just a few dozen feet above it people are working diligently on the next iteration of the Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest series. The square-footage is actually quite small though, much smaller than one would think from looking at the pictures. Size doesn't necessarily always matter, however, as it's packed full of merchandise, many of which is exclusive to the store and can't be purchased anywhere else. I personally walked away with a stuffed Tonberry, a mini, chirping, baby Chocobo, an umbrella with Final Fantasy creatures on it, and a Mandragora cell-phone strap after my last visit there. Even if you don't buy anything, it's an amazing chance to look closely at some of the high-end Final Fantasy & Dragon Quest inspired jewelry on display and really appreciate the detail they exemplify. Or you can just buy those too, if you have the money, and examine them at your leisure. And, of course, there's the floor.

Yes, you read that right. The floor is the best part of the whole place. Why, you ask? It's because the floor is made of black, shiny tiles, with a certain portion of it being see-through glass displaying a recessed space. There, an eternally sleeping, life-sized Sephiroth lies in repose.

The statue is absolutely gorgeous. It is, hands-down, the coolest thing I have ever seen in Tokyo. Luckily, I was able to restrain myself from breaking the glass and taking the statue home with me, so I left the store voluntarily instead of being escorted into the nearest police station. If you ever happen to be in the area, make sure you check it out. I guarantee you the statue is worth it, even if you don't happen to be a Final Fantasy VII fan. If you can't hop on a plane and go to Tokyo this weekend, I hope at least that our little preview of the Square-Enix Store was enough to tide you over until you can.

And with that, I would like to leave you with Sephiroth's sleeping visage to ponder. Make sure to keep checking back for 'This Week in Famitsu' and other news articles, coming soon!

Submitted By: Sherrie Blackwell