Akira Art of Wall Project at Shibuya Parco 2019

The Shibuya Parco department store reopened in November 2019 after a 2 year reconstruction period and boasts an impressive new shopping complex with a movie theatre, art galleries, restaurants, and a character/gaming floor with the first official Nintendo Tokyo store. The Shibuya shopping area has been in constant evolution, with Shibuya Stream, Shibuya Scramble Square and most recently Tokyu Plaza Shibuya joining Shibuya Parco in revitalizing the shopping identity of the neighborhood.

The opening exhibit at the Parco Museum on the 4th floor is the pop-up Akira Art of Wall Project, which previously had decorated the walls surrounding the Parco reconstruction site. This tribute to Katsuhiro Otomo's influential 1980's cyberpunk manga, is impressive, with large scale illustrations from the manga in black and white or color.

Otomo's work has withstood the test of time, with its highly detailed drawings and science fiction story still revolutionary and with an international fanbase that remains loyal. It has been reported that Otomo is working on a new anime based off the manga series. There is also a photo opportunity to dress up as the character Tetsuo taken from a memorable scene from this manga. A gift shop on the premises sells various paraphernalia such as T-shirts, figurines or posters and prints. A special art book commemorating the exhibition is also available.

There is timed entry into the exhibit to control traffic with the wait up to an hour at times depending on the line. Tickets are bought at the counter of the museum once the waiting period is over. Ticket prices are 1000 yen for adults and 800 yen for high school students and under. Admission for preschoolers are free. Advance tickets can be purchased through eplus. The exhibit is open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at night. The exhibit unfortunately will be closing 16th December 2019