Coast's new Japanese pop culture shop has fans raving

A FAMILY has turned its passion for Japanese pop culture into a hit new store, as word spreads among Sunshine Coast anime and manga fans.

KAZZANGA: An anime, manga and pop culture shop has opened in Currimundi. Family business owners Jamie, Kazz and Jemma Fulloon. Picture: Patrick Woods

A FAMILY has turned its passion for Japanese pop culture into hit new store Kazzanga, as word spreads among Sunshine Coast anime and manga fans.

Kazz Fulloon launched the Currimundi shop on the Nicklin Way with her 18-year-old twin daughters, Jemma and Jamie, on March 7 after a year of preparation.

It was her first foray into business, but word has spread fast and the shop already has fans talking and has amassed a loyal following.

"We've got lots of regulars coming in," Ms Fulloon said.

For those unfamiliar with Japanese popular culture: manga is the term for Japanese graphic novels and comic books, while anime describes animated television shows and films.

Ms Fulloon had been a massive fan of Sailor Moon and Astro Boy since she was a child and retained a passion for anime and manga, and her children then grew up watching anime on television.

She said among the most exuberant manga readers in the store were special needs children, including children with autism who had always hated reading.

"Because these kids are so visual, they love manga," she said.

Her own daughter Jemma was one of those autistic children, and Ms Fulloon said manga had changed her life.

But all kinds of people wander into the shop to browse the selection, from young kids through to middle-aged residents.

Ms Fulloon said the most popular titles included Tokyo Goul, Pokemon and Sword Art Online, as well as any Studio Ghibli, Marvel or DC titles.

KAZZANGA: An anime, manga and pop culture shop has opened in Currimundi. Family business owner Kazz Fulloon. Picture: Patrick Woods

She said Japanese culture fans were shocked to see the store's range of titles, which was larger than stores in Melbourne.

"We can get just about anything through the door," she said.

"We've been able to source really obscure titles that people have only been able to read online."

KAZZANGA: An anime, manga and pop culture shop has opened in Currimundi. Picture: Patrick Woods

She said the offerings in store were significantly different to those in established popular culture chain Zing, which runs a Maroochydore store.

"We're really into the anime and manga, we carry a lot more (of that)," Ms Fulloon said.

The shop also sells anime and manga merchandise including T-shirts, bags, wall scrolls, games, cushions and plush toys.

Ms Fulloon said expansion plans could be on the horizon.

"We're starting small, but we have the shop next door that we can expand into at any time," she said.

Jamie designed the logos and signage for the business, with the shopfront signs making the most of the Nicklin Way frontage to reel in customers.

Find Kazzanga at 1/703 Nicklin Way, Currimundi or visit the business's Facebook page.

Originally published as Coast's new Japanese pop culture shop has fans raving