A new independent retail effort called the Anime Physical Media Project wants to put more anime Blu-rays, DVDs and manga back in front of fans, at a time when, its organizers say, stores are carrying less of it.
The project’s pitch is straightforward: instead of treating physical releases as a shrinking specialty, buy existing titles in larger quantities and sell them through a dedicated retailer. Organizers say fans should not have to choose between streaming a series and owning a copy, and they argue that demand for discs and volumes is still there if someone is willing to stock them.
A core part of the plan is a landing page where fans can say which anime and manga they actually want to buy. The project says those choices would give it leverage with distributors, so it can place orders based on real interest rather than guesswork. In its own words, if there is demand, it will try to stock the title.
To get off the ground, the organizers are asking for public funding and have published a simple budget. They earmark $250,000 for warehouse space, $250,000 for fulfillment operations, and $250,000 for incorporation and staff costs. They describe the effort as an experiment meant to show publishers, distributors and creators how serious the demand for physical manga and anime can be, and they are asking supporters to help start that process.
The team is candid about how early this still is. They say they do not know how far the idea can go, only that fans still want physical media, that many retailers are carrying less of it, and that doing nothing will not improve availability. The stated goal is simple: buy more physical anime, sell more physical anime, and keep that market alive. Along the way, they say they will share what works, what does not, and who is willing to supply product.
The campaign is being run at www.cherryhillrecords.com/cherryhillani. Anime Newswire has not independently verified the project’s funding, inventory or distributor agreements, and the announcement does not say when a storefront would open or which titles would arrive first. Fans who want to follow the effort, or weigh in on what should be stocked, should check the campaign page for the latest details.
