Highlights
- Crunchyroll and Three Ten Merchandising Services are launching The Loop, a rotating anime pop-up space in Los Angeles.
- Opening experiences are themed around Solo Leveling, Bananya, and Sentenced to Be a Hero.
- The physical experience event is part of Crunchyroll’s strategy to expand into anime retail and fan experiences.
Crunchyroll announced on June 1 that it is collaborating with Three Ten Merchandising Services to open a pop-up experience at The Loop, a rotating anime retail space. Three Ten Merchandising Services is an imprint of Ceremony of Roses, a company under Sony Music and specializing in entertainment merchandising and experiential retail.
At the beginning, the Crunchyroll pop-up at The Loop will bring experiences based on the Solo Leveling, Bananya, and Sentenced to Be a Hero franchises. Additionally, the company stated, three more anime experiences are planned for late Summer 2026, which will be revealed later.
The Loop opens in mid-June at the Westfield Topanga Mall in Canoga Park, Los Angeles. Rather than operating as a traditional merchandise store, the pop-up will combine themed installations, exclusive products, and interactive fan experiences.
The Loop’s First Wave: What Fans Can Expect at the Crunchyroll Pop-Up
The Crunchyroll pop-up at The Loop will bring “exclusive anime merchandise, collectibles, and apparel” tied to these franchises. As per the official website, new products and experiences will rotate throughout the year.
The Solo Leveling, Bananya, and Sentenced to Be a Hero Experiences at The Loop’s Crunchyroll Pop-Up are as follows:
- Solo Leveling: Here, attendees can test their “hunter rank” inside a zone built around the action manhwa’s signature leveling system.
- Bananya: This will feature a summer festival-like environment with games, photo spots, and fireworks.
- Sentenced to Be a Hero: It is a battle-themed immersive room tied to the war against the demon blight in the anime. It will likely feature A/V installations to let attendees fight by the Penal Hero Unit 9004.
The event is free to attend, but once it reaches maximum capacity, a standby line applies. However, a limited-edition three-pin pack priced at $15 is also available, which allows fast pass access to the event. Crunchyroll subscribers will receive guaranteed early access.
The themed activation is part of Crunchyroll’s effort to build retail presence beyond its streaming platform. With its Ani-May programming, the streamer organized several live events, pop-ups, and retail experiences for fans globally.
Crunchyroll’s physical activations efforts not only represent a revenue-diversification strategy, but also a path to maximize fan engagement across all fronts. Physical experiences tied to anime franchises are already a proven revenue generator, as observed in companies like Bandai Namco.
Nonetheless, The Loop pop-up positions Crunchyroll’s initiatives as a year-round physical presence in the U.S. market, moving beyond streaming and merchandise. It is also timed with one of the U.S.’s biggest anime conventions, Anime Expo 2026 in LA, starting on July 2.
