SM North EDSA strengthens fan engagement with four major anime franchises

SM North EDSA is expanding its anime-led experiential marketing strategy with the return of Animezing North, bringing four major Japanese franchises to Filipino fans during the second half of 2026 as malls continue to invest in pop culture experiences to drive footfall and retail engagement.

Now in its fourth year, Animezing North serves as SM North EDSA's platform for official anime activations, transforming The Block Atrium into themed environments featuring interactive installations, exhibitions, exclusive merchandise and fan experiences tied to globally recognised titles.

The 2026 programme opens with the Philippines' first official Solo Leveling activation, running from 3 to 14 July. It will be followed by the country's first official Kaiju No. 8 activation from 3 to 16 August, while One Piece returns for its fourth appearance at the mall between 18 and 30 August. Pokémon will also return in December as part of the holiday season programme.

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Across the four activations, visitors can expect immersive installations, themed photo opportunities, interactive zones and official merchandise designed to bring each franchise to life.

The latest programme builds on the momentum of Animezing North 2025, which featured official activations for One Piece, Pokémon, DAN DA DAN and Jujutsu Kaisen.

With first-time Philippine activations for Solo Leveling and Kaiju No. 8, alongside the return of established franchises such as One Piece and Pokémon, SM North EDSA is continuing to position itself as a destination for officially licensed anime experiences, reflecting how entertainment partnerships are increasingly becoming a key part of malls' customer engagement and experiential retail strategies.

SM Supermalls is one of Southeast Asia's largest mall developers and operators, with 90 malls in the Philippines and nine in China.

Recently, SM Communities expanded its partnership with the department of information and communications technology (DICT) to roll out free artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital literacy training across more SM malls following strong demand for its pilot programme. The initiative builds on DICT's recognition of SM through the Digital Bayani sa Last Mile Award and integrates digital upskilling into SM Job Fairs and Government Service Express centres, alongside employment and government services.

Step into PR Asia Philippines 2026 on 9 September in Manila, where communications leaders will unpack the realities of trust, nationalism, misinformation, and polarisation shaping the country’s evolving narrative landscape.

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