I visited Evolving Realms on the last day of my trip to Honolulu while visiting from the Bay Area…read more I'm a longtime Pokémon card collector and had spent several days checking out other local card shops (Aloha, Nocturnal, etc.), all of which were welcoming experiences. Based on the strong reviews here, I decided to stop by despite the extremely windy and rainy weather, especially since the store is only open a few days a week. Unfortunately, my experience didn't align with what's described in some of the positive reviews. When my wife and I entered, there was no greeting, despite the store not being busy. The lady staff member remained on their phone. That alone is something I could easily overlook, since everyone has off moments, but it set the tone for what followed. I spent time browsing and identified a few cards I was interested in, noting that prices were generally above TCGPlayer market values. I fully understand that brick-and-mortar stores can price however they choose, and I'm never expecting exact market matches, but I did ask if a $27 card could be adjusted to $24 to align with TCGPlayer. The response was a firm no, followed by comments such as "you can buy online instead" and "it's only $3 difference." Being told to shop online rubbed me the wrong way, especially considering I had made the effort to visit in person on the very last day of my trip, through rough weather, specifically to support a local store. Wanting to understand the pricing flexibility, I then asked about another card priced at $5 that was around $1.75 on TCGPlayer. While the dollar difference was still small, the percentage markup was significant, which is why I asked. At that point, the explanations began to feel inconsistent. I was told they weren't going to "waste time repricing cards," which didn't really address the question, and that "nobody prices at market... unless they're a vendor," which directly contradicted my experiences at other local card shops earlier that same week. I was also told pricing could be flexible "if you're buying a lot," but by then the interaction felt more tense than welcoming. I decided it was best to thank him for his time and leave. Separately, my wife mentioned afterward that there was a noticeable odor in the store that made her feel dizzy, which prevented her from browsing at all. To be clear, this review isn't about expecting market pricing. Stores are absolutely entitled to set their own prices, and customers are free to buy or walk away. As a matter of fact, I had already paid above market at other Honolulu card shops earlier in the week without issue. What stood out here was the tone of the interaction and the lack of hospitality, which didn't match the welcoming, passionate "mom and pop" experience described in many other reviews. In hindsight, I'm glad I visited this store last. Had this been my first card shop experience in Honolulu, I might have been hesitant to visit others, something that would've been unfortunate, given how positive the rest of the local card scene turned out to be. If the store responds by saying this was simply about price, I'd encourage readers to consider the overall customer experience being described. That said, as we were walking out, I did receive a "thank you." and I guess that alone deserves at least a star.

Best card shop in the island. Always a great selection and great customer service. Pokemon cards,…read moretoys, plushies,stickers and a selection of sodas and juices.

A bit pricey for regular model kits but has good deals for older kits. Got a kit that my father…read moreonce had when he was a teenager for a good price and complete

I went there to pick up paints, brushes, cement and sanding sticks to build a plastic model car I…read morereceived for Christmas. I used to build model cars when I was a kid. A young man at the register (I didn't get his name) helped me and was extremely helpful. He explained all about the different types of cement, paints, and models available today. So much has changed since I built models and he took the time to explain the state of the industry today. I was very grateful for his sharing his knowledge with me. I recommend anyone interested in getting into this hobby to go here to purchase anything you need.

1) If you want to try to find cheaper cards on the island, you can try to check this place out…read more 1.a) Make sure to double clarify on the phone, as the personnel who work in the shop, are not the same personnel who talk to you on the phone. Ideal808 partners with ToyLynx, so be aware. I had called to see if I can purchase the Marvel holiday pack the a day earlier than release on their website and pickup the same day, and the person on the phone said I could. Only to arrive, the rude employee told me he's unable to sell, and than he talked to his colleague(on slack on the spot), and he's colleague said he was under the impression if I just wanted to buy stuff online and pickup the same day, which isn't what I specifically asked for. So the employee tried to brush me off, a paying customer. 2) If you want to go to events: Don't. The same employee runs events and he's incredibly rude. Hes got a long grey goatee and long grey hair. Very disgruntled. He literally yelled at me because I couldn't hear him because of the event going on. He was clearly annoyed because he recalls me coming in the day before to try to buy the Marvel holiday gift box. 2.a) When I tried to enter the FNM, he told me to scan the QR code on the TV and follow instructions. He didn't tell me I needed an app to scan the QR code, luckily the nice lady next to me told me I needed to scan using the app. Once I did, the app informed me to go to staff to register me. As I approached the same disgruntled employee, I was trying to inform him that the app told me to see him, and he immediately just asked if my name was on screen, which it was(even before I scanned the QR), and replied saying yes, and he told me that I don't need to keep going up to the front and that I need to calm down and relax. I'm calm enough to not get tilted by a salty disgruntle worker, but this message is a reminder to him and others, of his attitude, and that I've seen other reviews of his work ethic. I wouldn't recommend attending any events from here.

Very knowledgeable staff they know a lot about the products they sell and very friendly will be…read moreback for sure

This review occurred on 22 Nov…read more "There are fates worse than death." ~ Raiden In the meantime we celebrate the grand opening of Anime Currency, where anime meets gold! I dressed up as Mortal Kombat 2023 Raiden during their cosplay event. Parking's a non-issue since you park at the mall. Parking tip: I usually park on the Neiman Marcus side, enter and exit out Neiman Marcus, take the escalator down to the food court. No restrooms but you're at the mall which has plenty to choose from. Located at Ala Moana Center 's Food Court level, Anime Currency's the place to be for all your anime & k-pop coin & bill needs! Makes a great gift for those anime & cosplay enthusiasts. They were very helpful and answered all the questions I had and the bills I was looking for. I got a Supersaiyan Goku for someone that's into Dragonball Z. I myself got Supersaiyan 2 Gohan and Supersaiyan 3 Goku. Come check them out!

I went to the card show at Ala Moana and Anime Currency was there !!!! The owner Stanley was…read moreworking the booth and he was VERY informative. He even answered my 8 year old daughter's questions.Their normal place is a kiosk in Ala Moana mall.They have had EVERYTHING made into cards/custom currency that vary from shows, games, anime. You name it!. They also have a lot of other merchandise.I really like that the shop captures simple things and really makes them shine the way someone who admires would see them. Again I really love my Tengen Uzui currency. He's my fav from demon slayer so I put this right up on my wall. My daughter picked out the charizard card at card show. She immediately cherished it and put it in her card collection binder as soon as we got home. I really would recommend this place for getting a gift for a kid or adult. Me and my friends will definitely be stopping by their location more often and now my daughter wants to come here to get a majority of her cards and start a collection of their currency! You will see us again soon

This is the best card shop on the island! We only ever pull HITS at this place fr. Pulled a god…read morepack here and my luck has only went up since then. Also you can always find what you looking for they got hella stock and great prices : D

Great place to get all your fave cards. From Pokemon to…read moreanime, this shop has a wide variety of TCG for your choosing. They also sponsor a lot of local vendors that can really help you find the card you are looking for. Although at market price, they can have some pretty great deals! Being in town and close to Waikiki makes it easy to find this shop!

Small comic/collectible shop in Mililani…read more Came here when they were hosting a Dungeon's and Dragon's event our kids were attending. Love that they partner/support community events like this. The place is small but packed with lots of interesting merch. I have zero knowledge about comics, games, anime, toys, cards, etc. but my kids' eyes lit up when they entered and my youngest couldn't leave without buying an anime plush. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Located in the Mililani Shopping Center. LOTS of parking. Support local businesses.

NOT SAFE FOR CHILDREN!!!…read more I rarely leave negative reviews, but this needs to be documented. At Dragon's Lair in Mililani, my daughter purchased a $15 pin with her own pocket money. It broke after only three or four days due to poor assembly. When she politely returned to ask about a replacement, the owner, Lucas, spoke to her with extreme verbal abuse, profanity, and personal insults until she left in tears. When I addressed the situation calmly, he stated that he did not care that he had made a child cry and continued speaking aggressively. This is not about a refund policy. A business can choose its policy. This is about basic conduct toward a minor and a customer. We have supported this store many times, but after this experience, we will not return. Families in Mililani should know how customers, including little children, may be treated here. Based on this experience, I would not feel comfortable bringing my child back into this store.

Love this spot, they have all your tabletop game supplies and the owner is super helpful l! They…read morealso host games on the weekends, it's a great spot to hang out with lots of tables in the courtyard to play with friends. I like that they also have snack options since they are open late, but if you're there during regular hours fatboys and subway are right there.

Armchair is typically my first go to when I'm looking for boardgames, card games and things in…read morebetween. Everything is fairly priced as close to msrp as possible and almost never marked up unnecessarily high. This shop is basically the "third space/third place" I commit the most time at just hanging out and playing or just socializing with other hobbyists. There's always space to play between tables in the store or out in the dole lobby and the staff is always friendly an accommodating.

Oh, I wish I had taken pics of this place! It wasn't majestic or anything, but they had such a…read moregood supply of cards. Hopefully, you'll go and see it yourself. It was located in an unnoticeable building and the store wasn't noticeable either, but they had a good crowd inside playing. More importantly, they had a nice selection of both sealed product and individual packs and cards. Prices were reasonable, especially in this market. Best of all the people who ran the shop were friendly and helpful. SELECTION: Pokemon and Magic the Gathering are plentiful here. They had more than most shops and a good selection of Japanese Pokemon. Sadly no Japanese MTG in stock, but a really good selection otherwise. SERVICE: Excellent! Very helpful staff and friendly. Definitely would shop here if we lived in the area. COST: Reasonable. The service makes it even more worthwhile.

Great place for Pokémon cards. Generally most things are regular retail pricing, but if it…read moresomething highly sought after like the Charizard Ultra Premium Collection, it is more expensive than retail. The two times that I have gone there, the employees were really nice. I am a little sad that they have moved locations and that the parking there is not as readily available though.