GIVEN Anime Pop-Up Cafe Opens in the Philippines in August 2026

The GIVEN anime franchise is bringing its emotionally resonant world of music, love, and friendship to Filipino fans in a tangible new way. A pop-up collaboration cafe will officially open at the Moshi Gran Cafe in Makati City, Philippines, on August 8, 2026, offering a limited-time experience that blends character-inspired beverages, exclusive merchandise, and collectible promotional items. Running until August 23, 2026, at the 5th floor of One Ayala Mall, the event marks a significant expansion of anime-themed dining experiences in Southeast Asia, bringing one of the most beloved Boys’ Love (BL) manga and anime series into the physical world for fans who have long engaged with the story primarily through screens and printed pages.

Summary

The centerpiece of the collaboration is a carefully curated menu of six beverages, each designed to reflect the personality, aesthetic, or narrative arc of a key character from the series. These are not generic themed drinks but rather thoughtful concoctions that draw on visual cues and emotional associations from the anime and manga. From bold, intense blends to sweet, refreshing mixes, Filipino fans can indulge in a medley of drinks that perfectly fit their favorite GIVEN characters. The full menu includes:

Mafuyu’s Strawberry Tea — A sweet, delicate flavor befitting the shy yet passionate vocalist whose journey of self-discovery anchors the entire series.
Ritsuka’s Blue Lychee Soda — A crisp, vibrant drink that mirrors the guitarists determined energy and his evolving relationship with music and Mafuyu.
Haruki’s Citrus Ginger Ale — A zesty, warming choice that reflects the dependable bassist’s grounded yet spirited personality.
Akihiko’s Grape Juice — A classic, slightly mature option that nods to the violinist and drummer’s complex, layered character.
Hiiragi’s Caramel Latte — A rich, comforting coffee drink that suits the confident and supportive member of the band syh.
Shizusumi’s Green Tea with Lemon — A clean, refreshing, and subtly tart beverage that captures the reserved yet observant nature of the bassist.

Each drink serves as an entry point for fans to engage with the characters on a sensory level, a strategy that has proven highly effective in the anime pop-up cafe industry, where the connection between fandom and consumption is both emotional and experiential.

Promotional Items and Purchase Incentives: What Fans Can Expect

Beyond the menu, the collaboration offers a multi-layered promotional structure designed to encourage visitation and repeat purchases. Every attendee who makes a qualifying purchase will receive a random coaster, a standard but highly collectible item in anime cafe collaborations. For every purchase of PHP 1,000 on a single receipt for a collaboration drink or exclusive merchandise, fans receive a random sticker and a raffle stub for an exclusive character standee. This tiered system rewards higher spending while maintaining an element of surprise, a common mechanic in the anime merchandise industry that drives engagement and collectibility.

Additionally, fans can add an exclusive random glass marker charm to their order for an additional PHP 200 with every collab drink purchase. These small, portable charms are popular among fans who decorate their personal items, such as phone cases, bags, or water bottles, with fandom-related accessories. The combination of coasters, stickers, raffle stubs, and glass marker charms creates a comprehensive loot system that appeals to both casual visitors and dedicated collectors.

Exclusive Merchandise Lineup

The collaboration also features a dedicated merchandise collection. While the full product list has not been exhaustively detailed, confirmed items include can badges, acrylic stands, and keychains, along with other exciting goods featuring the series’ characters. Acrylic stands, in particular, are a staple of anime pop-up events, prized for their durability and display quality. Can badges and keychains serve as affordable, portable collectibles that fans can easily purchase in multiples. The merchandise is available for separate purchase, meaning visitors do not need to order a drink to buy goods, though the promotional incentives are tied to combined purchases.

Event Details: Location, Hours, and Access

The GIVEN Pop-Up Cafe Collaboration will operate from 11 AM to 10 PM at the Moshi Gran Cafe, located on the 5th floor of One Ayala Mall in Makati City, Philippines. The event is open for both walk-ins and take-out, with no reservation required. This low-barrier access model is designed to maximize foot traffic and accommodate fans of varying schedules and comfort levels. However, the organizers note that peak hours may have time limits of up to two hours, a standard practice in popular pop-up cafes to manage crowd flow and ensure as many fans as possible can experience the event.

The collaboration is a joint effort between Moshi Gran Cafe and Cosplay.ph, a well-known entity in the Philippine cosplay and anime convention scene. The involvement of Cosplay.ph, which is closely tied to the Cosplay Mania event brand, adds a layer of credibility and community connection. Fans are encouraged to follow the Cosplay Mania X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook pages for the latest updates, including potential announcements about additional merchandise drops, extended hours, or special events during the run.

The Philippines has emerged as a significant market for anime and manga fandom in Southeast Asia, with a large, engaged, and increasingly monetized fanbase. The GIVEN pop-up cafe is part of a broader trend of anime-themed dining experiences that have proven successful in the region. These events serve multiple functions: they generate direct revenue through food and merchandise sales, they provide marketing and brand awareness for the intellectual property, and they offer fans a rare opportunity to physically inhabit the world of their favorite series.

For the GIVEN franchise, which originated as a manga by Natsuki Kizu serialized in the bimonthly magazine Chéri+ from 2013 to 2023, the pop-up cafe represents a strategic move to maintain and grow fan engagement in a market outside Japan. The series received an anime television adaptation by Lerche in 2019, which was streamed internationally by Crunchyroll, significantly expanding its global audience. The emotional depth of the story, which centers on a group of young musicians navigating love, loss, and creative ambition, has resonated particularly strongly with BL and LGBTQ+ audiences, as well as with general anime fans who appreciate character-driven narratives.

What Is the GIVEN Anime About? A Concise Summary for Newcomers

For readers unfamiliar with the series, GIVEN is a Japanese manga and anime that follows Ritsuka Uenoyama, a high school student who has lost interest in his favorite hobbies of playing guitar and basketball, until he meets Mafuyu Sato, an apprehensive and shy student in need of a friend. The two grow closer, especially after Mafuyu sings with Ritsuka for the first time. Determined, Ritsuka works to make Mafuyu the lead singer of his band before their first music festival. The series is notable for its nuanced portrayal of grief, trauma, and the healing power of music and connection, as well as its slow-burn romance between the two male leads. It has been praised for its artistic merit, emotional intelligence, and representation of same-sex relationships in a medium that has historically been uneven in its treatment of LGBTQ+ themes.

Strategic Implications for the Franchise and the Market

The choice of the Philippines as the location for this pop-up cafe is not incidental. The country has a high density of anime fans, a strong convention culture led by events like Cosplay Mania, and a growing middle class with disposable income for lifestyle and entertainment spending. The collaboration with Cosplay.ph, which organizes Cosplay Mania, provides a built-in promotional channel through existing community networks. Furthermore, the timing of the event in August 2026 positions it as a potential summer attraction, drawing both local fans and possibly international visitors from neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

From a franchise management perspective, pop-up cafes serve as a low-risk, high-impact form of brand extension. Unlike permanent theme parks or fixed installations, pop-ups can be deployed in multiple markets with relatively low overhead, testing demand and generating buzz without long-term commitment. The success of this event could pave the way for similar collaborations in other Southeast Asian markets, such as Thailand, Indonesia, or Vietnam, where anime fandom is also robust and growing.

Merchandise as a Revenue Driver

The exclusive merchandise component of the collaboration is particularly significant. Limited-edition items, especially those that are only available at the physical event, create scarcity and urgency, driving both attendance and per-visitor spending. The inclusion of a raffle system for a character standee adds a gamification element that can encourage repeat visits, as fans may spend more to increase their chances of winning. The glass marker charm, available for an additional PHP 200, is a relatively low-cost add-on that can significantly boost average transaction value when purchased in volume.

For the organizers, the merchandise also serves as a form of marketing. When fans display their GIVEN acrylic stands, keychains, or badges, they effectively advertise the event and the franchise to their social circles, both online and offline. This organic, fan-driven promotion is valuable in an era where traditional advertising is often met with skepticism.

Practical Considerations for Attendees

Fans planning to attend the pop-up cafe should note several practical details. The event is located at the Moshi Gran Cafe on the 5th floor of One Ayala Mall, a major commercial complex in Makati City with good public transport access. The mall is connected to the Ayala MRT station and is served by numerous bus and jeepney routes. Parking is available but may be limited during peak hours, especially on weekends.

While no reservation is required, the two-hour time limit during peak hours means that groups should plan their visit accordingly. The cafe is open from 11 AM to 10 PM, suggesting that early afternoons or late evenings may be less crowded. The event is available for both dine-in and take-out, offering flexibility for fans who prefer to enjoy their drinks at home or who are concerned about peak-hour crowding. Merchandise can be purchased separately, so fans who are primarily interested in goods can visit without necessarily ordering a drink, though the promotional incentives are tied to combined purchases.

Anime pop-up cafes have become a significant sub-industry within the global anime economy. They operate on a model that combines food and beverage service with retail and experiential marketing. The typical arrangement involves a licensing agreement between the anime rights holder (in this case, the GIVEN committee, which includes Natsuki Kizu and Shinshokan) and a local operator (Moshi Gran Cafe and Cosplay.ph). The rights holder licenses the use of characters, artwork, and brand elements, often receiving a royalty on sales or a flat fee. The operator handles venue, staffing, menu development, and merchandise production.

For the rights holder, the benefit extends beyond direct revenue. Pop-up cafes generate social media buzz, increase fan engagement, and can boost sales of the original manga, Blu-ray releases, and streaming subscriptions. For the operator, the event draws a dedicated audience that might not otherwise visit the venue, creating opportunities for upselling and building a customer base for future events.

The success of a pop-up cafe depends on several factors: the popularity of the franchise, the quality of the themed experience, the attractiveness of the merchandise, and the effectiveness of the promotional campaign. The GIVEN franchise, with its passionate fanbase and critically acclaimed anime adaptation, is well-positioned to succeed, provided that the execution meets fan expectations.

Looking at the Future of GIVEN and Anime Events in the Philippines

The August 2026 pop-up cafe is likely just one component of a broader strategy for the GIVEN franchise in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Given the success of similar events for other anime series, it is reasonable to expect that the collaboration may be extended or repeated if demand is high. The involvement of Cosplay.ph, which is deeply integrated into the Philippine anime convention ecosystem, suggests that the pop-up cafe may be linked to larger events during the Cosplay Mania calendar, potentially creating a multi-event experience for fans.

For the Philippine anime market, the GIVEN pop-up cafe represents a maturation of the local fandom economy. Where once fans had to import merchandise or rely on digital streaming, they can now attend physical events that offer unique, localized experiences. This trend is likely to continue, with more anime franchises recognizing the Philippines as a viable market for pop-up cafes, exhibitions, and live events. The GIVEN collaboration, running from August 8 to August 23, 2026, at the Moshi Gran Cafe in One Ayala Mall, Makati City, is a clear signal that the global anime industry is increasingly willing to invest in the Southeast Asian market, and that Filipino fans are ready to show up in force.