Our specialty here at Umai is anime. We take extraordinary pride in the original artwork we apply to clothing, posters, and phone cases. Our inventory is extensive enough that you should find something perfect for you. And if you're buying for someone else, you're in luck. Anime clothing makes a great gift for birthdays, Christmas, or any other occasion.

We are obviously biased when it comes to anime clothing and accessories. It is our business. But we wouldn't be in business if the demand weren't there. Anime apparel sells because people love anime. You do too, which is why you're visiting our site, right?

Let's cut right to the chase. Here are the top five reasons anime clothing makes for a great gift:

1. The Artwork Is Phenomenal

Right off the bat, anime artwork is phenomenal. The entire genre is – posters to animated series and graphic novels. But it is the original artwork that really gets your attention. It's what intrigues most newcomers enough to get them to pay attention. When you buy anime clothing and accessories, you're able to carry that artwork wherever you go. Giving it as a gift affords someone else that same opportunity.

2. The Variety Is Unparalleled

Though anime is relatively new to the States, it's not new in other parts of the world. It has been around for decades, at the very least. The broadest of definitions suggest anime has been around for more than a hundred years. And with new works being produced almost on a daily basis, the variety of this particular genre is unparalleled. Why does this matter when you're giving gifts? Because there's so much variety that it is not hard to find something for everyone on your gift-giving list.

3. It Makes for Good Conversations

One of the things we most love about a good anime T-shirt or hoodie is that it's a conversation starter. Yes, those of us on the Umai team wear the same clothing we sell. Our clothing and accessories have sparked more conversations with new anime fans than just about anything else. People just see the artwork and want to talk about it.

4. Everybody Needs Clothing

In general, clothing is always a good choice because we all need it. Some of us wear less clothing than others thanks to climate, but just about everybody's closet has at least a handful of T-shirts and a hoodie or two. T-shirts and hoodies are all purposeful clothes you can wear for everything except formal events. That makes anime clothing an option for hanging around the house, going out with friends, catching a movie, etc.

5. You Can Support a Small Business

Finally, anime clothing retailers like us are typically small businesses trying to make it in a highly competitive world. We bear no personal animosity toward corporate retail chains, but they are monolithic business entities that are really too big to fail. When push comes to shove, economic downturns hurt small businesses the most.

The last 15 to 17 months have been pretty tough on retail. We are thankful to have weathered the storm. Now we ask you to do the right thing and support small business. If you are looking for great gift ideas for friends and family members, anime apparel, artwork, and phone cases make great gifts.

Be sure to check out our entire inventory before you go. If you don't find something you like, let us know. We're constantly adding new items in an effort to appeal to as many anime lovers as we can. We want to find something that will make you happy.