Lujiazui's Anime Takeover: The 'Goods' Carnival at Super Brand Mall
The financial district's Super Brand Mall has become a cosplay and anime-goods playground this summer. A different, playful side of Lujiazui — and an easy add-on to a skyline day.
By Shanghai Welcome ·
When the financial city dresses up
Lujiazui is Shanghai's polished financial core — glass towers, serious money. For part of this summer, its Super Brand Mall (Zhengda Plaza) has looked very different: cosplayers in full costume, pop-up stages and long queues for limited-edition anime goods ('gu zi', or 'goods').
The second Pudong 'Goods Carnival' turned the mall into a youth-culture hub — signing zones, a second-hand swap area and official IP booths where fans meet the characters they grew up with.
For an international visitor, it is a vivid counterpoint to the suit-and-tie skyline overhead: proof that even the most corporate district in China has a sprawling, joyful fan culture underneath.
Pair the carnival with the towers: Shanghai Tower, the Pearl and the riverside, all within walking distance of the mall.
Explore Lujiazui — the skyline district, up close →How to fold it into a day
Go in the afternoon, after you have done the serious sightseeing. The towers and the riverside are a 10-15 minute walk from Super Brand Mall, so you can do skyline-by-day and fandom-by-late-afternoon.
If you want the modern Shanghai story explained rather than just photographed, the Modern & Future day tour covers how this farmland became a global financial district — and why its mall now hosts a cosplay parade.
From Lujiazui, the Bund is a short metro hop or a riverside walk away. Trade the crowds of fans for the lit skyline across the water as the light fades.
What to expect
Expect dense, enthusiastic crowds — this is a free, central, very photogenic event. Keep valuables secure and give yourself room to move.
You do not need to be an anime fan to enjoy it. The people-watching alone — elaborate costumes, hand-made props, friend groups in matching characters — is a show in itself.
The carnival is a seasonal feature of the 'Shanghai Summer' program, so treat it as a bonus layer on a normal Lujiazui day rather than a standalone destination.
Why it is worth a detour
Shanghai's youth culture is usually invisible from the tourist circuit. A free, central event in the middle of the financial district is a rare chance to stand inside it.
Pair it with the towers and the Bund and you get the city's corporate self, its fan self and its postcard self in a single walkable afternoon.
- •Free, central, easy to reach inside Lujiazui
- •Cosplay, signings and limited-edition goods
- •A 15-minute walk from the skyline and the river
Frequently asked questions
Is the carnival free?
The open mall activations are free to wander. Specific staged signings may have their own schedule posted on-site.
When is the best time to go?
Afternoon into early evening, once you have finished the nearby skyline sightseeing.
How do I get there?
Super Brand Mall (Zhengda Plaza) is in Lujiazui, on the metro and a short walk from the towers and the river.
Do I need to know the IPs?
Not at all. The costumes and crowd energy are worth seeing whether or not you recognize the characters.
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