From August 14th to the 30th, Ize Press is hosting System Sync: Solo Leveling x ORV, a pop up experience in the lower east side of Manhattan. The Space allows fans to celebrate the two hit webtoons with merchandise, themed displays, and more.
The event coincided with Anime NYC which took place from August 20th to the 23rd, and featured a stamp between the Yen Press/Ize Press booth at the convention and the pop-up. Fans who complete the rally for could receive an exclusive sticker sheet.
I stopped by the System Sync the day before Anime NYC began, accompanied by fellow beat writer and massive solo Leveling and ORV fan, Marion Pena.
Located on East 6th street not far from the NYU campus, the pop up sits across the block from Videogames New York. To my surprise, the space is much smaller than I expected. While I don’t know its exact dimensions, I would guess that around 20-25 people could fit comfortably inside at once. When Marion and I arrived, the space was mostly quiet save for the soundtrack of the Solo Levelling anime playing on the radio, and two employees present at register, one of whom was the talented Dieu Sam B. (Sgt.Owlfox).
On the outside, the windows of the pop-up space are adorned with decals of Kim Dokja, Yoo Junghyuk, and Sung Jinwoo. Inside by the windows would be lots of Solo Leveling and Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint shirts and a stack of boxes containing USB-powered plug-and play deskmat led lights. The middle of the space are two conjoined shelves with Solo Leveling Hunter Emblem pins and more shirts. The other side would have desk mats, Acrylic Standees, Acrylic Bookends, and print editions of the Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint webtoon.
On the wall opposite of the shelves and by the window would be two backdrops, one for Solo Levelling, and one for Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint. By each respective backdrop would be large foam standees featuring Kim Dokja, Yoo Junghyuk, and Sung Jinwoo. This area is dedicated for photo opps. On the center of the wall is the art display where fans can admire various scenes and artworks from Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint and Solo Leveling.
In the back of the pop-up space is another conjoined shelf which dedicated to the print editions of the Solo Leveling webtoon as well as the print editions of the ORV and Solo Leveling webnovels. One of those print editions includes a massive Solo Leveling Omnibus which contains every chapter of the novel. It is massive!
Purchasing merchandise came with a surprise. At the counter, customers can draw a randomly colored ball from a plastic box, the color determining a random character card from Solo Leveling or Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint. Customers like Marion, who photographed their purchase and tagged Ize press with the hashtag #IzePressPopUp, could also receive an exclusive hand fan featuring both series. It became a surprisingly useful souvenir given how humid New York City was that week.
ORV Merch is HOT!!
One of the biggest things that stood out during my visit was the noticeable shortage of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint merchandise. This isn’t because the pop-up wasn’t adequately stocked on ORV merch. Rather, much of it had already been sold out! Acrylic stands, figurines, hanging scrolls. Keychains, card packs, and acrylic blocks were among the many items sold out by the time when we’ve arrived.
The demand was noticeable. I have witnessed several ORV fans stop by specifically looking for merch, but were out of luck. Luckily System Sync does restock on these items, although those updates are primarily communicated through its social media channels.
That demand was also reflected when in my conversations with Tappytoon co-founder, Ernest Woo, who confirmed that there is in fact a huge demand for ORV merchandise within both the United States and internationally. For ORV fans, System Sync offered the opportunity to purchase official merchandise from the series in person. The rapid sellout of those products goes to show just how eager and hungry fans of ORV are to get their hands on that merch compared to fans of Solo Leveling.
As of writing, System Sync is still ongoing even after Anime NYC has concluded. Fans of Solo Leveling and Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint have until August 30th to still be able to get their hands on exclusive merch from both series. Admission is free so you can just walk right in and browse for whichever merch catches your eye (and your wallet). Thankfully before going I recommend checking the official System Sync page on the Yen Press site which will have more information on the pop up including the available merch at the location. When you’re there, also keep an eye out for a sign outside which will let you know which items are still available and which are out of stock for the day.
Overall, it is a nice short and sweet experience to meet fellow fans, get some merch and goodies, and get the chance to admire the artwork on display and take photos with the standees of your favorite characters. Hopefully Ize/Yen Press will do more similar pop ups in the future not only in New York City, but in other locations across the globe for fans to show their support for their beloved series.
