Fictional characters are a ubiquitous presence and an important economic factor in Japan. Due to the country’s large media industry and vibrant pop culture, many people grow up surrounded by diverse character representations in the form of manga, anime, video games, advertisements, toys, and other merchandise. Next to media properties, there are also characters that are created from the outset for marketing purposes, such as
. While some people point to Shinto-related animist beliefs to explain the appeal of non-human entities in Japan, others refer to factors such as the general tendency to embrace cute things, the need for escapism due to stressful daily lives, and the opportunity for emotional expression in a culture that values group harmony and social conformity. From a business perspective, characters represent intellectual properties (IPs) that are economically viable due to the emotional attachments people have to them.
The character business market
The
domestic character business market, which consists of merchandising and licensing, was valued at a whopping 2.77 trillion Japanese yen in fiscal year 2024. Merchandising involves the selling of goods to which characters are attached, such as toys, accessories, and food. Its economic importance can be seen when looking at the
anime industry, where merchandising is the largest domestic segment. Licensing refers to the use of characters in other forms of representation, such as publications and advertisements. Both merchandising and licensing do not simply generate revenue but also help to keep characters relevant and may even attract additional fans to a franchise. A successful stage play, for instance, can attract fans of actors and actresses who would otherwise have had no interest in a manga or anime title. Characters are therefore often part of so-called “media mix” strategies that deliberately spread IPs across various forms of representation.
Recent market trends
The character business has enjoyed stable growth in recent years partly due to the increasing use of video-on-demand (VOD) services and social media, which provide ample opportunities for people to come across characters. Noteworthy market trends include
virtual YouTubers (VTubers), who use motion-capture technology to stream content as computer-generated avatars, and experience-based offerings such as
anime-related live entertainment, including live performances, events, exhibitions, musicals, and cafés. One concept that has gained relevance as a motivator for people to spend money on characters is the idea of “
oshikatsu,” which describes the activities fans engage in to support the people or things they like. By engaging in
oshikatsu, people can show their enthusiasm and their devotion to a particular fan object, which incentivizes some of them to spend large amounts of money. Further growth potential lies in the increasing export orientation of companies and the booming
inbound tourism industry, both of which help offset the effects of demographic aging and population shrinking on the domestic market.
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