Julia Stoll
Research expert covering TV and video media
Character business in Japan - statistics and facts
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 company mascots and local mascots. 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.
