Gaudiy Raises 10B Yen with Sony and Bandai Namco; Marubeni Taps IS:SUE [Weekly Oshikatsu News: May 16, 2025]
Here is our roundup of notable corporate oshikatsu (fan support activities) marketing and fan business news from the week of May 9 to May 15, 2025.
This Week’s Highlights
This week, major corporations began making full-scale investments in building touchpoints with fans.
Gaudiy entered into a strategic partnership with Sony Group and Bandai Namco Holdings. Alongside the partnership, the company conducted a third-party allotment of new shares, raising a total of 10 billion yen. Capital on this scale moved into a business dedicated to connecting intellectual property (IP) with fans. Marubeni also appointed the girl group IS:SUE as the ambassador for its fashion metaverse, “WEAR GO LAND.” After completing a proof-of-concept test, the trading company moved forward with launching the service as an app.
There was also movement in financial results. Cover, the operator of Hololive, reported a full-year net profit of 5.559 billion yen, up 34.4% year-on-year. GREE recorded its highest-ever quarterly revenue in its metaverse business. Meanwhile, in food service and apparel, everyday collaborations such as Kura Sushi x NIJISANJI and GU x Chiikawa also moved forward. Regardless of scale, it was a week in which companies continued building touchpoints with fans.
- 10B yen
- Total capital raised by Gaudiy through third-party allotment to Sony Group and Bandai Namco Holdings
- 5.559B yen
- Cover's full-year net profit for the fiscal year ended March 2025, up 34.4% year-on-year
- 20.539B yen
- Cover's merchandising revenue, up 64.6% year-on-year including the hololive OFFICIAL CARD GAME
- 57,074,053
- Record total votes cast in the previous year's Sanrio Character Ranking
Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article
A Trading Company and Beverage Brands Tapped Faces Fans Love
Marubeni’s “WEAR GO LAND” x IS:SUE — Moving to an App Launch After a Proof-of-Concept Test
On May 2, Marubeni announced that it had appointed IS:SUE as the ambassador for “WEAR GO LAND,” the fashion metaverse it is developing. IS:SUE is a girl group formed through the audition program PRODUCE 101 JAPAN THE GIRLS. Starting May 5, a large-scale visual display went up at Shibuya Station, and a tie-up with IS:SUE’s new song “SHINING” was also confirmed. The company announced that the app would hold a pre-opening on May 16. In the preceding proof-of-concept test held from April 6 to 22, 2024, three brands—“X-girl,” “9090,” and “louren”—opened virtual shops. During that period, virtual fashion shows and other events were also held. Because the project achieved all of the evaluation metrics set by the company, Marubeni decided to move forward with providing the service via an app. From May 5 to 11, out-of-home (OOH) advertisements were displayed in Shibuya. On May 7, 521 collaboration stickers were distributed, with the entire allotment handed out before the day ended (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).
今村星斗 of Marubeni’s Lifestyle Strategy & Planning Department commented, “Aiming to build momentum timed to the start of the app’s distribution, we are consciously rolling out multiple initiatives in stages, starting with teaser communications before the official information release.”
The Oshi Lab’s Note: A general trading company verified the numbers through a proof-of-concept test in April 2024, then brought in idols roughly a year later. Rather than acting on buzz alone, it achieved its evaluation metrics first and then enlisted the power of fans. This sequence is the dividing line between a one-off collaboration and a collaboration that continues as a business.
ZONe ENERGY x NI-KI, BOSS x Uma Musume — Beverage Brands Refreshed Their Faces
On May 13, the energy drink brand “ZONe ENERGY” overhauled the package designs of its flagship product “HYPER ZONe ENERGY” and its zero-sugar version. At the same time, it had appointed NI-KI, the Japanese member of the K-pop group ENHYPEN, as its new brand ambassador. On May 12, the brand released a web commercial titled “ENHYPEN NI-KI in the ZONe cinematic angle” and rolled out promotions centered on Shibuya. Headlines reported that “150 NI-KIs appeared in Shibuya.” The reason for his appointment was the overlap between the brand’s message of “unleashing talent” and NI-KI’s attitude of continually taking on challenges as ENHYPEN’s youngest member (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)). Suntory Beverage & Food Limited also announced that starting June 3, it would renew five flagship “BOSS” coffee beverages into collaboration cans featuring Uma Musume Pretty Derby. Among buyers of eligible six-can packs, 30 winners would be selected by lottery to receive a “Grand Prix Boss Jacket” (Bosujan) and 500 winners to receive a “Collaboration T-Shirt.” A campaign entered via 2D barcodes offered original watches (100 winners for each design), tote bags (250 winners), and 10 yen worth of PayPay Points (98,500 winners) (Inside (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Even within the same beverage sector, ZONe ENERGY tapped an idol to convey its “brand worldview,” while BOSS tapped a game IP to appeal through the “sheer volume of lottery prizes.” The method of investing toward fans changes not by industry convention, but by what the brand wants to communicate. Comparing the two side by side makes that distinction clear.
Public Sports Reached Out Beyond Existing Fandoms
JRA x GENERATIONS — Targeting People Without Horse Racing Experience Through “DERBY GENERATIONS”
On May 8, the Japan Racing Association (JRA) launched a collaborative project titled “DERBY GENERATIONS” ahead of the 92nd Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, GI) on June 1. Its partner is the six-member dance and vocal group GENERATIONS. On a special website, the JRA sequentially released “MY GENERATION DERBY Ver.,” a video in which the members tour Tokyo Racecourse, alongside Tsukamitore! Derby King (“Seize It! Derby King”), a four-episode variety video series where they learn about the appeal of horse racing. Episode 3 was announced for release on May 19, and Episode 4 on May 26. The videos featured the group’s new song “MY GENERATION,” written and composed by Masafumi Gotoh of the rock band ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION and produced by Hayato Komori of GENERATIONS. From May 10 to June 1, the videos were also scheduled to screen at WINS off-track betting facilities and racecourses nationwide. From May 28 to June 1, street events titled “DERBY GENERATIONS in the City Too” (Machi-naka demo DERBY GENERATIONS) were scheduled to take place in Ikebukuro, Shibuya, and Shinjuku. The venues were set to feature a variety of content, including an experience predicting the first-place finisher in a race featuring GENERATIONS members, a capsule toy machine (gacha) with cheering messages, and photo panels (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)). The organizers stated that they chose areas around terminal stations with heavy pedestrian traffic for the event venues. A representative from Yomiuri Advertising Inc. (YOMIKO), which handled the promotion, explained, “We were conscious of holding the event in an open space so people could enter without hesitation from multiple directions.”
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Rather than starting at the racecourse, the JRA planned to set up booths in front of train stations first. Instead of waiting for people who are already interested in horse racing, it went out to places where uninterested passersby naturally walk through. The more a company wants to be discovered outside its existing fan base, the more it needs to factor “who will happen to walk past” into the venue selection stage.
Restaurant Chains Created Reasons to Visit Through Limited-Time Menus
Kura Sushi x NIJISANJI, McDonald’s x Chiikawa — Drawing Fans with Favorite Foods and Crew Uniforms
Starting May 16, Kura Sushi held a collaboration campaign with the VTuber group “NIJISANJI” at stores nationwide (with some exceptions). The chain sold three original menu items made using the favorite foods of the popular units “SMC-gumi,” “3SKM,” and “Meifu.” Exclusive merchandise such as “marker charms” (mejirushi charm, small charms used to mark personal items like umbrellas or bottles) was prepared as prizes for the in-store “Bikkura Pon!” capsule game. Giveaways such as clear files awarded for every 2,500 yen spent were each limited to the first 300,000 customers (Inside (in Japanese)). McDonald’s Company (Japan), Ltd. announced that it would sell Happy Meal (Happy Set) “Chiikawa” toys nationwide for approximately four weeks starting May 16. The lineup featured eight everyday-use toys, including a drink-cup pen stand and a tray photo frame, designed with characters wearing McDonald’s crew uniforms. Alongside the A Minecraft Movie Happy Meal released on the same day, a purchase limit of up to four sets per person was put in place (Inside (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Both chains tailored the character designs toward “their own company uniforms and formats.” Kura Sushi built its NIJISANJI menu around the favorite foods of fans’ oshi (favorite performers), while McDonald’s created Chiikawa items featuring the characters in crew uniforms. Rather than placing the IP onto products as-is, both companies added an extra touch tailored to their own business format. That extra step comes across as something fresh even to existing fans.
Apparel and Retail Paired Up with Characters for Anniversary Projects
GU x Chiikawa — The 4th Collaboration Takes “Summer Vacation” as Its Theme
GU announced that it would begin selling its fourth collaboration with Chiikawa at stores nationwide and on its online store starting May 23. The theme is “Chiikawa and Friends’ Summer Vacation.” The collection rolled out aloha shirts, T-shirts, socks, pouches, and more. Satin pajamas depicting summer vacation scenes featured linked designs across women’s and kids’ sizes, built so parents and children could enjoy matching outfits (Inside (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Continuing into its fourth installment, this collaboration has grown into a staple series. Aligning the women’s and kids’ designs is also a design choice premised on parents and children buying together. The longer a collaboration continues, the more the question shifts from the perfection of individual items to how to renew “the reason to buy every time.”
Shimamura x PAC-MAN 45th Anniversary, niko and … x Thomas & Friends 80th Anniversary — Using Anniversaries as an Occasion for New Releases
On May 10, Shimamura began selling merchandise for PAC-MAN, which celebrated its 45th anniversary, at stores nationwide and on its online store. In addition to T-shirts and loungewear featuring game stage designs, the lineup expanded broadly into household goods including mattress pads, cooling half-blankets, and die-cut cushions (Inside (in Japanese)). On May 14, “niko and …,” operated by Adastria, also released collaboration items with Thomas & Friends (Kikansha Thomas), which marked the 80th anniversary of the publication of its original books. The designs took inspiration from the original picture books, The Railway Series, featuring postage-stamp, instruction-manual, and vintage-map motifs. The collection included printed T-shirts, jacquard tote bags, embroidered caps, and more (AtPress (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Both companies used an anniversary as the “reason for new products.” PAC-MAN is at 45 years, and Thomas is at 80 years. The longer-lived an IP is, the more regularly milestone years come around. If a team maps out “which IPs are celebrating what anniversary this year” in advance during collaboration planning meetings, it will never run short of a hook.
Theme Parks Brought XR Technology into Extraordinary Experiences
USJ x SPY×FAMILY — The Franchise’s First-Ever VR Coaster Launches in July
Universal Studios Japan (USJ) held a collaboration with SPY×FAMILY from July 1, 2025, to January 4, 2026. It is part of “Universal Cool Japan,” which marked its 10th anniversary. The centerpiece is the franchise’s first-ever VR coaster, “SPY×FAMILY XR Ride: Operation Hyper Drive.” Riders took on a spy mission alongside the Forger family. The first-ever “Story Ride” for the collaboration and a park-wide quiz rally using the official LINE account were also prepared. The original manga had surpassed 38 million copies in cumulative circulation across 14 volumes. The theatrical film released in 2023 recorded 6.26 billion yen in box office revenue and an audience attendance of 4.64 million (Cho! Animedia (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: An IP that began serialization in 2019—just a few years ago—was chosen as a centerpiece theme park attraction. The deciding factor in its selection was not the length of its history, but how broadly it is known right now. It is a clear example of circulation figures and box office revenue functioning as persuasive material for a project proposal.
Fuji-Q Highland x Tokyo Tower “Labyrinth of Fear XR: Mei” — Expanding a Real Haunted House into 10 Virtual Floors with XR
Fuji-Q Highland’s popular attraction “Super Scary Labyrinth of Fear” (Senritsu Meikyu) launched at Tokyo Tower on July 19, 2025, as an XR-powered horror experience titled “Labyrinth of Fear XR: Mei” (Senritsu Meikyu XR: Mei). Development and operations are handled by the XR content production company ABAL. Using its proprietary platform “Scape,” ABAL expanded the world of the real-life Labyrinth of Fear—which spans roughly 900 meters—into a 10-floor virtual space measuring approximately 1 kilometer in total length. Up to 50 people could participate simultaneously as avatars (Mogura VR (in Japanese)). Alongside production, a crowdfunding campaign was conducted on Makuake from May 9 to June 13.
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Rather than turning a physical facility into VR as-is, this project used XR to surpass physical space constraints. A 900-meter physical attraction becomes a 1-kilometer virtual space. When a company with physical locations ventures into XR, the dividing line is whether it can go beyond replication to create “an expansion impossible in reality.”
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai Became a Stage for Fan Events and Traditional Crafts
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai x VTuber Music Festival “XNAMBA” — Greeting Sessions Also Held with MR Technology
On May 27, XNAMBA MUSIC FESTIVAL -showcase- was held at the EXPO Hall at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Performers included seven VTubers across five acts, such as Utano Shiratama, Iori Matsunaga, and Marinasu. On stage, they delivered performances using a 600-inch full screen and 270-degree projection mapping. A “Virtual Meet & Greet” powered by the “Mawari Network” provided by Mawari Inc. was also held, limited to 45 participants. Wearing MR-compatible headsets such as the Meta Quest 3, participants could interact with the VTubers in real time (Mogura VR (in Japanese)). An “EXPO2025 Memorial Supporter” tier—which included an admission ticket, premium seating, and priority lottery entry for the Meet & Greet—was sold in limited quantities for 15,000 yen.
The Oshi Lab’s Note: By preparing both free viewing slots and a 15,000-yen priority tier at the same time, the organizers separated payment options according to the depth of a fan’s engagement. They structured the experience in tiers and set up a separate premium plan for those wanting deeper involvement. For VTubers who do not own physical venues, this serves as a useful reference for designing high-unit-price sales around limited slots.
Gundam Merchandise x Nishikawa Shoroku Shoten — An Expo Collaboration with a Folding Fan Brand Founded in 1585
Bandai’s apparel brand “STRICT-G” released a mini pouch and folding fans (sensu) as new merchandise for the “GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION” at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. The folding fans are a collaboration with “Nishikawa Shoroku Shoten,” an Omi-merchant folding fan brand dating back to 1585. Two designs were prepared, including one featuring motifs of the mobile suits that appear in the visual world inside the pavilion. The mini pouch went on sale on May 10, and the folding fans on May 24. Prices are 6,050 yen and 3,080 yen for the folding fans, and 2,200 yen for the mini pouch (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: This pairs a 440-year-old heritage business with the fictional future of the Universal Century. When a traditional craft company teams up with a character IP, it creates an opportunity to reach a new customer base while maintaining the prestige of its craftsmanship and brand. For long-established businesses, IP collaborations are a means of gaining exposure among younger demographics.
The IP Business Turned Market Enthusiasm into Numbers Through Earnings and Popularity Polls
GREE and Cover — Metaverse Operations and a VTuber Agency Post Record Profits
On May 9, GREE announced its third-quarter financial results (January–March) for the fiscal year ending June 2025. Overall net sales were 14.62 billion yen, down 15% year-on-year. Meanwhile, its metaverse business centered on REALITY recorded its highest-ever quarterly net sales and operating profit. Improvements in payment processing fee rates boosted REALITY’s profitability, and the platform was expected to reach 20 million cumulative downloads worldwide in the near future (Mogura VR (in Japanese)). On May 13, Hololive operator Cover also announced its full-year financial results for the fiscal year ended March 2025. Net sales rose 43.9% year-on-year to 43.401 billion yen, and net profit rose 34.4% to 5.559 billion yen, marking substantial growth in both metrics. Performing particularly well was the merchandising segment, which includes the trading card game hololive OFFICIAL CARD GAME. That segment grew 64.6% to 20.539 billion yen, exceeding expectations (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Cover’s merchandise and card game sales grew, while GREE’s metaverse business improved its profitability. Revenue sources that are invisible from stream view counts alone have finally appeared in the numbers through financial statements. These earnings reports show that if we want to discuss the scale of a fan business, we should look at the gross margin of merchandise sales rather than view counts.
Gaudiy x Sony and Bandai Namco — Raising 10 Billion Yen for Global IP Expansion
On May 8, Sony Group, Bandai Namco Holdings, and Gaudiy announced a strategic partnership in the entertainment and technology sectors. Gaudiy conducted a third-party allotment of new shares underwritten by Sony and Bandai Namco, raising a total of 10 billion yen. The three companies announced that they would collaborate across five areas: “Global Expansion,” “IP Creation and Next-Generation Creator Incubation,” “Data Utilization,” “Blockchain,” and “Generative AI.” By combining Sony subsidiary “Crunchyroll” and Gaudiy subsidiary “MyAnimeList,” they stated they would accelerate the overseas expansion of Japanese IP (Mogura VR (in Japanese), PR TIMES (in Japanese), AV Watch (in Japanese), ITmedia (in Japanese)). Founded in 2018, Gaudiy is a startup that serves as the development partner for Bandai Namco’s “Gundam Metaverse Project.”
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Two industry giants placed 10 billion yen into a seven-year-old startup. The structure here is that the side holding the IP (Bandai Namco) and the side holding the distribution network (Sony) are investing in the side holding the technology that builds touchpoints with fans (Gaudiy). In the fan business today, alongside content and distribution networks, capital is beginning to gather around the technology that connects the two.
Gaudiy (10B Yen Raised / Fan-Connecting Tech & MyAnimeList)
- Bandai Namco HoldingsIP holder and Gundam Metaverse Project partner
- Sony GroupDistribution network holder including Crunchyroll
- Global ExpansionAccelerating overseas reach of Japanese IP via Crunchyroll and MyAnimeList
- IP Creation & CreatorsIncubating next-generation creators and new IP
- Data, Blockchain & Gen AITechnical collaboration across data utilization, blockchain, and generative AI
Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article
Sanrio Character Ranking — Record-High 57.07 Million Votes Cast Last Year
The interim rankings (1st to 20th place) for the “2025 Sanrio Character Ranking,” a popularity voting event for Sanrio characters, were announced. “Pompompurin,” aiming for its first 1st-place finish in nine years, held the provisional lead, while five-time reigning champion “Cinnamoroll” followed in 2nd place. Started in 1986, the event celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. Ninety characters selected from more than 450 were entered. Last year’s total vote count reached an all-time high of 57,074,053 votes. The final results announcement event took place on June 29 during Day 2 of “SANRIO FES 2025” at Pacifico Yokohama (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: The figure of 57 million votes demonstrates that the act of voting alone can mobilize fans every single year. Even without a new product or a separate tie-in event as an intermediary, simply announcing the rankings generates conversation. If a company has multiple characters or brands of its own, a mechanism that lets them compete against one another becomes a low-cost fan engagement initiative.
This Week’s Takeaways
This week, major sums of money moved into the very “mechanisms” that create touchpoints with fans.
The 10 billion yen investment in Gaudiy is an investment not in content or merchandise, but in the technology that connects IP and fans. Marubeni spending roughly a year turning WEAR GO LAND into an app following its April 2024 proof-of-concept test was likewise an investment in a repeatable mechanism rather than short-term buzz. The growth in Cover’s merchandise sales and the improvement in profitability in GREE’s metaverse business point to the same structure from the other side. The center of gravity in the fan business is shifting from one-off campaigns to mechanisms that can be used repeatedly.
At the same time, another defining feature of this week is the steady rise in everyday collaborations like Kura Sushi x NIJISANJI and GU x Chiikawa. A 10 billion yen alliance and 250-yen limited-time menu items lined up in the very same week. We believe the sheer width of that range reflects just how broad the base of the oshikatsu marketing market has become.
Are your company’s touchpoints with fans ending as one-off projects? Take a look at this week’s developments alongside our guides to Oshikatsu Marketing Design Principles and Gen Z Consumer Behavior.
Weekly Oshikatsu News brings you a weekly roundup of the intersection between oshikatsu and business. You can browse past issues in the Oshikatsu x News category.
