Demon Slayer Hits 106.3B Yen Worldwide & CyberAgent Overseas Game Sales Rise 6x (Weekly News: Nov 21, 2025)

Here is our roundup of notable corporate oshi-katsu (fan support activities) marketing and fan business news from the week of November 14 to November 20, 2025.

This Week’s Highlights

This was a week in which companies of every size pushed further into virtual spaces.

On Roblox, transcosmos—which handles Bandai intellectual property (IP)—released a new title, Find Tamagotchi. Shogakukan entered into a capital and business alliance with ARROVA. KAYAC and Sumitomo Corporation announced the joint development of a sequel to a horror game that has surpassed 500 million cumulative visits. Roblox itself also welcomed major IP holders such as Kodansha and SEGA as it advanced self-service IP licensing on its platform.

Efforts to harness livestreamers’ voices for corporate promotions also moved forward. The livestreaming advertising solution “SCOP” had 234 participating streamers at the time of its official launch, with total viewing time surpassing 170 million minutes. Meanwhile, a collaboration between Toyo Suisan and the NIJISANJI unit “Idios” drove an approximately 8.8-fold increase in social media mentions.

The scale of the numbers also stood out this week. Worldwide box office revenue for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle – Part 1 surpassed 106.3 billion yen, reaching a milestone never before achieved in the history of Japanese cinema. In CyberAgent’s game business, fourth-quarter overseas revenue grew roughly sixfold year over year to reach 20 billion yen.

106.3B yen

Global box office revenue for Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Part 1, a first for a Japanese film

20B yen

CyberAgent's Q4 overseas game revenue, up roughly 6x from 3.3B yen a year earlier

170M+ min

Total viewing time on the SCOP livestream ad platform across 234 participating streamers

Approx. 8.8x

Increase in social media mentions during the MARUCHAN QTTA and NIJISANJI Idios campaign

Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article

Major IP Holders Entered Virtual Spaces One After Another

Tamagotchi x Roblox — transcosmos Rolls Out Next-Generation IP Strategy

On November 6, transcosmos released a new game on Roblox called Find Tamagotchi, based on Bandai’s Tamagotchi franchise. Designed as an interactive experience where players learn about characters while searching for them, the project aimed to broaden the fan base and deepen brand familiarity. On the same day, the company also rolled out a major update adding a new “My House” feature to its existing title Tamagotchi Party. These initiatives came ahead of the November 22 retail release of the new product “Tamagotchi Paradise – Jade Forest.” Operating as a global partner for Bandai, transcosmos had been deploying multiple Roblox initiatives, and cumulative visits across those projects reached more than 23 million (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

As of November 2025, Roblox was one of the largest platforms in the world, boasting more than 150 million daily active users.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: The sequencing here—releasing in-game content in step with a new physical product launch—is spot on. Players first grow attached to the characters through gameplay and are then guided toward the new item at retail stores. Not just for toy makers, initial brand awareness changes dramatically depending on where a company places experiential touchpoints prior to a product launch.

ARROVA x Shogakukan — A Publisher Takes an Equity Stake in the Virtual Fashion Market

ARROVA and Shogakukan entered into a capital and business alliance. “TOKYO AVATAR GATE,” operated by ARROVA, is a marketplace dealing in official digital fashion from manga, anime, and games. Since opening in June 2025, ARROVA has expanded its partnerships with publishers and anime studios. This new alliance combines Shogakukan’s IP catalog and editorial capabilities with ARROVA’s metaverse implementation expertise. The two companies stated that they aim to build a framework for supplying official digital merchandise and present a revenue model that ensures creators receive fair compensation (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

Projects featuring popular series such as Fullmetal Alchemist (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi) were also underway.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Rather than merely licensing its IP, Shogakukan is investing capital to participate directly in designing the revenue model itself. When a rightsholder simply grants one-off licenses for digital goods, it leaves the monetization mechanics entirely in the partner’s hands. If the goal is to build an enduring market, joining the platform’s decision-making process is a strategic option.

Roblox Built the Infrastructure Connecting Companies and Creators

KAYAC x Sumitomo Corporation — Co-Developing a Sequel to a Horror Game with Over 500 Million Visits

KAYAC and Sumitomo Corporation announced that they will jointly plan and develop a Roblox horror game tentatively titled PETAPETA3. It is the third installment in the popular PETAPETA game series, which has surpassed 500 million visits, with a release scheduled for the following spring. Sumitomo Corporation operates “Omochi Studio,” a content production studio dedicated to Roblox, which has previously delivered titles including the PETAPETA series. Following its work on the previous installment, PETAPETA2, KAYAC is handling planning and production, while group companies such as KAYAC Akiba Studio are responsible for design and technical implementation (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

Sumitomo Corporation positioned Roblox as a venue for future communication.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: What catches the eye here is that a general trading company owns an in-house game studio and has kept a franchise going into its third installment. Rather than stopping at a one-off collaboration, whether a company can maintain a structure that nurtures and refines a hit title over time looks likely to be the dividing line in metaverse businesses.

Roblox — Self-Service IP Licensing Launches with Kodansha and SEGA Participating

Roblox began offering the “Roblox License Manager” and “Licenses catalog” to strengthen collaboration between IP rightsholders and creators. According to the announcement, licensing procedures that traditionally took several months will be shortened to anywhere from a few days to a few hours. IP holders can configure usage terms and custom revenue-sharing percentages, typically between 10% and 25%. Initial partners included Lionsgate, Netflix, SEGA, and Kodansha. Kodansha announced plans to offer BLUE LOCK and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken), while SEGA plans to offer Like a Dragon (Ryu ga Gotoku). BLUE LOCK: Rivals, which was already available on the platform, has a track record of more than 4 billion visits (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: In practical business terms, evenue-sharing terms matter even more than shortening the paperwork itself. When IP licensors can see the financial terms up front, internal approval processes will likely move much faster as well. When a platform provides standardized contract templates, it becomes much easier for a wider range of companies to participate.

1. 01Platform Contracting Infrastructure (Roblox License Manager)Allows custom revenue-sharing percentages (typically 10–25%) and reduces licensing turnaround from months to days or hours
2. 02Studio & Marketplace Partnerships (Omochi Studio, TOKYO AVATAR GATE)Trading companies and publishers co-develop franchises and invest in digital merchandise monetization models
3. 03Pre-Launch Experiential Touchpoints (Find Tamagotchi)Lets players bond with characters in virtual play ahead of physical retail product launches

Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article

Systems Came Together for Companies to Turn Streamer Enthusiasm into Promotion

SCOP Official Launch — 234 Streamers and Over 170 Million Viewing Minutes

On November 7, Haishin Gijutsu Kenkyusho (Streaming Technology Lab) officially launched the full version of “SCOP,” an advertising solution that leverages livestreams. In roughly one year since demonstration testing began in April 2024, the number of participating streamers grew to 234, and total viewing time surpassed 170 million minutes. Its annual growth rate reached approximately 196%, putting its viewership scale in sixth place even when compared against domestic streamer agencies in Japan. Eleven corporate sponsors have participated. The official release introduced a dashboard allowing advertisers to check live engagement and click counts during streams, along with a notification feature indicating active viewing. As case studies, Ajinomoto highlighted how streamers’ custom recipe variations spread during a campaign for “Soup DELI,” while GMO Pepabo reported a 3.6-fold increase in branded searches (Inside (in Japanese)).

Streamers must pass an essay screening to participate, regardless of the size of their channel.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: SCOP bases its screening criteria on genuine enthusiasm rather than adherence to a script. Traditional influencer marketing has always assumed a pre-written script. In livestreaming culture, by contrast, a streamer’s spontaneous reactions are what build trust with viewers. The turning point for livestream advertising going forward will be whether platforms can build mechanisms that draw out spontaneity while preserving brand safety.

Xross Stars — 16 VTubers and Streamers Newly Turned into Trading Cards

Game & Co. and Samurai Kobo announced the December 19 release of “Exceed Rampage,” the second booster pack for Xross Stars, a trading card game (TCG) themed around streamers and VTubers. In the first set, 24 talents from groups including Virtual eSports Project (VSPO!), Neo-Porte, and Crazy Raccoon were made into cards. In the second installment, 16 talents—including Akami Karubi and Amayui Moka—would be newly added as Leader Cards. The Leader Cards came in three rarity tiers, with special parallel-edition designs also prepared (Inside (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: This TCG turns the streamers themselves into physical trading cards, directly tapping into fans’ desire to collect. The idea of translating digital popularity into a tangible item fans can hold in their hands can also be applied to influencer merchandise beyond the VTuber sphere.

Collaborations with Idols and VTubers Drove Numbers on Social Media and in Stores

QTTA x NIJISANJI’s “Idios” — Social Media Mentions Jump Roughly 8.8x

Taking advantage of the September 2025 renewal of its “MARUCHAN QTTA” cup noodle brand, Toyo Suisan rolled out a collaborative campaign in October with the NIJISANJI unit “Idios” titled the “Oshi-Color QTTA Ultimate Showdown” (Oshi-iro QTTA Saikyo Ketteisen). Five members of Idios served as cheering captains for the noodle flavors matching their respective signature image colors, while two members served as MCs. The program was structured in two parts: a quiz competition and a food-tasting report battle. As a result, social media mentions increased roughly 8.8-fold. The winning member was awarded a one-year supply of QTTA. Idios also held its first solo live concerts at Toyosu PIT on November 7 and 8 (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

In the highly competitive cup noodle market, the campaign was designed to get new customers to pick up the brand.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Matching five noodle flavors one-to-one with five group members worked remarkably well here. It transforms product variety into the fun of choosing who to root for. Just as outlined in our guide to Oshi-katsu Marketing Design Principles, simply rearranging existing products to fit the ways fans enjoy supporting their favorites makes it much easier for fans to join in.

Cho Tokimeki Sendenbu x Threads — Roughly 3,500 Attend In-Person Event

The six-member idol unit “Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu” was appointed as the official promotional department for the text-sharing app “Threads.” Following the appointment, Meta held an in-person event in Shinjuku, Tokyo, on November 18 titled the “Cho Tokimeki♡Threads Promotional Department Free Live.” Since its launch in July 2023, Threads had grown to a global scale surpassing 150 million daily active accounts. The concert linked the app directly with the live show—for example, using fan voting on Threads to decide which songs would be performed. Even with one group member absent, approximately 3,500 people gathered at the venue (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu was chosen because, in addition to the group’s official account, the individual members had been valued for interacting with fans on Threads on a daily basis.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: It is telling that the reason for selecting them was their “everyday attitude toward fan interaction” rather than raw follower counts. Meta wove introductions to app features into the event programming, effectively using the concert as a live product demonstration as well. Companies looking to drive app adoption can apply this method of letting fans experience product features first-hand as part of a fan event.

VTubers Expanded New Economic Spheres Beyond Livestreaming

Brave group — Back-to-Back Capital and Business Alliances with Kakao and jig.jp

Brave group entered into a capital and business alliance with Kakao Investment, a subsidiary of South Korea’s Kakao Corp. In the same month, the company also announced a business alliance with jig.jp Co., Ltd. Under the partnership with Kakao, the stated policy was to combine both companies’ business development strengths and market expertise to advance overseas expansion centered on platform businesses. Under the partnership with jig.jp, the two sides strengthened collaboration in the VTuber and VLiver fields, stating that they would combine Brave group’s management capabilities with jig.jp’s livestreaming service know-how to build a stronger creator support system (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Rather than partnering with just one company, Brave group simultaneously formed alliances with both a major overseas platform player and a domestic streaming infrastructure provider. Responding to the rapid expansion of the virtual talent market through multiple strategic partnerships rather than relying solely on in-house capital is an approach other IP businesses can learn from.

PeakyHikers — 6.3 Tons of New-Harvest Rice Sold Out in One Week; Recruiting Farming Partners

“PeakyHikers,” a married-couple VTuber unit based in Gunma Prefecture, sold out 6.3 tons of new-harvest rice they grew themselves within seven days of launching sales. The duo had been operating as “agricultural reality VTubers,” publishing videos on YouTube documenting their farming work from rice planting to harvesting. For the coming fiscal year, their policy was not to expand their own rice paddies, but instead to partner with farmers across Japan. They announced an open call nationwide for partner farmers willing to cooperate on filming farm work videos and joint sales partners for agricultural produce. In addition to offering strong appeal to the unit’s core viewer demographic of 25- to 45-year-olds, the duo noted that the initiative could also be linked with tourism projects (Mogura VR (in Japanese), KAI-YOU (in Japanese), PR TIMES (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: This setup is designed so that PeakyHikers takes on the planning, filming, and sales-page production that would otherwise burden farmers. Producers can have their work shared with an audience without having to spend time and effort on content production themselves. As a mechanism connecting regional primary industries with fan communities, this model looks adaptable to other local specialty products as well.

HIKAKIN Army vs. Pekora Army — “Meta Quest Showdown” Scheduled for December 4

Meta announced a competitive event titled the “Meta Quest Showdown” (Meta Quest Daikessen) for December 4. YouTuber HIKAKIN and hololive VTuber Usada Pekora would each lead a three-person team in head-to-head competition. HIKAKIN’s team consisted of HIKAKIN, Masuo, and Dasoku, while Pekora’s team featured Usada Pekora, Shishiro Botan, and La+ Darknesss. The two teams announced they would compete across three categories of Meta Quest VR games: fitness, cooperative gaming, and competitive action. Meta also announced a giveaway campaign where fans could predict the winning team by following the official X account and posting with a designated hashtag, entering a drawing where three winners would receive a “Meta Quest 3S” VR headset (PR TIMES (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: By having live-action YouTubers and VTubers compete under the exact same conditions, Meta draws in both fan bases at once. Watching someone you root for actually play the games communicates the appeal of VR far better than technical explanations of hardware specs. The harder it is for consumers to picture how a product is used—as with VR headsets—the more helpful an easy-to-follow format like a team showdown becomes.

Earnings Reports and Box Office Receipts Confirmed the Scale of the Fan Economy

CyberAgent FY25 Earnings — Game Business Profit Doubles, Overseas Revenue Rises 6x

In CyberAgent’s consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ended September 2025, net sales reached 874.0 billion yen (up 9.1% year over year) and operating profit reached 71.7 billion yen (up 78.9% year over year), marking 28 consecutive fiscal years of revenue growth. The game business drove this performance. In FY2025, CyberAgent released a total of seven titles—including six global rollouts—and operating profit in the segment expanded to roughly double the prior year’s level. Above all, the global version of Umamusume: Pretty Derby, which launched in June, became a hit overseas. Fourth-quarter overseas revenue grew roughly sixfold, rising from 3.3 billion yen in the same period a year earlier to 20.0 billion yen. Meanwhile, ten years after the launch of “ABEMA,” the Media & IP business posted its first full-year operating profit (Inside (in Japanese), Inside (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Whether content that was a hit in Japan will be embraced with the same enthusiasm overseas is always a gamble. According to media reports, this rollout sparked an overseas boom reminiscent of the game’s original launch in Japan. Beyond the precision of the localization, this suggests there was already an overseas audience primed to enjoy the genre. Companies considering international expansion need to assess whether a local audience exists that is ready to passionately embrace the work.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle — 106.3 Billion Yen Worldwide, a First in Japanese Film History

Cumulative global attendance for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns (Gekijoban “Kimetsu no Yaiba” Mugenjo-hen Dai-issho: Akaza Sairai) reached 89.17 million moviegoers through November 16, with total worldwide box office revenue reaching 106.3 billion yen. According to research by Aniplex, this marked the first time in Japanese cinema history that a film surpassed 100 billion yen at the global box office. Within Japan, the film recorded 26.04 million admissions and 37.9 billion yen in box office revenue over 122 days in release, while international theatrical rollouts expanded sequentially starting in August (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)). During the same period, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (Gekijoban Chainsaw Man Reze-hen) surpassed 8.76 billion yen at the domestic box office in 59 days of release, entering Japan’s all-time domestic box office chart at No. 76 as of November 17, 2025. Furthermore, Jujutsu Kaisen: The Movie – Shibuya Incident x The Culling Game (Gekijoban Jujutsu Kaisen “Shibuya Jihen x Shimetsu Kaiyu”) topped 1.12 billion yen in its first 10 days. Following the strong turnout, the dedicated “Jujutsu Kaisen THEATER” screen at TOHO Cinemas Shibuya in Tokyo had its run extended through November 27 (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese), Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: The fact that three major titles continued drawing audiences to theaters at the exact same time demonstrates the deep bench of theatrical anime as a genre. Moviegoers are not concentrating solely on a single mega-hit; instead, they are supporting the box office across multiple films simultaneously. This appears to reflect fans choosing the theatrical anime format itself as a regular habit, rather than only turning out for one specific IP.

Retail and Restaurant Chains Put Characters Front and Center on Store Shelves

UNIQLO x Sanrio Characters — Varsity-Style Collection Launches November 21

UNIQLO announced the November 21 release of a “Sanrio Characters” collection themed around trendy varsity style. The lineup featured Hello Kitty, Pochacco, Tuxedosam, Cinnamoroll, and My Melody designed alongside collegiate-style logos. In addition to women’s lounge sets (4,990 yen each) and HEATTECH socks (590 yen), the collection also included kids’ fleece sets (2,990 yen each) (Inside (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: UNIQLO’s decision to put characters on everyday essentials like loungewear and socks is a steady, practical choice. When people think of IP collaborations, attention often gravitates toward limited-time events or high-priced collector goods. However, rolling out items continuously at affordable price points for everyday use makes it much easier for casual shoppers outside the core fan base to pick them up as well.

My Hero Academia x Kura Sushi & Detective Conan x Shimamura — Nationwide Chain Collaborations

Kura Sushi announced that it would hold a collaboration campaign with the TV anime My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) at restaurants nationwide, excluding certain new or renovated locations, starting November 28. Prizes in the “Bikkura Pon!” game—which diners can play once for every five empty plates they insert into the table slot—included rubber accessories and tin badges. The chain also announced that the first 300,000 customers spending increments of 2,500 yen (tax included) would receive bonus gifts such as clear files (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)). Meanwhile, Shimamura began selling six-piece Case Closed (Detective Conan) character sets at stores nationwide starting November 15 (with sales on its online store “Shimamura Park” starting November 16 at 3:00 p.m.). Comprising five product types in total—three for women and two for men—the bundles packaged sweatshirts together with items such as acrylic stands (Inside (in Japanese), Collabo Cafe (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: The contrast in how these businesses structure participation to match their retail formats is striking: dining chains use a lottery mechanic triggered every five plates, while apparel chains offer bundled multi-item sets. Even in the same category of IP collaborations, businesses that earn revenue through visit frequency and plate count need a different prize distribution structure than businesses that focus on raising average basket size per purchase.

Everyday Apparel & Retail

• UNIQLO places Sanrio characters on affordable daily essentials like socks (590 yen) and loungewear
• Shimamura packages Detective Conan apparel and acrylic stands into 6-piece bundle sets to raise basket size

Nationwide Sushi Chains

• Kura Sushi ties My Hero Academia prizes to every 5 plates and 2,500-yen spend thresholds
• Sushiro distributes Sakura Miko goods through qualifying menu and drink orders without altering kitchen operations

Theme Park Long-Run Events

• USJ runs its Monster Hunter Wilds event for roughly six months through May 17, 2026
• Combines themed restaurant plates with an AR stamp rally built on a 10+ year partnership with Capcom

Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article

Restaurants and Theme Parks Used Characters to Drive Foot Traffic

Sakura Miko x Sushiro — “Nyahallo~ Sushiro~!” Campaign Held

From November 19 through December 7, Sushiro held a collaboration campaign titled “Nyahallo~ Sushiro~!” with hololive VTuber Sakura Miko. Customers who ordered collaborative sushi dishes, takeout sets, or eligible soft drinks received bonus merchandise featuring newly commissioned illustrations. The lineup of items included limited-edition food picks, tin badges, acrylic stands, and a placemat-and-chopsticks set. Made-to-order sales of collaboration-exclusive illustrated merchandise were also planned, with details scheduled to be announced on December 1 (GAME Watch (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: While adding a few special menu items, Sushiro built the core of this collaboration around distributing merchandise tied to ordering conditions—a classic design for the restaurant industry. For chains operating a large number of locations, a collaboration format that does not require changing kitchen operations is much easier to implement across the board.

Monster Hunter Wilds x USJ “Moribar’s Feast” — A Six-Month Long-Run Event

Starting November 19, Universal Studios Japan (USJ) launched a collaboration event with Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds titled “Monster Hunter Wilds: Moribar’s Feast” (Monster Hunter Wilds Moribar no Utage). Inside the park’s restaurant venue, USJ served four types of set plates and two desserts inspired by meals from the game. An augmented reality (AR) stamp rally was also rolled out, distributing download codes for Palico (Otomo) equipment to visitors who completed the rally. The event was scheduled to run for roughly six months, continuing through May 17, 2026. Ryozo Tsujimoto, Corporate Officer and Executive Vice President at Capcom, explained that Capcom and USJ have collaborated for more than 10 years, deepening their mutual understanding through over a decade of joint initiatives (Game*Spark (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: The six-month duration is the defining feature here. Unlike a short-term pop-up, a long-running event gives word of mouth among visitors plenty of time to spread. According to the announcement, this scale of planning was made possible precisely because of a relationship spanning more than 10 years. It shows that the creative freedom gained over time—something a one-off collaboration cannot replicate—is a major advantage of sustained partnerships.

Closing Thoughts for the Week

This was a week in which the cost of entering virtual spaces fell, allowing companies to take action regardless of their size.

In virtual arenas such as Roblox and VRChat, companies from completely different industries—toy manufacturers, publishers, and general trading companies—made moves simultaneously. At the same time, platforms themselves put supportive frameworks in place, such as self-service IP licensing and clearly defined revenue-sharing rates, making it much easier for more businesses to participate. Meanwhile, in the cases of SCOP, QTTA, and Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu, campaigns built around the everyday posts and livestreams of creators and fans delivered concrete results. These cases illustrate different ways to connect campaigns with fan participation and business objectives. Their effectiveness should be assessed against the results of each initiative. Rather than sheer scale, this week asked how companies can translate participants’ enthusiasm into measurable results.

Figures like 106.3 billion yen for Demon Slayer and a sixfold increase in overseas sales for CyberAgent’s game business confirm that the overall size of the fan economy continues to expand. When evaluating the right scale and format for your own company to enter this space, our guides on the Oshi-katsu Market Size and Oshi-katsu Marketing Design Principles also serve as useful references.

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Weekly Oshi-katsu News brings you a weekly roundup of oshi-katsu and business developments. You can browse past issues in the Oshi-katsu x News category.