Mercari Blocks Happy Meal Resales & TV Asahi Hits Record Profit: Weekly Oshikatsu News (May 22, 2026)

Here is our roundup of the most notable stories in oshikatsu (fan-driven support activities) marketing and the fan business from the week of May 15 to May 21, 2026.

This Week’s Highlights

This was a week in which how companies engaged with fans directly determined corporate trust.

Marketplace giant Mercari banned listings of McDonald’s Japan “Chiikawa” Happy Meal (known in Japan as Happy Set) toys for a set period. On the first day of release, virtually no listings were confirmed on the platform. Even “loophole” listings that altered product names were deleted within minutes, sparking widespread praise on social media with comments like “Bravo!” Meanwhile, the ownership rate for Japan’s national ID card, the My Number Card, reached 81.2%. Media coverage looked back on how the system overcame initial public criticism through years of cumulative character and public relations efforts, including commercials featuring the idol group =LOVE (Equal Love).

In the VTuber industry, major funding announcements and strategic shifts overlapped in the same week. AnotherBall, operator of the VTuber app “Avvy,” raised a total of 2.5 billion yen from four financial institutions, bringing its cumulative funding to 4.7 billion yen. GREE Holdings saw its VTuber business achieve record quarterly revenue, with operating profit surging 62% quarter-on-quarter. Meanwhile, Cover Corp. announced a policy of “selection and concentration,” deciding to end service for its virtual space project “Holoearth.”

TV Asahi Holdings posted record-high earnings since its stock market listing for the fiscal year ended March 2026, with revenue of 339.487 billion yen and operating profit of 26.181 billion yen. The broadcaster also unveiled a medium-term management plan to double the number of anime IP rollouts.

2.5B JPY

Debt financing raised by AnotherBall for VTuber app Avvy (4.7B JPY cumulative)

81.2%

My Number Card ownership rate against the population (over 100M cards)

339.487B JPY

TV Asahi Holdings FY2026 revenue, alongside 26.181B JPY operating profit

700M units

Cumulative Gunpla shipments as of May 2020, with ~50% overseas sales

Source: The Oshi Lab’s summary of the article

VTuber Business Fundraising and Corporate Restructuring Converged in the Same Week

AnotherBall’s “Avvy” — Raises 2.5 Billion Yen from Four Financial Institutions

AnotherBall, the company operating the VTuber platform “Avvy,” announced that it had secured a total of 2.5 billion yen in debt financing from The Shoko Chukin Bank, MUFG Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Mizuho Bank. This brought the company’s cumulative funding to 4.7 billion yen. AnotherBall announced that it will allocate the raised funds toward expanding Avvy overseas and scaling up recruitment. As of the end of May 2025, more than half of its trial version users were outside Japan, and the trial version surpassed 200,000 registrations in just 10 days after launch (Mogura VR (in Japanese), Denfaminicogamer (in Japanese)).

Representative Director and CEO Shunsuke Oyu commented that the company had received backing from Japanese financial institutions in an “All-Japan structure.”

The Oshi Lab’s Note: AnotherBall made high-quality avatar creation completely free from start to finish, building initial momentum of 200,000 registrations in 10 days before securing major financing. This case demonstrates that lowering technical and economic hurdles is a prerequisite for becoming a frontrunner. For companies considering a new oshikatsu platform, designing the product to lower user barriers to entry can itself become their greatest competitive advantage.

GREE — VTuber Business Hits All-Time High Quarterly Revenue

On May 13, 2026, GREE Holdings announced its financial results for the third quarter of the fiscal year ending June 2026. For the cumulative period from July 2025 to March 2026, consolidated revenue reached 38.444 billion yen, with operating profit at 2.42 billion yen. Across its entire VTuber business, revenue totaled 2.29 billion yen (up 6% year-on-year) and operating profit reached 330 million yen (up 8% year-on-year). Its platform “REALITY” maintained a high profit margin of 27.9%. Meanwhile, its production business grew significantly, posting revenue of 540 million yen—a 43% increase year-on-year. During the same quarter, GREE also formed a business alliance with major men’s idol agency RINDO Entertainment (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: GREE discloses its platform business and production business separately, putting the growth rate of the production business front and center. Even when total revenue scale is still relatively modest, highlighting the growth rate first attracts anticipation from both investors and fans. For new ventures in the fan business, leading with growth percentages rather than absolute figures can sometimes make a more compelling case.

Cover Corp. — Ends “Holoearth” Under “Selection and Concentration,” Shifting to a Talent-First Approach

Cover Corp., operator of hololive production, held a financial results briefing for the media on May 14, 2026. Representative Director and CEO Motoaki Tanigo stated that impatience to expand the business had caused “negative impacts.” In response, he positioned “selection and concentration”—clearly narrowing down where management resources are invested—as the company’s top priority. Cover announced that it will terminate service for its virtual space project “Holoearth” and repurpose that technology toward developing an application that strengthens home-based streaming. The company also outlined policies to reduce burdens on its talents and improve production workflows (Inside (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: It is unusual for a top executive to speak about reflections on overexpansion in his own words. Cover is shutting down an area of its diversified business that did not work as intended while salvaging and repurposing the underlying technological assets for a different use. Directly addressing fan distrust with expressions of deep reflection carries heavier meaning than the withdrawal itself. Deciding to wind down a project requires just as careful an explanation as deciding to continue one.

AnotherBall (Avvy)

• Raised 2.5B yen in debt financing from 4 banks (4.7B yen cumulative)
• Lowered technical and economic hurdles with free avatar creation
• Reached 200,000 trial registrations in 10 days, over half overseas

GREE Holdings

• VTuber business revenue hit 2.29B yen (+6% YoY) with 330M yen operating profit (+8% YoY)
• REALITY platform kept a 27.9% profit margin; production revenue grew 43% YoY to 540M yen
• Partnered with major men's idol agency RINDO Entertainment

Cover Corp.

• Adopted 'selection and concentration' after CEO reflected on rapid expansion
• Ending virtual space project Holoearth to focus management resources
• Repurposing technology for home-streaming apps and reducing talent workload

Source: The Oshi Lab’s summary of the article

The National Government Layered Character Campaigns to Push Adoption Past 80%

My Number Card — Cumulative PR Using Sanrio and Idols Pushes Ownership Rate to 81.2%

Reports that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party plans to propose mandatory acquisition of the My Number Card to the government sparked debate across social media. The total number of My Number Cards held has surpassed 100 million, reaching an ownership rate of 81.2% against the population. Back in March 2021, the issuance rate stood at 26.3%, failing to reach even 30% five years after the system’s launch. Behind the subsequent rise in adoption lies years of accumulated public relations initiatives, including reward points, television commercials, characters, idol tie-ins, and municipal campaigns. These efforts have made use of “Maina-chan,” the PR mascot unveiled in 2014, as well as commercials featuring the idol group =LOVE (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: It took roughly five years for the issuance rate to climb from the 20% range to over 80%. This fact shows that characters and celebrity endorsements alone cannot drive adoption. The numbers only moved once tangible benefits like point rewards were layered together with commercials, characters, and local government campaigns. Before expecting instant results from a one-off talent booking, organizations must ask whether they are prepared to run practical incentives and PR in parallel for years.

Retailers and Sports Teams Created High Demand and Shortages Through Collaborative Merchandise

Yokohama DeNA BayStars × Pokémon — Second Wave of Game-Day Goods Launches May 22

The Yokohama DeNA BayStars professional baseball team announced that the second wave of merchandise for “Pokémon Baseball Festa 2026” will go on sale at BAYSTORE locations starting at 11:00 a.m. on May 22. The rollout was timed to coincide with the May 23 and 24 games against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. The designs feature Pikachu wearing a team uniform and Marill alongside the team logo. The lineup focused on items meant to be used while watching games at the stadium, including a flat visor cap for 6,400 yen and an “I☆YOKOHAMA” towel muffler for 2,200 yen (Inside (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: This is an example of a professional baseball club incorporating character designs directly into game-day gear. Designs were added to practical items used right in the stands, such as towel mufflers and chair pads. When merchandise is designed on the premise that fans will use it on the day of the game, fans have a clear reason to buy even higher-priced items.

ZOZOTOWN × Umamusume — Made-to-Order Sales Featuring 15 Newly Illustrated Characters

Online fashion retailer ZOZOTOWN held made-to-order sales for “Umamusume: Pretty Derby in ZOZOTOWN,” a collaboration project with the game Umamusume: Pretty Derby. Three illustrators created original artwork depicting 15 Umamusume characters, including Almond Eye and Orfevre. In addition to 7 ZOZOTOWN-exclusive merchandise items, the lineup featured 13 apparel pieces created in partnership with three fashion brands: 417 EDIFICE, HARE, and FREAK’S STORE. Prices spanned a wide range, from 2,200 yen for a big acrylic stand to 26,400 yen for a reversible MA-1 jacket (Inside (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: A 2,200-yen acrylic stand and a 26,400-yen jacket sit side by side within the same collaboration. Offering affordable commemorative goods alongside high-ticket apparel at the same time is designed to capture sales from both casual fans and core enthusiasts. Furthermore, using an e-commerce-exclusive made-to-order format allows the company to deliver products to dedicated fans while keeping inventory risk under control.

Takara Tomy — “BEYBLADE X” Sees Higher-Than-Expected Response, Leading to Shortages and Increased Production

Toymaker Takara Tomy officially announced that certain “BEYBLADE X” products have seen a response far exceeding expectations, resulting in low stock and out-of-stock situations. The company explained that it is strengthening its manufacturing structure and ramping up production to deliver products to more customers, covering both domestic and overseas sales allocations. While Takara Tomy did not disclose the specific scale of the production increase or the exact timing for restocking, it stated a policy of working toward continuous improvement (Dengeki Online (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Takara Tomy officially announced the stock shortage itself. Communicating an apology paired with a commitment to increase production helps curb reselling and growing frustration while simultaneously signaling the brand’s high popularity. Being transparent about underestimating demand builds trust for future pre-orders and supply.

Restaurant Chains Drove Foot Traffic Through the Power of Anime and Voice Actors

Jujutsu Kaisen × Nagoya Cuisine — Limited Menu Starts May 22 at JR Nagoya Station

“Juju Tanbo in Nagoya” (Juju Exploration in Nagoya), the third collaboration between the TV anime Jujutsu Kaisen and JR Central’s “Oshi-Tabi” (Oshi Travel) campaign, launched on May 22 at Nagoya Umaimondori inside JR Nagoya Station, with the participation of JR Tokai Food Service. At “Ekikama Kishimen Taiko-dori,” the restaurant announced it would sell “Daidai” (Orange), a tantan kishimen (flat udon noodle) dish inspired by protagonist Yuji Itadori’s favorite food—“noodles”—for 1,650 yen. Meanwhile, the collaboration menu item at “Kitchen Nagoya Taiko-dori” was a fried shrimp rice bowl (ebi furai don). Customers who order a collaboration menu item receive an original sticker. The original manga series has surpassed 150 million copies in circulation worldwide (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: This campaign connects a character detail—the protagonist’s favorite food—directly to Nagoya’s local specialties of kishimen noodles and fried shrimp. By also preparing perks for Shinkansen bullet train passengers, the promotion broadens the reason to visit from simply “liking the anime” to “stopping by while traveling.” For food-service companies with regional specialties, taking the time to find touchpoints in the fine details of the original work makes a collaboration much more persuasive.

Suntory × Pokémon — “BOSS” Campaign Gives Away Starter-Themed Jackets

Suntory Beverage & Food announced that a tie-up campaign between its “BOSS” coffee brand and the “Pokémon 30th Anniversary” would start June 1. The lottery prizes feature three varieties of “Boss Jean” (BOSS jackets) inspired by the original starter Pokémon (“Gosanke”): Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. For shoppers applying through eligible purchases, the company also prepared prizes such as “BOSS Original QUO Cards” (3,000 winners). Ahead of the main campaign, on May 19, Suntory released a two-bottle pack of “Waru Dake Craft Boss Cafe” (dilute-at-home coffee concentrate) bundled with an original Pokémon 30th Anniversary charm (Inside (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Selecting the first-generation starter Pokémon—a motif that resonates deeply with longtime fans—for the 30th anniversary milestone is spot-on. Adding playful gimmicks like light-up features or a water gun attachment to a practical item like a jacket lowers the psychological hurdle to joining the campaign. For beverage makers planning anniversary initiatives, providing tangible, experiential gimmicks rather than relying solely on the word “anniversary” is what drives actual purchases.

Sushiro × Ryuji & Hiroki Yasumoto — Launches 6 Items Including “Ota-Mayo” Dishes

Conveyor-belt sushi chain Sushiro announced a lineup of menu items supervised by culinary researcher Ryuji and voice actor Hiroki Yasumoto. The lineup consists of six items in total—five sushi dishes and one side dish—supervised by Ryuji, who has a combined social media following of 11.3 million. The selection includes items made with “Ota-Mayo (R).” The collaboration originated from a video posted on Ryuji’s YouTube channel in December 2024. Following the announcement on Sushiro’s official X account, fans responded with eager comments such as “I have no choice, I have to go” and “I’m definitely going to be a regular” (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Sushiro is cross-pollinating the fanbase of a popular voice actor with the distinct fanbase of a culinary researcher. Combining both figures into a single product lineup multiplies the number of people who have a reason to visit a restaurant. For food-service chains seeing diminishing returns from conventional single-talent endorsements, this cross-pairing approach offers a useful blueprint.

Broadcasters and Financial Groups Mapped Out Ecosystems for Their IP Businesses

TV Asahi Holdings — Posts Record Profit Since Listing, Plans to Double Anime IP Rollouts

In its consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ended March 2026, TV Asahi Holdings posted revenue of 339.487 billion yen (up 4.8% year-on-year) and operating profit of 26.181 billion yen (up 32.9% year-on-year), both marking all-time highs since the company’s listing. The broadcaster also achieved the “Triple Crown” in both individual and household viewer ratings. In its “Management Plan 2026–2029” announced in February, the company positioned its new complex in Ariake, Tokyo—“Tokyo Dream Park”—as a “sacred site” (seichi) for TV Asahi IP, outlining a policy to utilize anime, manga, dramas, and idols across divisions. Under the medium-term management plan, it set targets to double the number of anime IP rollouts and increase anime business income and expenditure by 1.5 times. Alongside Doraemon and Crayon Shin-chan, TV Asahi stated it will strengthen overseas IP expansion—including North America and India—with properties such as Sirotan, Koupen Chan, and an Indian version of Obocchama-kun (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Even more important than the record profit itself is the concept of positioning the new Ariake facility as an “IP sacred site.” This anchors a cycle—reinvesting broadcast earnings into streaming and IP businesses—around a permanent physical location. Not only for television networks, but for any content-holding company looking to grow secondary licensing revenue, having a physical place where fans can actually visit becomes a critical turning point.

SBI — Builds a “Media Ecosystem” Across Livedoor, Mynavi, and IP Companies

On May 19, SBI Holdings briefed reporters on the strategic vision for SBI Neo Media Holdings, its intermediate holding company overseeing media operations. Chairman and President Yoshitaka Kitao outlined a vision in which “finance, media, and IT converge.” He emphasized a plan not merely to place advertisements, but to build the company’s own “ecosystem” encompassing media, IP, events, and technology. On the same day, SBI announced that it would begin strategic alliance discussions with Brave group toward collaboration in VTubers, esports, live events, and regional revitalization projects. The “Neo Media Ecosystem” already comprised 23 constituent companies (ITmedia (in Japanese), Otaku Soken (in Japanese), KAI-YOU (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: What stands out is that a financial group like SBI is aiming to own an in-house “ecosystem” of IP, events, and technology rather than stopping at ad placements. Operating on the recognition that empathy and enthusiasm drive consumer behavior, it has already built a network of 23 companies. For companies entering the oshikatsu market from outside the entertainment industry, this case highlights the need to design structures that go beyond one-off sponsorships.

TOW Group — Establishes New Division in July Uniting IP, Music, and Sports

Integrated promotional planning and production company TOW (T.O.W.) announced that it would establish the “Real Entertainment Unit,” a new cross-group division spanning five group companies, effective July 1, 2026. Its five focus areas are “IP Content” (including games, anime, comedy, YouTubers, and VTubers), live music, professional sports, food festivals, and urban/commercial facilities. TOW noted that IP content has a strong affinity with fan events where visitors can enjoy both stage programs and merchandise sales. Accordingly, the company positioned IP content as the largest growth area driving active consumer participation and spending (PR TIMES (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Explicitly naming IP content as the “largest growth area” is telling. The move by advertising and promotional agencies to pour their experience-design capabilities directly into planning and operating fan events is now in full swing. Companies that own IP need to recognize that external promotional vendors are expanding their role into full-fledged event and box-office partners.

Companies Built Trust Through How They Engaged With Fans

Zexy — Immersive “Fictional Wedding” Draws Flood of Applications for 150 Spots

Wedding information service “Zexy” (operated by Recruit) held an immersive experience event titled “A Wedding No One Knows” (Dare mo Shiranai Kekkonshiki). Participants attended the wedding of a fictional bride and groom as guests. Admission was free with no dress code, organized across three sessions per day (with a capacity of 50 people per session). Applications far exceeded the total capacity of 150 spots. Professional cast members played the bride and groom, and at the reception desk, attendees were handed role cards such as “childhood friend of the bride.” Supervised by CRAZY WEDDING, the event featured thorough immersive details, including physical invitations and a “how we met” video complete with real names. Event organizers cited the fact that “roughly half of people in their 20s have never attended a wedding” as the background behind the project (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: As more couples choose not to hold weddings, Recruit is operating from the premise that “people rarely choose something they have never experienced.” Crafting immersive details down to real names and backstory videos is the exact same technique cultivated in oshikatsu events to pull fans into the world of a work. For companies whose core challenge is a lack of firsthand experience rather than a lack of brand awareness, this is an instructive case.

Mercari — Virtually Eliminates Day-One Resales of “Chiikawa” Happy Meal Toys

Ahead of the release of McDonald’s Japan’s “Chiikawa” Happy Meal toy bonuses, marketplace app Mercari issued an advance notice prohibiting listings of the items for a specified period. When AdverTimes. checked the platform after the May 15 launch, there were almost no listings that appeared to be the restricted items. Even “loophole” listings that disguised the product names were reportedly deleted within minutes. Mercari explained that it conducts “comprehensive, high-frequency monitoring that includes not only automated AI detection but also human visual inspection.” Favorable reactions spread across social media, with users praising the move with comments like “Bravo!” and “Well done!” (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Mercari, once criticized as a hotbed for scalping, publicly detailed its countermeasures and earned praise from users. By explicitly stating that it deletes even listings with altered wording, the company communicated its seriousness to fans. For IP holders struggling with resale issues, a platform’s monitoring system itself becomes a key building block for fan trust.

Chifure — Casts Snow Man’s Koji Mukai, Making “Attitude Toward Fans” an Evaluation Metric

On May 13, Chifure Corporation released a new web commercial titled “Straightforward About Whitening” (Bihaku ni, Massugu.) for its “Chifure Whitening TA Series,” featuring Koji Mukai of the idol group Snow Man. Chifure has featured Mukai since August 2024, making this his fourth web commercial for the brand. Explaining the reason for his selection, a company representative stated that “Mr. Mukai’s approachable personality and the way he values everyday life align with our brand image.” According to the company, support for its brand slogan—“Together With Daily Life” (Kurashi to, Tomo ni.)—has expanded, particularly among younger generations with whom the brand previously had limited contact (Emo!miu (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Chifure’s decision to continue featuring the same talent for nearly two years is paying off. By building up commercials as an ongoing series, the reputation of “sincerely engaging with fans” itself becomes a corporate asset. Before frequently swapping out endorsed talents, companies should factor in the trust gained simply by staying the course.

A Hobby Company Visualized Fan Passion Through an Official App

Bandai Spirits — Official Gunpla App “Builders Note” Introduces Voting System for Re-releases

On May 12, BANDAI SPIRITS, a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings, launched the mobile app version of “Builders Note,” a community platform for “Gunpla” (Gundam plastic model) fans. The app is free to use and compatible with iOS and Android. Previously operated as a web version for about three years, the platform was turned into a dedicated app with expanded features such as saving build logs. Gunpla has been a long-selling franchise for over 40 years since its birth; as of May 2020, cumulative shipments had reached 700 million units, with overseas sales accounting for roughly 50% of revenue. In the app’s flagship feature, the “Gunpla Re-release Council” (Gunpla Saihan Kaigi), users are granted voting rights based on their activity volume inside the app, such as posting build records. Crucially, using more voting tickets for a particular kit increases a user’s odds of winning that kit in lottery sales (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Resolving the common fan frustration of “I voted for the re-release, yet I still can’t buy it” through lottery winning odds is a smart design choice. The more enthusiastically fans post their build logs, the easier it becomes for them to obtain their favorite kits, while the company gains the ability to forecast demand from real activity data of core fans. Designing a fan community app not just as a place for socializing, but as a tool for both demand forecasting and rewarding active fans, can be applied by other hobby and collectibles companies as well.

1. 01Post Gunpla Build LogsFans record their model-building progress in the free iOS/Android app
2. 02Earn Voting RightsVoting allocation in the "Gunpla Re-release Council" scales with app activity
3. 03Vote & Boost Lottery OddsUsing more voting tickets for a kit increases fans' chances of winning that kit in lottery sales; results inform re-release consideration without guaranteeing a re-release

Source: The Oshi Lab’s summary of the article

Editorial Reflections on the Week

This was a week where how companies engage with fans showed up directly as a difference in trust.

Mercari’s blockade of resales, Chifure’s nearly two-year continuation with the same talent, and the decade-long push behind the My Number Card all share one thing in common: they did not change their judgment based on short-term reactions. Similarly, the “IP ecosystem” visions outlined by TV Asahi Holdings, SBI, and the TOW Group were all moves to build mechanisms for continuity in the form of physical hubs or dedicated divisions. Fan enthusiasm only grows when initiatives are steadily accumulated over time.

At the same time, Cover Corp. pivoted toward “selection and concentration” out of reflection on rushing its expansion. And Bandai Spirits’ Gunpla app was designed to respect each individual’s pace of building rather than forcing social interaction. It was striking to see strategies pursuing sheer scale appear in the very same week as strategies focused on engaging with the passion of each individual fan.

What are you asking your own fans to build up over time? Take a look at this week’s developments alongside our guides to the Design Principles of Oshikatsu Marketing and the Fundamentals of Fan Marketing.

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Weekly Oshikatsu News brings you a weekly roundup of the intersection between oshikatsu and business. You can browse past issues in our Oshikatsu × News category.