ANYCOLOR Hits ¥55.7B; Kingdom × Saga Logs 210K Cumulative Participations (Jun 12, 2026)

Here is our roundup of standout corporate oshikatsu (fan support activities) marketing and fan business news from the week of June 5 to June 11, 2026.

This Week’s Highlights

This was a week in which the scale of the fandom economy came into clear view through financial earnings and statistical figures.

On June 10, ANYCOLOR Inc., which operates the VTuber group NIJISANJI, announced its full-year financial results for the fiscal year ended April 2026. Net sales reached approximately 55.7 billion yen (up 29.9% year-on-year). Revenue per VTuber also grew from 252 million yen in the previous fiscal year to 311 million yen. In the same week, the collaboration between Saga Prefecture and the manga and anime series Kingdom was extended until September 30. The extension came in response to approximately 210,000 cumulative participations. Convenience store chain Lawson also announced that on June 16 it will launch a fifth-anniversary campaign for the anime Jujutsu Kaisen, a franchise with 150 million copies in circulation worldwide.

Partnerships between fan-oriented service providers also moved forward. The audio platform Voicy entered into a comprehensive alliance with Fanbase Company, which has supported more than 800 companies. Voicy previously sold out all eight shows of its in-house event, “Voicy Fan Festa 2025,” recording a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 58.1. This new alliance was built upon that track record. We also saw companies step into the role of cheering alongside fans: to mark the 50th anniversary year of its branded egg “Yodo Ran Hikari,” Nosan Corporation put up a birthday cheering advertisement at Shibuya Station for its commercial spokesperson, Eiji Kotoge of the comedy duo Viking.

55.7B yen

ANYCOLOR full-year net sales for FY2026 (+29.9% YoY)

311M yen

Annual revenue per VTuber at ANYCOLOR (up from 252M yen)

210,000

Cumulative participations in the Kingdom x Saga Prefecture project

58.1

NPS recorded at the sold-out Voicy Fan Festa 2025

Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article

What the NIJISANJI Operator’s Latest Earnings Reveal About the Size of the Fandom Economy

ANYCOLOR (NIJISANJI Operator) — Record Profits on 55.7 Billion Yen in Full-Year Sales

On June 10, ANYCOLOR Inc., operator of NIJISANJI, announced its full-year financial results for the fiscal year ended April 2026. Net sales reached approximately 55.7 billion yen (up 29.9% year-on-year), operating profit was approximately 20.2 billion yen (up 23.9% year-on-year), and net profit attributable to owners of the parent was approximately 14.1 billion yen (up 22.4% year-on-year). By business segment, the commerce domain—including merchandise sales—grew 36.8% year-on-year to approximately 38.1 billion yen, driving company-wide growth. Backed by an increase in large-scale live performances, the events domain also rose 44.9% year-on-year to approximately 4.1 billion yen. In terms of key performance indicators (KPIs), YouTube views reached 6.2 billion (up 17.3% year-on-year), merchandise initiatives totaled 203 projects, and event streaming and viewing ticket sales reached 632,000 tickets (up 38.6% year-on-year) (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

The number of affiliated VTubers rose by a net increase of 9 to 179, and revenue per VTuber expanded from 252 million yen in the prior fiscal year to 311 million yen. The company set a medium-term target of 80 billion yen in net sales for the fiscal year ending April 2029.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: The figures of 203 merchandise initiatives and more than 630,000 tickets sold demonstrate that the sheer volume of content initiatives translates directly into revenue. Behind the rise in revenue per VTuber lies a system that turns individual talents into brands and continuously rolls out products and events around them. Designing fan touchpoints in terms of “frequency of contact” is an approach that can also be applied to loyalty programs in other industries. This makes a useful reference alongside our guide to Oshikatsu Marketing Design Principles.

Companies Met Fan Cheers and Support Head-On

Nosan Corporation x Viking’s Eiji Kotoge — Birthday Cheering Ad for a 50th Anniversary

Starting June 6, Nosan Corporation displayed an out-of-home (OOH) advertisement for its “Yodo Ran Hikari” egg brand on the Saikyo Line platform at JR Shibuya Station. The brand celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2026 and cast Eiji Kotoge of the comedy duo Viking—who is also 50 years old—as its commercial spokesperson. The cheering advertisement went up on June 6, Kotoge’s birthday. The campaign was planned by Shinnosuke Wada of Dentsu East Japan. According to Wada, the team deliberately avoided pushing corporate branding to the forefront, aiming instead for a “fan-made feel” in the creative design that looked as though real fans had put it together (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

The advertisement reportedly spread through social media posts by everyday commuters and drew a positive response.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Advertisements in which companies cheer for talents have existed in the past. What made this campaign effective was layering a “fan-made feel” onto the shared context of both the brand and the talent turning 50 years old. By toning down corporate branding, the ad conveyed respect for fan-led cheering ads, allowing social media sharing to happen organically. Continuing initiatives that actively cheer for contracted talents keeps anniversary-year buzz from ending as a one-off event.

Koikeya — Eight Years After Discontinuation, Fan Voices Brought “Pinky” Back

On June 3, snack maker Koikeya announced the revival of “Pinky,” the fruit mint tablet candy brand originally launched in 1997. Rather than a tablet, the new product is “Pinky Mist,” an inhalable flavored mist device. It was announced for a sequential rollout at Don Quijote stores nationwide starting in early July, featuring a total of seven flavors including Peach Mint. According to a company representative, Koikeya had continued to receive many requests for the brand’s return even after tablet production ended in 2018 (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

In 2020, the company had also expanded the brand into the oral care space with “Pinky FRESH,” a Food with Function Claims product designed for gum care support.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Even eight years after sales ended, fan voices served as the catalyst that brought the product back. Koikeya preserved the core value at the heart of the brand—“delicious and refreshing for the mouth”—while changing the format into a new way to enjoy it: inhaling a flavored mist. This case shows that even after a product leaves the market, fans remain behind in the form of voices waiting for its return.

Convenience Stores and Commercial Facilities Built Stages for Characters

Shueisha x Lawson — Jujutsu Kaisen 5th Anniversary Brings 150 Million Copies of Excitement to Storefronts

A tie-up campaign celebrating the fifth broadcasting anniversary of the anime Jujutsu Kaisen was announced to begin on June 16 at participating Lawson convenience stores nationwide, excluding certain stores, Natural Lawson, Lawson Store 100, and L Mini Mart. Cumulative worldwide circulation of the manga series, including digital editions, had surpassed 150 million copies. The theatrical film Jujutsu Kaisen 0 recorded 26.5 billion yen in worldwide box office revenue and received a revival screening in October 2025. Under the campaign, customers who purchase three eligible confectionery items receive one original art sheet on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last (limited to a total of 18 sheets per store). Lawson also announced a quote-repost campaign on its official X account (@akiko_lawson) offering one winner a 10,000-yen QUO card by lottery (Cho! Animedia (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: By capping distribution at 18 sheets per store, Lawson turns the motivation to visit into multiple trips rather than a single stop. More than the headline figure of 150 million copies in circulation, it is the design of how rewards are portioned out at the storefront that governs actual visit frequency. For retail formats with dominant store networks like convenience stores, uniform nationwide per-store limits can be leveraged effectively to drive foot traffic.

Abeno Harukas x Detective Conan — Celebrating 30 Years on an Observation Deck 300 Meters Above Ground

To commemorate the 30th broadcasting anniversary of the TV anime Detective Conan (also known as Case Closed), the collaborative event “Harukas 300 x Detective Conan: 衝空の晴天台” will be held. Hosted at “Harukas 300,” the observation deck of the Abeno Harukas skyscraper in Osaka, the event runs from July 24 to November 29. Cumulative worldwide circulation of the manga series has surpassed 270 million copies. Planned highlights include retrospective exhibits looking back on episodes set in Osaka and the wider Kansai region, as well as a special exhibition tracing the romance between characters Heiji Hattori and Kazuha Toyama (Nijimen (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: A defining feature of this event is how it links the physical condition of an observation deck roughly 300 meters above ground directly to the original work’s sense of local place. Precisely because the series features stories set in Osaka, holding the exhibition at an Osaka landmark takes on real meaning. For commercial facilities, whether they can overlap an intellectual property’s (IP’s) worldview with their own physical attributes—height, location, and views—is what separates an experience from simple merchandise sales.

Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores x Yami Inc. — Turning a Department Store into an XR Horror Labyrinth

Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores announced the XR (extended reality) horror attraction Meikai Depart: Owaranai Kioku ga Samayou, Mugen no Hyakkaten Meikyu (Labyrinth Department Store: The Infinite Department Store Maze Where Endless Memories Wander). The project is a co-creation with horror production company Yami Inc. and XR attraction developer Japan XR Center. It was announced to run from July 16 to August 11 at the 11th-floor exhibition hall of the Daimaru Tokyo store. A crowdfunding campaign seeking production support also launched on CAMPFIRE on June 5 (with a goal of 300,000 yen). Yami Inc. is the company behind horror exhibitions such as the Yukuefumei Ten (Missing Persons Exhibition), which have drawn over 400,000 visitors in total (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores also operates its own VTuber business, “EchoVerse,” and held auditions for its second generation of talents in April 2026.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores is investing in XR attractions while simultaneously operating its own VTuber business. For department stores constrained by physical floor space, XR can serve as a reusable new content format for exhibition halls. The idea of turning spaces—including after-hours environments—into alternative revenue streams is transferable to other commercial facilities as well.

Local Governments and Hotels Turned Stay Time into Oshikatsu

Saga Prefecture x Kingdom — 210,000 Cumulative Participations Drive Collaboration Extension

The “Kingdom x Saga Prefecture” project (whose Japanese title puns on the multiplication sign and the verb kakeru, meaning “to gallop across”), a collaboration between Kingdom and Saga Prefecture, has been extended through September 30. The original manga celebrated its 20th serialization anniversary in January 2026, with cumulative circulation including digital editions surpassing 120 million copies. Behind the extension was approximately 210,000 cumulative participations over roughly two months from late January through March of this year. “Furuyu Kingdom Onsenkyo,” featuring decorations throughout a hot spring town, was announced for mid-July, while new decorations at Saga Kingdom Airport were announced for June 12 (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).

In the live-action film series, the fourth installment Kingdom: Return of the Great General, released in 2024, earned 8 billion yen at the box office, and the fifth installment was announced to open in theaters on July 17.

The Oshi Lab’s Note: The management decision to extend the initial campaign period was grounded in the concrete figure of approximately 210,000 cumulative participations. Municipal tourism initiatives often end within a single fiscal year’s budget. In this case, however, the prefecture captured the response in numbers and used that data to justify extending the timeline and adding new investment targets. Setting up multiple touchpoints—across the airport, hot spring town, and the “Dokuha-tei” embankment reading installation—so that visiting any single spot guides visitors toward the others is another design element worth studying.

Shin Yokohama Prince Hotel — 100 Plushie Outfits for a “Nuikatsu” Stay

Shin Yokohama Prince Hotel announced that from June 20, 2026, through March 31, 2027, it will offer an accommodation plan dedicated to nuikatsu (fan activities centered on character plushies, such as dressing and photographing them) titled “Heart-Fluttering Oshi Space: ‘Nui’ Dress-Up Stay.” According to the announcement, guest rooms will be stocked with approximately 100 plushie outfits (nuifuku) crafted by popular creators, allowing guests to enjoy dressing up their favorite character plushies (oshinui). The rooms are decorated in a choice of seven oshi theme colors: red, blue, yellow, green, purple, pink, and orange. Rates start at 10,300 yen per person (based on double occupancy), with reservations opening at 12:00 p.m. on June 15 (Cho! Animedia (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Preparing as many as 100 plushie outfits shows the scale of commitment behind this package. Because the hotel provides the dress-up wardrobe, guests only need to bring their own plushies to enjoy the experience. Setting the booking period all the way through the end of March 2027 also signals an intent to establish the package as a year-round staple product rather than a one-off event.

Hotel New Otani Hakata x Kuromi — Afternoon Tea in a Medieval Castle Setting

Hotel New Otani Hakata announced that it would hold a collaborative afternoon tea with Sanrio character Kuromi titled “KUROMI Afternoon Tea at Castillian.” Hosted at the hotel’s Castillian Room restaurant, the event ran from July 1 to August 30. Centered on a classical space reminiscent of a medieval castle, the menu offered sweets and savory items inspired by Kuromi. Pricing was set at 6,800 yen per person for the afternoon tea set, with themed drinks at 1,200 yen each, and reservations opened at 10:00 a.m. on June 1 (Fashion Press (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Repurposing the existing character of the restaurant space—its medieval castle-like interior—directly as the worldview of the collaboration is highly efficient. Without making new capital investments in facilities, the hotel incorporated real features of the dining room, such as its piano and entranceway, as motifs in newly commissioned illustrations. This allows guests to take photos that can only be captured on-site. For hotel dining venues, this case demonstrates that existing interiors are assets that can be restaged in new ways.

Retail and Fashion Placed Characters on Everyday Shelves

Chiikawa Bakery — World-Class Artisan Baking Techniques for Its First Osaka Store

“Chiikawa Bakery OSAKA,” a permanent bakery-themed store inspired by Chiikawa, was announced to hold its grand opening on June 26 on the third floor of KITTE Osaka in Umeda, Osaka. Following the Harajuku-Omotesando store in Tokyo that opened in October 2024, this marks the concept’s first location in Osaka. The breads were developed under the supervision of baker Junichi Sawada, who represented Japan in the artistic bread (pièce artistique) category at the “Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie 2026” world bakery championship held at the Europain trade fair in France. Customers spending 2,200 yen (tax included) or more receive an Osaka-exclusive shopper tag, and the store also announced an Osaka-exclusive “Chiikawa Takosen Burger” (octopus cracker burger) (ORICON NEWS (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Choosing bread—something people eat every day—as the anchor for a character retail store supports long-term customer visits. Furthermore, placing an artisan with world championship experience in charge of supervision makes the shop a destination that can be talked about not only for character popularity, but also for culinary expertise. Putting the craftsmanship of the makers front and center is a practical way across industries to keep IP collaboration stores from fading as passing novelties.

Sanrio x ELLE — A French Encounter at Ginza Mitsukoshi for Pompompurin’s 30th Anniversary

Collaborative items pairing Sanrio’s Pompompurin with the French lifestyle brand ELLE were announced for release, debuting on June 17 at the “HELLO KITTY’S SWEETS MARKET” pop-up event at the Ginza Mitsukoshi department store. The collection was planned to coincide with the 30th anniversary year of Pompompurin’s debut in 2026. Incorporating ELLE’s signature marinière (Breton stripe) style, the designs expressed a French-chic aesthetic. The product lineup includes die-cut stickers, mascots, ballpoint pens, and clear file folders (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: What is fresh here is the pairing of a fashion magazine brand founded in 1945 with a character that debuted in 1996. The two brands come from entirely different origins and contexts. By reframing character goods—which are often perceived as being for children—within an adult fashion context, the collaboration aims to broaden its buyer demographic. The department store pop-up format, bounded in both time and location, also works effectively to generate buzz.

Sainte Pure x The Little Mermaid — Engagement Ring Limited to 100 Pieces

On June 9, bridal jewelry brand Sainte Pure launched the fourth installment of its bridal collection inspired by the Disney film The Little Mermaid. The time- and quantity-limited “4th Season Engagement Ring” was limited to 100 pieces over a one-year period. It expressed Ariel’s longing for the world above the sea through a reversible design featuring an emerald alongside underwater flower and seashell motifs. Every ring supports custom engraving of up to 30 characters, and customers purchasing a three-ring bridal set received a complimentary music box jewelry case (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Working in the high-unit-price category of bridal jewelry, Sainte Pure has continued releasing limited-quantity collections season after season. As the “4th Season” label indicates, the collection is designed as an ongoing annual series. Buyers get to experience the scarcity of a design that “can only be purchased this year” with each new installment. Turning an IP collaboration into a recurring annual tradition rather than a one-time tie-up is especially effective for high-ticket products.

Sports and Technology Expanded Fan Touchpoints

Shueisha x Japan Football Association x adidas — My Hero Academia Meets the SAMURAI BLUE Jersey

Collaborative merchandise pairing the anime My Hero Academia with the Japan National Football Team was announced for release. According to the announcement, the lineup features newly drawn visuals of the anime’s characters wearing SAMURAI BLUE national team uniforms. Cumulative circulation of the original manga series has topped 100 million copies, and the collaboration was planned to mark the 10th broadcasting anniversary of the anime. A special edition of the “adidas Japan National Team 2026 Home Replica Jersey” was also prepared, printed with individual character names—such as “DEKU” for Izuku Midoriya—alongside the My Hero Academia anime 10th anniversary logo (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Printing anime character names in place of player names on a national cultural symbol like the Japan National Football Team jersey strengthens its appeal as cheering gear. What makes this execution clever is how it allows the act of “watching a match” and the act of “supporting an oshi” to coexist on the very same uniform. Because 2026 is also a World Cup year, touchpoints between sports organizations and anime IP are likely to grow even further.

Gugenka — An AI Character Appears at a Rock Festival and Responds to Visitors

XR creative studio Gugenka exhibited an interactive AI character experience at the anime song rock festival “FLOW THE FESTIVAL 2026,” hosted by the rock band FLOW on June 6 and 7 at Pia Arena MM. The event’s official character, “Amaterasu Flofe,” responded to visitors’ calls in real time, introducing performing artists and providing venue navigation. The character also engaged attendees in conversations designed to draw out cheering messages for the performers. For its voice system, the booth used “Oshabenri,” a speech synthesis engine developed by Gugenka. Built on an AI voice modeled after voice actress Mei Tachibana, the system delivered natural vocal expressions (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Placing an AI character capable of real-time conversation inside a music festival—a space built around shared excitement—is a novel experiment. Gugenka gave the AI character practical responsibilities like venue guidance and artist information, and then layered on conversational prompts that drew cheering messages out of visitors. As a result, the character functioned not merely as an information desk, but as a communicator connecting with fans. It is worth watching as a technology that can streamline event operations and enhance the fan experience at the same time.

Lawson Entertainment — A VTuber Debuts from an Esports Team

Lawson Entertainment announced that VTuber Mizuki Shirahoshi will debut on June 13 from “Lawson Ticket Xone,” the professional esports team sponsored by the company. The team competes professionally in Apex Legends and established a dedicated VTuber division in February 2026. Mizuki Shirahoshi is its inaugural member, featuring character design by Takuya Fujima and Live2D modeling by ku_shi (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Through sponsorship by its ticketing business, a major convenience store group backed an esports team—and is now launching a VTuber out of that team in a multi-stage rollout. This case illustrates how a retail group can build new customer touchpoints: simply by adding a character talent to an existing sponsorship activity, the company gains direct contact with livestreaming audiences.

Capital Alliances and Partnerships Solidified the Foundations of the Fan Business

Number Nine x Contents Seed — Capital and Business Alliance to Expand Manga IP Merchandise

On June 5, manga IP publisher Number Nine Inc. entered into a capital and business alliance with Contents Seed Inc., a company specializing in the planning, manufacturing, and retail of character merchandise. Under the partnership, the two companies plan to utilize manga and webtoon titles held by Number Nine to develop merchandise and event collaborations, drawing on Contents Seed’s retail network and production know-how. In its “Entertainment and Creative Industries Strategy,” Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) estimated overseas sales of Japanese-origin content at approximately 5.8 trillion yen as of 2023—representing roughly threefold growth over a 10-year period (PR TIMES (in Japanese)).

Contents Seed has launched multiple new business formats that expand sales channels for IP, including its own retail stores, themed cafes, food trucks, and online lotteries (online kuji).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Here, a digital publisher teamed up with a dedicated merchandise company through a partnership backed by capital ties. Unlike a standard licensing agreement, a capital and business alliance enables faster, ongoing decision-making. With overseas sales of Japanese IP having tripled across the industry over the past decade, partnerships connecting companies that hold original works with specialists that control the retail “outlets” of merchandise are likely to increase.

Voicy x Fanbase Company — An Alliance Combining Audio and Fan Analytics

On June 12, audio platform Voicy Inc. and fan marketing consultancy Fanbase Company Inc. entered into a comprehensive alliance centered on the theme of “promoting corporate and brand fan communication through audio.” Voicy’s 2025 in-person event, “Voicy Fan Festa 2025,” sold out all eight shows—approximately 2,400 seats in total—and recorded a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 58.1. The two companies plan to offer joint solutions combining Fanbase Company’s analytical methodology with Voicy’s audio streaming platform. Fanbase Company has supported fanbase projects for more than 800 companies to date, and the two firms also scheduled a co-hosted webinar for July 7 (PR TIMES (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Grounding the alliance in concrete track records—sold-out tickets and an NPS of 58.1—gives this partnership a solid foundation. Both companies have made the sequence clear: analyze the voices of fans first, then deliver content via audio. Conversely, this implies that many companies fail because they start broadcasting without first understanding their fans. Audio as a channel only functions effectively when paired with fan analysis—an insight that applies equally well to other owned-media initiatives.

Quantitative Response (Measured in Numbers)

• ANYCOLOR's 55.7B yen full-year sales and 311M yen revenue per VTuber
• Saga Prefecture x Kingdom extended after recording approximately 210,000 cumulative participations
• Voicy's alliance backed by 2,400 sold-out seats (8 shows) and a 58.1 NPS

Qualitative Response (Expressed in Fan Voices)

• Koikeya revived Pinky as 'Pinky Mist' after 8 years of persistent fan requests
• Nosan Corp.'s 'fan-made style' birthday ad for Eiji Kotoge spread organically on social media
• Voicy x Fanbase Company prioritizing analyzing fan voices before audio delivery

Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article

This Week’s Reflections

This was a week in which the numbers underpinning oshikatsu reached outside corporate walls in the form of financial results.

From ANYCOLOR’s full-year sales figure of 55.7 billion yen, we can see that individual-level content like VTubers has grown to a scale capable of driving the financial earnings of a listed company. In the very same week, Saga Prefecture extended its collaboration on the strength of approximately 210,000 cumulative participations, and Voicy formed its alliance on the back of a sold-out in-house event. Across industries, we are seeing a growing movement to go beyond generating temporary buzz by capturing fan response in hard numbers and connecting those figures to the next investment decision.

At the same time, there were also cases like Koikeya’s revival of “Pinky,” where the catalyst was not a financial statistic but the persistent voices of fans waiting for a product’s return. Fan response can be quantitative, like earnings and attendance counts, or qualitative, like the fan voices that linger on social media over the years. Looking across this week’s news side by side makes it clear that both forms of response are actively moving the fan business forward. Alongside our guides to Oshikatsu Marketing Design Principles and Fan Marketing Basics, use this week’s developments to consider which kind of voice your own company’s fans are sending out.

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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 x News category.