Chiikawa Collab Canceled & Mercari Ties; Spider-Man #1 for 6 Weeks (Sept 11, 2026)
Here are the standout oshikatsu (fan support activities) marketing and fan business news stories from the week of September 4 to September 10, 2026.
The complete edition featuring all 23 stories is available on note in “Weekly Oshikatsu News: September 11, 2026 Issue (in Japanese).” This article presents the highlights from that issue.
This Week’s Highlights
Around the popular character series Chiikawa, conveyor-belt sushi chain Kura Sushi announced the cancellation of its collaboration campaign and a new partnership with the marketplace app Mercari. At the same time, new Chiikawa product rollouts at convenience stores continued. It was a week that tested both campaign planning that turns popularity into sales and the operational management needed to deliver products properly to fans.
Overseas, Spider-Man captured first place at the North American weekend box office for a sixth consecutive week. We also cover cross-border purchasing by music fans, a local community’s response after a Hinatazaka46 concert cancellation, refund guidance from the idol group CUTIE STREET, and ticket resale countermeasures from the B.LEAGUE professional basketball league.
Product Rollouts and Trust-Building Behind Chiikawa’s Popularity
Kura Sushi — Partners with Mercari After Canceling Chiikawa Collaboration
On September 5, Kura Sushi announced that it would cancel its Chiikawa collaboration campaign starting from the opening of business the next day, September 6, after uncovering misconduct by employees. The cancellation covered giveaway prize distributions, presents, receipt-based sweepstakes entries, and collaboration menu items. Furthermore, on September 7, the company explained that it is working with Mercari to remove marketplace listings suspected of being obtained improperly and is cooperating with investigative authorities. Kura Sushi also stated that it had consulted with the police and intends to take legal action against the individuals involved and review its internal management systems.
Source: Notice Regarding the Cancellation of the “Chiikawa” Collaboration Campaign (in Japanese)
Source: Notice Regarding Partnership with Mercari, Inc. Following Collaboration Campaign Cancellation (in Japanese)
Lab Note: Inventory management and the design of employee permissions that support popular campaigns are also part of the fan experience. The listings targeted for removal in this case are those suspected of improper acquisition, not all listings of the items. Companies need to think all the way through to mechanisms where retail venues and secondary distribution platforms cooperate with one another.
Bandai — Brings Third Wave of Chiikawa Waffles to Convenience Stores
On September 10, Bandai announced the release of “Chiikawa Wafflame 3” (Chiikawa Waffure-mu 3). Beginning September 15, the item was scheduled to go on sale at approximately 16,500 FamilyMart convenience store locations nationwide across Japan (excluding certain stores), priced at 250 yen including tax. The product is a chilled dessert consisting of a frame-shaped waffle paired with one of eight original stickers. Marking the third installment in the series, this release was scheduled to roll out right in the aisles of convenience stores that customers visit during their everyday shopping. Rather than being limited to specialty shops or event venues, the campaign was designed so fans could encounter the characters alongside everyday food items.
Source: 3rd Installment of “Chiikawa” Frame-Shaped Waffles Arrives! On Sale Tuesday, Sept. 15 at FamilyMart Stores Nationwide (in Japanese)
Lab Note: Retail aisles visited during daily errands and an accessible price point of 250 yen broaden the opportunities for people to come into contact with a franchise. For an ongoing product series, alongside the appeal of new releases, brands will want to organize the overall purchasing experience—including how they handle sellouts and multiple-item purchases.
- Kura Sushi announces campaign cancellationCites employee misconduct and halts giveaways, receipt entries, and collab menus from September 6
- Kura Sushi announces Mercari partnershipCoordinates to remove listings suspected of improper acquisition and cooperate with investigators
- Bandai announces Chiikawa Wafflame 3Chilled waffle with 1 of 8 stickers priced at 250 yen including tax
- Nationwide FamilyMart rollout scheduled to beginScheduled for release across approximately 16,500 FamilyMart stores in Japan (excluding some locations)
Source: The Oshi Lab’s summary of the article
Overseas Fan Enthusiasm and Changing Shopping Habits in Film and Cross-Border E-Commerce
Spider-Man — 6 Consecutive Weeks at #1 at the North American Weekend Box Office
According to a September 7 report by the film outlet Real Sound Movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day recorded $18 million at the North American weekend box office from September 4 to 6. It held first place for a sixth consecutive week, with its week-over-week decline limited to just 20%, bringing its cumulative North American gross to $917.76 million. The article analyzed that while major franchise installments have supported the summer box office, struggles among brand-new titles have also stood out. Note that the figures cited here are for the North American market and must be distinguished from Japanese or worldwide box office totals.
Source: Will Hollywood’s Summer 2026 Box Office Become #1 of All Time? New Releases Struggle in the Shadow of Mega-Hits Like “Spider-Man” (in Japanese)
Lab Note: Without confusing North American cumulative figures with worldwide box office totals, this is a case worth noting for its sustained attendance in its sixth week of release. Even in projects utilizing major intellectual property (IP), understanding the reasons why fans want to engage with a work repeatedly—rather than relying on name recognition alone—is the true starting point.
BEENOS — Overseas Music Fans Also Show Strong Interest in Physical Media
On September 7, BEENOS published the results of a survey on Japanese music conducted among 375 overseas users of its cross-border e-commerce service Buyee. Regarding how respondents first discovered Japanese music, 36.9% answered anime theme songs. Among items purchased, physical media such as CDs and DVDs accounted for 82.0%, and 22.2% of respondents reported a cumulative purchase total of 300,000 yen or more. Additionally, approximately 70% expressed a desire to travel for live concerts. The survey was conducted from July 6 to 13 and reflects responses specifically from Buyee users rather than overseas fans as a whole.
Source: BEENOS Releases “Cross-Border E-Commerce × Japanese Music Awareness Survey” (in Japanese)
Lab Note: The subjects of this survey are overseas users of Buyee. While these findings cannot be generalized to all overseas fans everywhere, they show purchases of physical goods and interest in traveling to attend concerts. For businesses, this provides useful decision-making material for organizing official product purchasing methods, international shipping, and information for fans traveling to live events.
Supporting Idol Fans and Local Communities Through On-the-Ground Responses
Hinatazaka46 — Connecting Fans and Miyazaki Restaurants After Concert Cancellation
According to a September 7 broadcast report by Miyazaki Broadcasting (MRT), the idol group Hinatazaka46’s “Hinata Fes 2026” was canceled due to an approaching typhoon. Following the cancellation, local volunteers held an impromptu event in Miyazaki City on September 6 and 7. The report shared that many fans visited the area in front of JR Miyazaki Station and enjoyed food from the local restaurants that had been scheduled to run booths at the festival. Although the concert performances themselves could not take place, the volunteer-organized event became a venue connecting fans who had already traveled to Miyazaki with the local shops that had prepared food and supplies.
Source: “Hinata Fes 2026” Canceled, Yet… Local Volunteers Hold Impromptu Event Connecting Hinatazaka46 Fans (“Ohisama”) with Scheduled Festival Food Vendors to Huge Success (in Japanese)
Lab Note: Points of contact between a local region and fans exist beyond the staging of the concert itself. While ensuring safety first, we saw a movement that connected visitors who had already arrived in town with restaurants that had prepared to serve them. Rather than treating this response as a uniform model of success to be expected everywhere, it is worth considering how organizers and local communities build everyday communication channels in advance.
CUTIE STREET — Issues Refunds for Overcharged Exhibition Merchandise
On September 8, the idol group CUTIE STREET announced that an overcharge had occurred for its “Random Jewel Marker Charm” (Random Houseki Mejirushi Charm). The affected items were sold on September 5 at the group’s second-anniversary exhibition, “All Roads Lead to KAWAII! Exhibition” (Subete no Michi wa KAWAII ni Tsu-zu! Ten). Because the charms were sold for 600 yen instead of the intended tax-included price of 500 yen, the group announced that it would sequentially refund the 100-yen difference per item. They provided specific instructions tailored to each payment method used and explained that from September 6 onward, the item was sold at the previously announced price of 500 yen.
Source: [Apology and Notice] Regarding Refund Procedures Following Overcharging for “CUTIE STREET Random Jewel Marker Charm” at the Saturday, Sept. 5 All Roads Lead to KAWAII! Exhibition (in Japanese)
Lab Note: When selling limited-edition merchandise, cross-checking displayed prices against point-of-sale payment settings is indispensable. Even after an error occurs, clearly communicating instructions for each payment method and sharing updates on refund progress—without placing extra burden on buyers—is what leads to restoring fan trust.
Accessibility and Participation Seen Through Sports Spectating and Oshikatsu Spending
B.LEAGUE — Distinguishing Terms-Violating Resale from Legitimate Transfers
On September 8, noting that ticket resale activities violating its ticket terms of use had been observed, Japan’s professional basketball league B.LEAGUE issued renewed guidance on prohibited practices and enforcement measures. Tickets resold in violation of the rules are rendered invalid, and B.LEAGUE stated that it will refuse venue admission to holders of such tickets. At the same time, the league clearly distinguished legitimate exceptions, such as its official resale service and transfers between acquaintances at or below face value that meet specific conditions. For violators, the league also outlined penalties including mandatory revocation of general membership and fan club membership, urging caution regarding how tickets circulate after purchase.
Source: Prohibition of B.LEAGUE Ticket Resale Activities (in Japanese)
Lab Note: Alongside stating what is prohibited, it is vital that fans can easily understand the legitimate ways to pass along a ticket when they can no longer attend a game. Checking whether buyers can smoothly navigate from their purchase history or the ticket sales page to official resale instructions helps reduce the risk of people inadvertently buying invalid tickets.
INTAGE — Average Annual Spending on Games Increases Approximately 2.6-Fold
On September 10, market research firm INTAGE published the findings of its survey on oshikatsu. The survey was conducted from January 14 to 19, 2026, among 5,000 men and women aged 15 to 79 nationwide in Japan. The proportion of respondents who have an oshi (a favorite idol, character, or figure they actively support) stood at 33.6%, a slight decrease from the previous year. Meanwhile, average annual spending on games rose approximately 2.6-fold from 14,116 yen to 36,698 yen, and average annual spending on anime increased roughly 2-fold from 11,259 yen to 22,584 yen. The survey also highlighted differences across age groups and genres, such as anime ranking first among males aged 15 to 19 at 22.1%.
Source: Polarization of Oshikatsu: Fewer People Have an Oshi, Yet Spending Rises — Games Up 2.6x, Anime Up 2.0x (in Japanese)
Lab Note: This survey was conducted in January 2026 and does not directly represent consumer spending in September. It is important to separate the number of participants from average spending figures and avoid assuming that every fan’s budget has increased. This research serves as useful material for thinking about both accessible entry prices and deeper, higher-engagement experiences.
- 82.0%
- Overseas Buyee survey respondents (n=375) who purchased physical media such as CDs and DVDs
- 33.6%
- Nationwide Japanese survey respondents aged 15–79 (n=5,000) who reported having an oshi
- 36,698 yen
- Average annual oshikatsu spending on games in INTAGE's survey (up ~2.6x from 14,116 yen)
- 22,584 yen
- Average annual oshikatsu spending on anime in INTAGE's survey (up ~2.0x from 11,259 yen)
Source: The Oshi Lab’s summary of the article
Editorial Reflections on This Week
The sheer scale of a property’s popularity does not automatically translate into fan satisfaction. Products reach fans properly, prices are accurate, and clear guidance is easy to find when trouble arises—this week’s cases underscore the importance of the day-to-day operations that support people’s affection for their favorite works and athletes.
Figures from overseas box office receipts and cross-border e-commerce also reflected the reality of fans enjoying works across national borders. After carefully verifying the target market and survey demographics behind any data point, businesses need to consider which touchpoints to improve so that fans can continue enjoying what they love. We want to maintain a perspective that expands fan marketing beyond one-off buzz creation into an ongoing, lasting relationship.
Weekly Oshikatsu News brings you a weekly roundup of the intersection between oshikatsu and business. The full edition covering all 23 stories is now available on note (in Japanese). You can browse past issues in our Oshikatsu × News category.
