Oshi-Katsu Chronicle 2017: Insta-Bae and TikTok, Kemono Friends, TWICE's Japan Debut, and the Rise of VTubers

In 2017, Instagram’s monthly active accounts in Japan passed 20 million, while “insta-bae” (Instagram-worthy) was chosen as a grand prize winner in the Buzzword of the Year awards, referring to photos or places that look striking when posted on Instagram. In summer, the short-form video app TikTok also launched in Japan. People also shared what they loved through photos and short clips, including pictures of fan goods arranged at cafés and videos of hand dances performed to popular songs.

The anime Kemono Friends grew from shared theories and reactions on social media into collaborations with real zoos, while in music TWICE made its Japan debut and BTS performed its first Japanese dome concerts at Kyocera Dome Osaka. Namie Amuro announced her retirement for the following year as her all-time best album Finally earned a double-million shipment certification. The year also saw the launch of the Nintendo Switch console and the rise of “Virtual YouTubers (VTubers)” led by Kizuna AI.

Kemono Friends: From Reacting to the Anime to Visiting the Zoo

Aired late at night from January to March, the TV anime Kemono Friends followed the journey across the vast “Japari Park” zoo of Serval—an animal transformed into a human girl known as a “Friend”—and Kaban, a girl who does not know what kind of creature she is. Mysteries hidden behind director Tatsuki’s gentle dialogue and affirming catchphrases like “Sugoi!” (“Amazing!”) and “Tanoshii!” (“Fun!”) caught fire on Twitter and Niconico Video. Report on the reaction at the time (in Japanese)

On February 8, the opening theme song “Youkoso Japari Park e” (“Welcome to Japari Park”), written and composed by Masayoshi Oishi and sung by Doubutsu Biscuits x PPP, was released. The standard CD also includes “Oozora Dreamer” and a cast message, extending the release beyond the opening song itself. Victor’s record of the release (in Japanese)

After the broadcast ended, from April 22 to June 25, a collaboration event was held at Tobu Zoo in Saitama Prefecture, placing character panels around the real animal exhibits and playing in-park announcements by the voice actors. Series official record of the event (in Japanese) / Event guide at the time (in Japanese)

1. 01WatchBroadcast January to March
2. 02TalkLines and mysteries shared online
3. 03ListenTheme song released February 8
4. 04VisitTobu Zoo collaboration from April 22

Reaction, music and a real place all fed the same fandom.

Meeting the animals behind the characters

During the collaboration, visitors could hear park announcements by Saki Ono, the voice of Raccoon, receive an attraction-related sticker, and attend a cast talk.

Visitors could use the panels to find the animals that inspired their favorite characters, then hear explanations from zookeepers they knew through the anime. The collaboration connected interest in a fictional character with time spent observing the real animal.

“Insta-Bae” and TikTok: Posting Photos and Videos

According to an announcement in October, Instagram’s monthly active accounts in Japan passed 20 million. Colorful sweets, cafes, hotel night pools, and art spots were dubbed “insta-bae,” and fans increasingly arranged and photographed their favorite character goods and uchiwa fans in stylish settings. Article on the announcement at the time (in Japanese)

Insta-bae

Chosen in the year's buzzword awards.

Instagram

Monthly active accounts in Japan passed 20 million, according to an October announcement.

TikTok

Launched in Japan in 2017.

TikTok official look back at its start in Japan (in Japanese)

In summer, ByteDance’s short-video app TikTok launched in Japan. Users could film lip-sync and hand-dance clips to music within the app, with others creating their own videos using the same song. In a February 2018 announcement, the company reported that TikTok had reached first place in Japan’s App Store free-app chart several times since December 2017. ByteDance’s early service announcement (in Japanese)

TWICE Debuts in Japan, and BTS Plays Its First Japanese Dome Shows

On June 28, the nine-member K-pop girl group TWICE—which includes three Japanese members, Mina, Sana, and Momo—made its Japan debut with the best-of album #TWICE, featuring both Korean and Japanese versions of their signature hits as their “TT pose” became popular among Japanese middle and high school girls. The gesture uses the thumbs and index fingers to suggest a crying face. The album offered Japanese versions alongside the Korean recordings, letting listeners encounter both versions of familiar songs in one release. Official announcement of the Japan debut (in Japanese)

On July 2, they held two shows of their debut showcase TWICE DEBUT SHOWCASE “Touchdown in JAPAN” at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, and at year’s end they made their first appearance on NHK’s Kohaku Uta Gassen. Official concert guide (in Japanese)

Comparing five songs in Japanese and Korean

The standard edition of #TWICE contains ten tracks: Japanese and Korean versions of “Like OOH-AHH,” “CHEER UP,” “TT,” “KNOCK KNOCK,” and “SIGNAL.” It introduces the group through songs already associated with it, while giving listeners Japanese recordings to explore alongside the originals. Hearing both versions lets listeners compare how the words sound within the same song.

The Japanese “TT” video arrived on June 21, the album on June 28, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium showcase on July 2. The official concert notice listed performances at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

BTS reaches Kyocera Dome Osaka

Following their Top Social Artist win at the Billboard Music Awards in May and an arena tour of 13 shows across six Japanese cities, the seven-member group BTS held their first Japanese dome concerts over two days at Kyocera Dome Osaka on October 14 and 15. Concert announcement at the time (in Japanese)

Namie Amuro Announces Her Retirement, and Finally Earns a Double-Million Certification

On September 20, her 40th birthday, Namie Amuro announced on her official website that she would retire on September 16, 2018, sending shockwaves across Japan and abroad just days after her 25th-anniversary outdoor concerts in her native Okinawa on September 16 and 17. Report at the time (in Japanese)

On November 8, she released the all-time best album Finally, with 52 tracks spanning her debut and six new songs. It sold 1.113 million copies in its first week, making Amuro the first artist to achieve million-selling albums in her teens, twenties, thirties, and forties. In December, the Recording Industry Association of Japan certified the album double million, signifying at least two million net copies shipped. avex / MANTANWEB / Recording Industry Association of Japan (in Japanese)

Twenty-five years of songs in her 2017 voice

Finally did more than gather old recordings. Songs from “Mr. U.S.A.” through “TSUKI” were newly recorded, alongside recent releases such as “Hero” and brand-new songs. Returning listeners could hear familiar material in Amuro’s 2017 voice rather than simply replay the versions they remembered.

The three-CD edition’s jacket places Amuro against blue and purple flowers. Its white outer sleeve carries a gold “25” and “1992–2017.” The photographic jacket and anniversary sleeve present different sides of the release: the singer herself and the span of her career.

See the track list and product at the official shop

Singing “Hero” at the year-end Kohaku

On December 31, Amuro made a special appearance on the 68th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen for the first time in 14 years, singing her NHK Rio Olympics theme song “Hero” in a white dress and drawing a peak moment rating of 48.4% in the Kanto region, the highest figure among the performers that evening. Announcement of the appearance (in Japanese)

Dome and arena concerts gain attendance

Pia Research Institute estimated that year’s domestic live entertainment market at ¥515.1 billion, up 2.7% from the previous year to set a new all-time high as large venues returned from renovations. Renovation work had been concentrated in the previous year; the restored availability of large venues was accompanied by rising attendance at dome and arena concerts. Pia Research Institute (in Japanese)

¥515.1 billion

Market size

+2.7%

Growth from the previous year

A new all-time high at the time.

Source: Pia Research Institute (in Japanese)

Rino Sashihara’s Three-Peat, =LOVE’s Debut, and Nogizaka46’s First Tokyo Dome Concerts

At the 9th AKB48 Senbatsu General Election on June 17—broadcast live without an audience from the Central Community Hall in Tomigusuku, Okinawa after severe weather forced the cancellation of the outdoor beach concert the day before—Rino Sashihara won 246,376 votes to achieve an unprecedented third consecutive first-place finish. Vote count (in Japanese)

On September 6, the 12-member voice-actor idol group =LOVE (“Equal Love”), produced by Sashihara in partnership with Yoyogi Animation Academy, made its major-label debut with the single “=LOVE,” showcasing an active top idol writing lyrics and directing costumes and staging for a new group. Official guide to the release event (in Japanese) / Costume company’s record (in Japanese)

The debut music video was released on August 18. Its credits name Rino Sashihara as lyricist, Takashi Watanabe as composer, and Takahiro Furukawa as arranger. The debut single shared the group’s name, introducing its vocals and choreography ahead of the September release.

Nogizaka46 at Tokyo Dome and the Record Awards

In the Sakamichi Series, Keyakizaka46 delivered an intense performance shouting “Boku wa iya da!” (“I refuse!”) on their fourth single “Fukyouwaon” in April, while Nogizaka46 staged their first-ever Tokyo Dome concerts on November 7 and 8 (drawing 100,000 fans over two days) and won their first Japan Record Award Grand Prix at year’s end with “Influencer,” known for its fast-paced choreography. Special awards at the Record Awards also went to Yoko Oginome and the Osaka Prefectural Tomioka High School Dance Club, whose “Bubbly Dance” to her 1985 hit “Dancing Hero” drew tens of millions of views on YouTube. The students danced in outfits recalling Japan’s bubble-economy era. Japan Composers Association (in Japanese)

Kizuna AI Streams Games in Character Form

Having opened her YouTube channel “A.I.Channel” in December of the previous year, Kizuna AI launched the dedicated gaming channel “A.I.Games” on March 30. She performed talk and game commentary as a 3DCG character, calling herself a “Virtual YouTuber,” later abbreviated to VTuber. Kizuna AI official timeline (in Japanese)

From YouTube to 360-degree VR video

On May 12, 360Channel launched A.I.Channel 360. Its first video looked back at Kizuna AI’s physical challenges, gaming videos and other activities, with the performer herself as the guide. Viewers could look around the scene rather than remain fixed to a single viewpoint. The service supported PCs, smartphones and VR headsets.

The announcement image shows Kizuna AI reaching toward the viewer, wearing her pink hair ornament, beside the name “A.I.Channel 360.” The pose and the “360” label both emphasize the sense of proximity promised by the new format.

On May 29, 2017, she became the image character for VIRTUAL GATE, followed by a collaborative appearance in a commercial for the TV anime Gamers! on September 21. She was expanding from videos on her own YouTube channels into promotions for other services and anime productions.

On September 7, Cover Corp.’s Tokino Sora held her first live stream. From autumn into winter, Dennou Shojo Siro, Mirai Akari, Kaguya Luna and Nekomasu also attracted audiences in a boom dubbed the “Four Heavenly Kings of VTubers.” Kizuna AI’s channel passed one million subscribers by the end of the year. Tokino Sora’s official profile (in Japanese)

The first real-world event celebrating one million subscribers came later, on March 18, 2018. Her first original song, “Hello, Morning,” was released digitally on July 15 that year. The videos and commercial collaborations of 2017 were followed by events bringing fans together in person and the start of her music releases in 2018. Official digital-release announcement (in Japanese)

Nintendo Switch: Changing Where and How You Play

On March 3, Nintendo launched the Nintendo Switch at a suggested retail price of ¥29,980 before tax. The console offered three ways to play. In TV mode, it connected to a television. Tabletop mode used the console’s own screen while it stood on a surface, and handheld mode kept that screen and the controllers together in the player’s hands. Detachable Joy-Con controllers made those arrangements possible. Nintendo’s release announcement (in Japanese)

Nintendo’s launch photograph places two actions side by side: lifting the console out of its dock and attaching the left and right Joy-Con controllers. It shows the physical arrangement that lets play continue on the console’s own screen away from the television. Nintendo also introduced the option of handing one controller to another player.

The launch date and price had been announced at the Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 on January 13. Before the presentation began, Nintendo used its official Twitter account to announce multiple places to watch the live broadcast, including YouTube and its own website. People outside the venue could follow the announcement from home.

March 3

Launch day.

¥29,980

Suggested retail price at the time, before tax.

Launch title

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild came out the same day.

The console launched alongside The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Splatoon 2 followed on July 21, and Super Mario Odyssey on October 27. The lineup grew during a year in which the console remained difficult to find in shops. Nintendo FY2018 earnings release (in Japanese)

Waiting for Zelda—and for a console

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an action-adventure game set in a wide world to explore. The third trailer, published before release, introduces Link traveling through mountains and grasslands, other characters, and combat.

Buying the hardware was another matter. On June 22, Nintendo apologized for shortages in Japan that had persisted since launch. It announced higher shipments in July and August, including the Splatoon 2 console bundle. A game’s release date was therefore not necessarily the date every interested fan could begin playing it.

Nintendo’s historical shipment notice

Dragon Quest XI arrives on PS4 and Nintendo 3DS

Square Enix released Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo 3DS on July 29, 2017. Its August 7 announcement reported more than three million copies in combined Japanese physical shipments and digital sales. The Nintendo Switch version, Dragon Quest XI S, came later.

Although the story was shared, the PS4 and 3DS versions offered different views of its world. The official comparison image places a scene with depth and distant scenery on the left and a pixel-art landscape on the right. Early in the 3DS version, players could see a 3D view on the upper screen and a 2D view on the lower one at the same time. Later, they could choose their preferred style.

Square Enix’s August 7, 2017 announcement

Music and characters in smartphone games

On March 16, Bushiroad and Craft Egg launched BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!. Players followed stories about bands and played a rhythm game featuring both original songs and covers. Bushiroad’s 2017 introduction to the game (in Japanese)

Before launch, a campaign invited fans to suggest songs for the fictional band Poppin’Party to cover. Suggestions could include anime themes, J-pop and music from overseas. The announcement image places the five musicians beneath a question asking which song fans want them to cover. It presents participation in choosing music as part of the appeal, even before the game’s release. Applications closed on February 6, with selected songs scheduled to be announced at the February 24 presentation.

Azur Lane, a shooter RPG that represents warships as female characters, followed on September 14. Players formed fleets of up to six ships and strengthened their characters for battle. Its 2017 official artwork combines kimono-clad figures with equipment resembling flight decks. The image shows how the game carries naval elements into character designs rather than simply presenting ships as mechanical objects.

Television advertising began in December, and related cosplay appeared at the year-end Comic Market 93. The event as a whole attracted about 550,000 visits over three days. Comic Market Preparation Committee (in Japanese) / On-site report (in Japanese)

Xiang Xiang: Following a Panda Cub Through Video

On June 12, the giant panda cub “Xiang Xiang” was born at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. Public viewing began by lottery on December 19, with about 46 applicants for each available place on the first day. The zoo also streamed live video, allowing people who could not visit to watch her grow. Tokyo Zoological Park Society / TV Asahi (in Japanese)

The Tokyo Zoological Park Society also published videos of Xiang Xiang’s growth. The footage below was recorded on December 9, ten days before public viewing began. People waiting to visit could already watch the 180-day-old cub climbing a tree indoors.

Key Events of the Year

1. Jan.–Mar.TV anime Kemono Friends airsAnime
2. Mar. 3Nintendo Switch goes on sale, playable on a TV or in handheld modeGames
3. Mar. 30Kizuna AI opens a channel for game commentaryStreaming
4. Apr. 22A collaboration between Tobu Zoo and Kemono Friends beginsAnime
5. Jun. 17At the 9th AKB48 General Election, Rino Sashihara wins first place for the third straight time, a firstIdols
6. Jun. 28TWICE make their Japan debut with the best-of album #TWICEIdols
7. SummerTikTok launches its service in JapanMedia
8. Sep. 6=LOVE, produced by Rino Sashihara, make their CD debutIdols
9. Sep. 7The VTuber Tokino Sora begins her activitiesStreaming
10. Sep. 20Namie Amuro announces her retirement on September 16, 2018Music
11. Oct. 3Instagram's monthly users in Japan reach 20 million accountsMedia
12. Oct. 14–15BTS play their first dome shows in Japan at Kyocera Dome OsakaMusic
13. Dec. 29–31Comic Market 93 (550,000 total visits over three days)Fan works
14. Dec. 31At the 68th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, Namie Amuro makes a special appearance for the first time in 14 yearsMusic
15. All yearLive-event ticket sales are estimated at ¥515.1 billionBusiness

1. Jan-MarKemono Friends airs
2. Mar 3Nintendo Switch goes on sale
3. Mar 30Kizuna AI opens a game channel
4. Jun 12Giant panda Xiang Xiang born at Ueno Zoo
5. Jun 28TWICE debuts in Japan
6. Sep 20Namie Amuro announces her retirement
7. Nov & DecAmuro releases Finally and returns to Kohaku

The Year’s Buzzword Awards

Grand PrizeInsta-bae ("Instagrammable," looking great in photos posted to Instagram)

CanCam it girl

Grand PrizeSontaku (anticipating and acting on what a superior wants, unasked)

Minoru Inamoto

Top 103.5 billion (the number of men in the world, from comedian Blouson Chiemi's routine)

Blouson Chiemi (comedian)

Top 10J-Alert (Japan's national emergency warning system)

Chris Broad

Top 10Suimin fusai ("sleep debt")

Yoshikuni Edagawa

Top 10Hifumin (nickname of shogi player Hifumi Kato)

Hifumi Kato

Top 10Fake news

Seiko Kiyohara

Top 10Premium Friday (leaving work early on the last Friday of the month)

Premium Friday Promotion Council

Top 10Ma no 2-kaisei ("the cursed second-termers," scandal-hit second-term lawmakers of the ruling party)

Shinobu Moriyama

Top 10OO First ("___ First," as in "America First")

—

Selection Committee Special Award9.98 (Yoshihide Kiryu's 100 m time, the first by a Japanese sprinter under 10 seconds)

Yoshihide Kiryu

Selection Committee Special Award29 straight wins (shogi player Sota Fujii's record-setting debut streak)

Sota Fujii

The grand prizes went to “Insta-bae” and “Sontaku” (surmising a superior’s unspoken wishes), while the top ten included comedian Blouson Chiemi’s catchphrase “3.5 billion” (“35-oku”) and “Hifumin,” the affectionate nickname for retired shogi master Hifumi Kato. Jiyu Kokuminsha (in Japanese)

Selection Committee Special Prizes went to sprinter Yoshihide Kiryu’s “9.98” on September 9—the first sub-10-second men’s 100-meter dash by a Japanese athlete—and junior high school shogi player Sota Fujii’s record “29 straight wins” on June 26. Fujii, then ranked fourth dan, broke the official-game winning-streak record that had stood for 30 years. His match-day meals also attracted attention, as more fans watched broadcasts and supported players through a form of fandom called “miru-sho.”

In 2018, we trace Namie Amuro’s final tour, Kenshi Yonezu’s “Lemon,” Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer, and the spread of VTubers.