Weekly Oshikatsu News (March 13, 2026): ANYCOLOR Revenue Up 45% to 42B Yen & 47.5% Buy AI Recommendations
Here is our roundup of standout corporate oshikatsu (fan support activities) marketing and fan business news from the week of March 6 to March 12, 2026.
This Week’s Highlights
The defining theme of the week was that nearly half of the people who have seen an AI-generated answer have gone on to purchase or use a product or service it recommended.
CyberAgent conducted a survey of 9,278 people and found that 47.5% of those who viewed AI responses had experience purchasing or using a recommended product or service. The share of people using generative AI during search reached 37.0%, up 15.7 percentage points in nine months from 21.3% in May 2025. Paired with the figure we covered in our February 13 issue—that “64% of users stop searching after reading an AI summary”—the path consumers take from discovering a product to buying it has unmistakably shifted.
Meanwhile, ANYCOLOR announced its third-quarter financial results for the fiscal year ending April 2026. Revenue reached 42.02 billion yen (up 45.4% year-over-year). At the same time, however, the company booked an inventory valuation loss of 970 million yen and revised its full-year profit forecast downward.
Nearly Half of Users Who View AI Answers Have Purchased or Used Recommended Products and Services
CyberAgent Survey — Generative AI Usage in Search Rises 15.7 Points in Nine Months
On March 5, CyberAgent released the third edition of its survey on generative AI user behavior. Conducted from February 6 to February 7 among 9,278 men and women in their teens through sixties across Japan, the survey found that 37.0% of respondents use generative AI as part of their search behavior—marking a second consecutive increase from 21.3% in May 2025 and 31.1% in October 2025. By age group, the largest gains were among people in their fifties (up 7.7 points), forties (up 6.7 points), and twenties (up 6.6 points). By service, ChatGPT ranked highest at 29.1%, followed by Gemini at 15.6% (up 5.2 points from the previous survey). Among teenagers, Gemini usage reached 24.5% (up 8.2 points). Usage of Google’s “AI Mode” stood at 21.0% overall and reached 33.5% among teenagers (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).
In terms of specific use cases, 9.8% used AI to compare product prices and features, while 9.5% used it to compare travel accommodations. A total of 54.4% had clicked on a URL displayed inside an AI response, and 47.5% of those who viewed AI answers had experience purchasing or using a product or service recommended by the AI.
- 37.0%
- Use generative AI in search (up 15.7 points since May 2025)
- 54.4%
- Have clicked a URL displayed in an AI answer
- 47.5%
- Have purchased or used an AI-recommended product or service
- 33.5%
- Teen usage rate of Google's "AI Mode" (21.0% overall)
Source: The Oshi Lab’s summary of the article
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Growth among people in their forties and fifties outpaced that of people in their twenties. The assumption that only young people use AI no longer holds true. Furthermore, nearly half of those who view AI answers have actually bought or used what the AI recommended. Whether an AI accurately surfaces your company’s product information is now just as critical a question as whether your products are stocked on store shelves.
ANYCOLOR — Revenue Climbs 45.4% to 42 Billion Yen, Offset by a 970 Million Yen Inventory Valuation Loss
For the third quarter of the fiscal year ending April 2026 (covering May 2025 through January 2026), ANYCOLOR reported revenue of 42.02 billion yen, an increase of 45.4% year-over-year. Operating profit reached 16.909 billion yen, and quarterly net income was 11.793 billion yen. The number of VTubers affiliated with NIJISANJI and NIJISANJI EN stood at 172, while ANYCOLOR ID registrations reached 1,944,000 IDs (up 25.5% year-over-year). Demand in the commerce segment remained strong, driven by unit anniversaries, seasonal campaigns, and large-scale live event merchandise initiatives. On the other hand, the company recorded a product valuation loss of 970 million yen in the third quarter. Because it also expects a loss on the scale of 1.5 billion yen in the fourth quarter, ANYCOLOR revised its full-year revenue forecast upward while revising its profit forecast downward (Mogura VR (in Japanese), gamebiz (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: The combination of rising revenue alongside an inventory valuation loss points to overproduction of stock. In our February 13 issue, COVER cited logistics efficiency as a key challenge, and Workman issued an apology over out-of-stock items. This latest valuation loss is the flip side of those exact same dynamics. In merchandise, companies lose out whether stock goes unsold or runs short. The numbers across all of these companies make it clear that demand forecasting is the single hardest challenge in the fan business.
HYBE JAPAN — Full-Scale Rollout of VR Concerts With Over 99% Audience Satisfaction
HYBE JAPAN announced “HYBE JAPAN VR NEXT STAGE 2026,” a year-round VR concert project. The company first launched this business in 2024. Its first installment, TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s “HYPERFOCUS,” was held in movie theaters across five Japanese cities. On opening day, the hashtag #TXTゼロ距離 (“#TXTZeroDistance”) trended on X, and audience survey satisfaction exceeded 99%. ENHYPEN joined the lineup in 2025. The concerts feature ultra-high-definition 12K video and up to 7.1-channel surround sound, produced by Los Angeles-headquartered AMAZE. Looking ahead to the second half of 2026, HYBE JAPAN also planned to expand screening locations to include regional cities (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).
Project lead Lee Soo-hyun also expressed interest in exploring open collaborations, including joint performances with artist IP from other companies.
The Oshi Lab’s Note: The crucial point here is that HYBE JAPAN is screening VR in movie theaters rather than at home. Fans can experience the show even if they do not own a headset, and other fans are right there in the same physical space. By contrast, the Roblox concert we covered in our January 30 issue recorded roughly 12.86 million peak concurrent users. HYBE JAPAN’s approach, meanwhile, places its value on “watching together in person.” Even under the same umbrella of VR, the underlying design philosophies are completely different.
Correcting Misunderstandings and Tapping Into Nostalgia Both Become Advertising Material
Tirol-Choco — Official Account Explains That “It Got Smaller” Is a Misconception
On February 19, Tirol-Choco posted on X noting that it regularly sees comments claiming “Tirol-Choco chocolates have gotten smaller,” and flatly denied the rumor: “The size hasn’t changed at all!!” Tirol-Choco actually comes in two sizes: a smaller size sold inside multi-pack bags, and a larger size printed with an individual barcode so it can be sold one piece at a time. The company explained that confusing these two versions is what causes the misunderstanding. In a follow-up post using X’s “Articles” feature, the company also published a history of its size variations. Within roughly one week, the initial post had drawn more than 650 comments (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).
A social media representative in the Marketing Office of the Development Department remarked that “it is understandable why people might feel they have gotten smaller,” adding that “rather than strictly correcting a misconception, we want people to enjoy this as a fun piece of Tirol-Choco trivia.”
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Framing the correction as “fun trivia” is what made Tirol-Choco’s response so effective. A post that merely corrects the factual record can come across as preachy, whereas sharing it as trivia encourages people to pass it along. When fans hold a misconception, don’t just correct them—turn it into a conversation starter. The longer a company has been selling a flagship product, the more misconceptions of this kind it has likely accumulated over the years.
Calpis x Masami Nagasawa — Layering 20 Years of Commercials Into a Single Spot
On February 24, Asahi Soft Drinks began airing a nationwide TV commercial titled “Calpis Sugiruze!” (“Way Too Much Calpis!”) to mark the launch of “CALPIS Koime” (Rich Calpis). Actress Masami Nagasawa has appeared in Calpis commercials for more than 20 years since 2005. The new spot weaves together footage from five past commercials spanning from her 2005 “Kensui Otoko” (“Pull-Up Guy”) spot through her 2018 “Hakko to Hakko” (“Fermentation and Fermentation”) spot. Its structure parallels her 20-year journey—playing roles ranging from a high school student to a mother—with the evolution of the brand itself (PR TIMES (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Precisely because the brand kept casting the same person for 20 years, its archive of past footage has become an asset in its own right. In our January 9 issue, we examined the reasons behind celebrity casting in New Year commercials. This Calpis example shows how the value of a casting decision compounds over the years. Had the brand swapped out spokespeople every few years, this commercial could never have been made.
Suntory — Turning a Product Renewal Into a Talking Point With a Three-Stage Movie Trailer Rollout
Suntory Beverage & Food renewed its “Craft Boss Unsweetened Italiano” coffee beverage and rolled out a three-stage “Alien Jones” commercial campaign to match. First, on February 20, it released an ambiguous teaser asking, “An Alien Jones Movie Adaptation Greenlit!?” The first main installment on February 22 took the form of a blockbuster movie trailer starring Koji Yakusho, Hana Sugisaki, and Yumi Kawai. Then, in the second installment on March 2, film critic LiLiCo and sociologist Noritoshi Furuichi revealed the twist inside a café: “Unsweetened Italiano now includes milk specially formulated for lattes, achieving a café-quality taste—which is why the movie trailer’s plot was about ‘people disappearing from cafés’” (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).
- Teaser ReleaseAirs an ambiguous teaser asking whether an Alien Jones movie adaptation has been greenlit
- Installment 1 (Blockbuster Trailer Style)Debuts a cinematic trailer-style commercial featuring Koji Yakusho, Hana Sugisaki, and Yumi Kawai
- Installment 2 (The Café Reveal)LiLiCo and Noritoshi Furuichi reveal the product renewal—latte-formulated milk that makes home coffee taste like a café
Source: The Oshi Lab’s summary of the article
The Oshi Lab’s Note: A product renewal is major news inside a company, but consumers rarely care about it on its own. Suntory broke that announcement into three stages, designing a narrative where viewers have to watch until the end to understand the punchline. Holding back your core product message at the start takes courage, but as a blueprint for generating buzz, it is entirely rational.
Duolingo — Embracing Heisei-Era School Drama Nostalgia in a 4:3 Horizontal Format
Starting March 2, Duolingo began streaming an original short drama series titled Shiritsu Duolingo Gakuen (“Private Duolingo Academy”). Structured as four episodes of roughly three minutes each, the series features actor Hideaki Ito voicing the teacher character Duo-sensei, and an original theme song titled “Sanka” (“Ode”) written by GRe4N BOYZ. Although vertical video is the standard for short-form social media clips, Duolingo deliberately used a 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio to evoke the nostalgia of Heisei-era (1989–2019) Japanese television school dramas. According to a company survey, roughly 70% of Japanese people feel insecure about English, and about 70% of that group first felt that way during junior high or high school (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).
Kana Matsushita of creative studio CHOCOLATE explained: “We packed relatable moments from English classes into the story so viewers could empathize directly with those bittersweet memories of stumbling over language learning during their school days.”
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Duolingo intentionally stepped away from the social media orthodoxy of vertical video. The 4:3 aspect ratio itself immediately signals “Heisei era” to viewers. Having previously staged sumo tournaments and convenience-store-style pop-ups, Duolingo stands out for experimenting with a completely different format every time. In a landscape where corporate social accounts easily fall into repetitive templates, this willingness to break form is well worth studying.
Athlete Support Sites and Local Governments Begin Adopting Fan Technologies
Ajinomoto — Operating Its Sixth Olympic Athlete Support Base, After Serving a Cumulative 3,925 Athletes in Paris
At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Ajinomoto operated the “JOC G-Road Station,” a nutritional support hub for Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) athletes. Marking the sixth time Ajinomoto has run such a base since Rio 2016, the initiative previously served a cumulative total of 3,925 athlete visits at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ajinomoto launched its “Victory Project” in 2003 and upgraded its sponsorship tier to “Gold Partner” in 2009. At the Milan station, the company served dashi broths rich in umami compounds alongside “Energy Tonjiru” (pork and vegetable miso soup) made with its “Nabe Cube” soup stock cubes. Starting with the Paris Games, Ajinomoto also began co-developing menus with a Michelin-starred chef (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).
Kazuya Takahashi of Ajinomoto’s Global Communications Department noted: “We heard feedback that the meat in the Milan Olympic Village dining hall could be tough, and that vegetables seasoned only with olive oil and salt were hard to keep eating.” He explained that “umami acts to flip the ‘appetite switch’ that prepares the body to eat a full meal.”
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Rather than just displaying a sponsor logo, Ajinomoto operates an on-site kitchen and has served meals to a cumulative total of 3,925 people. In our February 27 issue, we looked at how Mitsui Fudosan evaluates sponsorships through “the utilization of physical spaces.” Ajinomoto takes a similarly hands-on approach, contributing directly through its core food business—and this support also aims to help expand its overseas frozen gyoza dumpling business. It is a case where athlete support aims to contribute to business growth.
Hokota City x Machi Super Chat Project — Buying Vegetables While Chatting With a VTuber
The “Machi Super Chat Project” (Machi Supacha Project, a regional revitalization initiative using VTubers), spearheaded by uyet Inc., partnered with Hokota City in Ibaraki Prefecture. On February 28, the project set up an unmanned agricultural produce stand at Kashimanada Seaside Park. Alongside selling sweet potatoes, strawberries, spinach, and other local produce, the stand featured a monitor where VTubers interacted with visitors in real time. Three VTubers—Ririri Uruwashi, Miko Sekishiro, and Hikari Hira—took turns appearing in one-hour shifts. Having already been held across eight municipalities nationwide, the project aims to help VTuber fans—primarily in their teens through thirties—discover “a town they can root for” and ultimately expand furusato nozei (hometown tax donation) contributions (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Pairing an unmanned farm stand with a live VTuber monitor is a remarkably practical setup. It provides warm customer service through remote VTubers while simultaneously drawing interest from fans living far away. In our January 30 issue, we covered how Nagano Prefecture increased informational brochure requests 2.3-fold by partnering with 21 influencers. Municipal outreach has clearly entered a phase where local governments actively borrow the momentum of existing fandoms.
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism — Releasing 3D Data of the Expo Venue for Free
On March 6, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) released 3D urban models and point cloud data of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai venue free of charge as part of Project PLATEAU. The data was made available for download via the official G-Spatial Information Center website, though commercial use, promotional use, and merchandise production for profit were prohibited. Launched in 2020, Project PLATEAU is an open-data initiative building 3D urban models across Japan for use in disaster prevention, environmental research, and urban development. On social media, users also voiced excitement about using the data to build virtual worlds in VRChat (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: MLIT is preserving a closed event venue as digital data and distributing it to the public. In our January 9 issue, we covered the regional tour of official Expo merchandise stores, and in our February 6 issue, we covered the Expo memorial caravan. Taken together, the Expo is leaving behind both physical memories and digital memories. For companies wrapping up major live events, this offers a valuable lesson in designing post-event legacy assets.
Characters Cross Over Across Lotteries, Department Stores, and Apps
Samurai Japan x Sanrio, and Monchhichi x Live-Action ONE PIECE
On March 6, Taito launched the “Taito Kuji Samurai Japan x Sanrio Characters” lottery at 880 yen (tax included) per draw. The lineup features Sanrio characters dressed in Samurai Japan national baseball uniforms, led by Prize A: a body pillow of Pompompurin diving headfirst into home plate. Prize E (hand towels) and Prize F (acrylic keychains) each come in 10 varieties (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)). Meanwhile, plush maker Sekiguchi announced that on March 14 it would release “Luffy Monchhichi” in collaboration with Season 2 of the Netflix live-action series ONE PIECE, priced at 5,500 yen for the S-size plush and 4,180 yen for the keychain (both tax included). Notably, Luffy’s miniature straw hat is crafted using the exact same method as a real straw hat—braiding flat straw-material cord and sewing it together in spirals (Cho! Animedia (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: Sekiguchi’s dedication shines through in that single detail of crafting Monchhichi’s straw hat using authentic hat-making techniques. A brand that has sold a cumulative 70 million dolls refuses to lower its craftsmanship standards even when dressing its character in another company’s IP costume. Alongside the Monchhichi x Hello Kitty collaboration we covered in our February 27 issue, partnerships between heritage characters continue to gain momentum.
Rumiko Takahashi Three-Series Fair, JoJo x Animate, and Golden Kamuy Ichiban Kuji
Sunrise World announced that starting March 14, six of its stores would host a Rumiko Takahashi Works Fair featuring Inuyasha, Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Hanyo no Yashahime), and MAO. The fair offers new merchandise featuring newly illustrated key visuals by character designer Yoshihito Hishinuma—who handled character designs across all three anime adaptations—alongside art prints pairing shaded key animation drawings (kage-tsuki genga) with finished illustrations (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese), ORICON NEWS (in Japanese), Cho! Animedia (in Japanese), Sanyo Shimbun (in Japanese)). Meanwhile, Animate announced a half-anniversary fair starting March 20 for the mobile game JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Ora Ora Overdrive (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese), Cho! Animedia (in Japanese)). Additionally, the “Ichiban Kuji Golden Kamuy: Gold Rush Battle (Kinkai Sodatsusen)” lottery was scheduled to go on sale March 28 at 850 yen (tax included) per draw, turning Saichi Sugimoto, Hyakunosuke Ogata, and Botaro the Pirate into roughly 24-centimeter MASTERLISE figures (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese), Cho! Animedia (in Japanese)).
The Oshi Lab’s Note: The Sunrise World fair sells shaded key animation drawings side by side with the finished illustrations—turning an intermediate stage of the production process into a commercial product. The craft of the creators itself has become an object of fascination for fans. Companies that can showcase not just the finished product, but also the process behind it, can meaningfully expand their merchandise lineup.
This Week’s Reflections
The weightiest figure of the week was the survey finding that 47.5% of people who viewed an AI answer have purchased or used a product or service it recommended.
Until now, companies have competed to rank at the top of search engine results and generate buzz on social media. Now, a new challenge has joined the list: “How does AI answer questions about us?” What is more, the fastest adoption growth is happening among people in their forties and fifties. The pathways through which fans discover a company have changed dramatically over the past year.
In February, Tirol-Choco proactively spoke up to clarify that “our size hasn’t changed,” drawing more than 650 comments. If a company leaves a misconception unaddressed, it spreads as if it were fact—and eventually, AI models learn and repeat it too. What companies need to do today is publish accurate facts about themselves directly as primary-source information. It may look like unglamorous groundwork, but we believe it will prove increasingly vital from here on out.
When reviewing this week’s developments through the lens of how consumers encounter information, our guides on Design Principles of Oshikatsu Marketing and Fan Marketing should also serve as helpful touchpoints.
Weekly Oshikatsu News brings you a weekly roundup of the latest developments at the intersection of oshikatsu and business. You can browse past issues in our Oshikatsu x News category.
