Ninomiya Responds to Tottori’s VIVANT Spoof; back number’s Handwritten Ads [Oshikatsu News: Jul 24, 2026]

Here is our roundup of notable stories in oshikatsu (fan support activities) marketing and the fan business from the week of July 17 to July 23, 2026.

This Week’s Highlights

The defining theme of the week was brands closing the distance with fans by speaking in their own words.

Building on its connection as a filming location for Season 2 of the TBS Sunday Theater drama VIVANT, Tottori Prefecture rolled out a playful “VIVANT make-believe” campaign on social media with the participation of Governor Shinji Hirai. Cast member Kazunari Ninomiya quoted the post and commented, “This makes me super hyped for Season 2 too ♡,” sparking widespread buzz. Also tied to VIVANT, the Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store held a pop-up shop through July 28 after the store’s indoor Tennyo (Magokoro) statue (Statue of the Celestial Nymph of Sincerity) was featured in the drama’s key visual.

In the music scene as well, brands and artists made moves to bring themselves closer to fans. To accompany their first five-major-stadium tour—which drew approximately 500,000 people across nine shows—the band back number put up handwritten advertisements reading “Thanks for having us” (Ojama shimasu) at each venue. Meanwhile, KFC responded on its official X account to a punchline from the comedy duo Takion’s manzai (stand-up comedy) routine—“You’re going through three dozen Colonels!”—by offering to actually present them as a gift. In addition, throat-care maker Ryukakusan announced that its “haunted house” trade show project would enter its third year, showing how initiatives that help visitors remember a long-established brand through hands-on experiences are taking root.

500,000

Approximate attendance across 9 shows on back number's 5-stadium tour

105 km/h

Strike pitch thrown by hololive VTuber Hoshimachi Suisei at ZOZO Marine Stadium

31 groups

Virtual idol groups in VIVA's preliminary fan vote run by JK Fandom

Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article

Local Governments Drew Anime and Drama Pilgrims Through Filming Locations

Tottori Prefecture × VIVANT — A Serious “Make-Believe” Tourism Push Joined by the Governor

Tottori Prefecture served as a filming location for Season 2 of the TBS Sunday Theater drama VIVANT (premiering July 26). In response, the prefecture posted photos on social media taken at the Tottori Sand Dunes and in front of a newly constructed VIVANT sand monument at the sand dunes parking lot. The images were created using a “VIVANT-style image generator” provided by TBS, with Governor Shinji Hirai and staff from tourism-related departments taking part in the shoot. Cast member Kazunari Ninomiya quoted the post and wrote, “This makes me super hyped for Season 2 too ♡,” generating a massive response. Alongside the posts, the prefecture also ran a promotional campaign: users who followed the Tourism Strategy Division’s account and posted photos of places they believed to be filming locations with a designated hashtag were entered into a drawing to win local specialty Matsuba crab (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: Ninomiya’s quote-post was not requested by the prefecture or the television network; it was a spontaneous gesture of goodwill on his part. Because the prefecture’s official account threw itself earnestly into the “make-believe” play, accidental viral reach followed. For local governments aiming to attract content tourism—known in Japan as seichi junrei (pilgrimages to sacred sites)—this case shows that the starting point is not waiting passively, but actively stepping up to ride the wave.

Kasukabe City × Crayon Shin-chan — The World’s First Character Design Manhole Cover

On July 5, the city of Kasukabe in Saitama Prefecture installed the world’s first designer manhole cover depicting the Nohara family from Crayon Shin-chan. The project aims to encourage foot traffic around the central area of Kasukabe Station and raise public awareness of sewage works. The design is based on the illustration used for the commemorative visitor stamp at City Hall, depicting wisteria (the city flower) and a parade from the annual Kasukabe Wisteria Festival held every April, with Shin-chan holding a traditional local kite. Kasukabe City has actively pursued initiatives utilizing the series since 2004 (Heisei 16), and in fiscal 2025 it installed character monuments at three public facilities in the city (PR TIMES (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: What stands out here is turning everyday civic infrastructure—a manhole cover—into content in its own right. Kasukabe City has continued investing in the series for over 20 years. As a result, initiatives using the property do not end as one-off publicity stunts, but have taken root as part of the town itself. When organizations want to leverage intellectual property (IP), they need to plan with the assumption of building it up over many years rather than stopping at a single-year project.

Department Stores and Restaurant Chains Boosted Foot Traffic with Characters

Nihombashi Mitsukoshi × VIVANT — A Pop-Up Store Turning the Celestial Nymph Statue into a Fan Sacred Site

A pop-up store for the TBS Sunday Theater drama VIVANT opened at the Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store (running through July 28). The event was sparked when the store’s Tennyo (Magokoro) statue was featured in the Season 2 key visual, prompting fans to dub the location a “sacred site.” The venue sold original merchandise such as “Beppan Manju” (steamed buns named after the show’s covert unit) and neckties bearing the family crest of the protagonist, Nogi. It also exhibited actual costumes and props used on location, including the suit worn by Nogi, his business cards, and envelopes from his workplace, Marubishi Corporation. Visitors who linked their Mitsukoshi Isetan MI Card with the store’s app received an original clear file folder and sticker. Project planner Tatsuya Iwami said, “Ahead of the Season 2 broadcast, we want visitors to build excitement through the merchandise and exhibits” (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: The key takeaway here is the speed with which the store commercialized the serendipitous connection of becoming a filming location without waiting around. Nihombashi Mitsukoshi breathed new life into the Tennyo statue that had long stood inside its building for a fresh project. We can see a shift in mindset: rather than just borrowing external IP, the store discovered latent IP that it already owned.

Sushiro × Hello Kitty / McDonald’s × Pokémon 30th Anniversary — Two Restaurant Chains Driving Repeat Visits Through Characters

Conveyor-belt sushi chain Sushiro announced that it would hold a collaboration with Hello Kitty titled “KAWAUMA HELLO KITTY” (combining kawaii [cute] and umai [delicious]) starting July 29. The merchandise lineup features food picks and zippered pouches in Wave 1 (from July 29), followed by clear picks and mini charms in Wave 2 (from August 19). The company also announced special collaboration store decorations at five locations across Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi, Osaka, and Fukuoka (Inside (in Japanese)). Meanwhile, McDonald’s Japan launched “Pokémon 30th Anniversary Burgers” on July 22 as part of its “Pokémon Summer Mac” campaign celebrating the 55th anniversary of McDonald’s Japan and the 30th anniversary of Pokémon. Alongside three burger varieties served in packaging illustrated with Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, the chain put up special posters featuring 28 different Pokémon at restaurants nationwide (Inside (in Japanese), Game*Spark (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: Both Sushiro and McDonald’s are using characters to create a reason to visit their stores. They also share the strategy of splitting customer visits across multiple trips by offering Wave 1 and Wave 2 releases or multiple packaging designs. Designing a campaign so customers visit repeatedly during the promotional period—rather than finishing after a single collaboration visit—is well suited to customer acquisition for restaurant chains.

Heritage Manufacturers and Beverage Brands Left Lasting Impressions Through Character Experiences

Ryukakusan — Staying in Visitors’ Memories with a Full-Scale Haunted House at a Trade Show

Throat-care manufacturer Ryukakusan announced that it would exhibit at the 26th JAPAN Drugstore Show, held at Tokyo Big Sight from July 31 to August 2. At its booth, the company announced that it would stage its third annual full-scale haunted house attraction. Following the themes “Ghosts” in 2024 and “Escape from the Zombie Ward” in 2025, the 2026 theme was announced as “Urban Legend: The Cursed Telephone Booth,” produced in partnership with the horror creative company Yami Inc. Because Ryukakusan does not release new products frequently, the company said it faced the challenge that simply lining up products at a trade show made it difficult to create fresh touchpoints with retail buyers. Over the past two years, the booth won the Runner-Up Grand Prize in the organizer’s booth contest in 2024 and the Executive Committee Chairman’s Special Award in 2025. Reportedly, the sheer unexpectedness that “Ryukakusan is running a haunted house” has become an icebreaker in sales conversations (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: Linking the chain of associations—“screaming,” “throats,” and “Ryukakusan”—intuitively through a physical experience is very clever. Companies that cannot launch new products frequently can pivot toward refreshing the impression of their existing brand little by little each year. The idea of using a trade show as a consumer-facing (BtoC) touchpoint is also a useful reference for companies that assume trade shows are strictly for business negotiations.

Coca-Cola Japan “Foodmarks” — Developing a Character That Blends into an Okinawa Shopping Arcade

Starting this year, Coca-Cola Japan has been strengthening its “Foodmarks” initiative, which collaborates with restaurants across the country to promote pairing meals with Coca-Cola. On April 30, as the first installment of the project, the food hall “MAKISHI CARNIVAL” in Naha City reopened with a revamped interior, exterior, and facility logo. Advertising agency Dentsu developed the “Bottle Cap Shisa”—a traditional Okinawan shisa guardian lion figure crafted by a local artist and topped with a Coca-Cola bottle cap—placing this character at the center of the venue’s spatial decor and advertising visuals. The facility’s logo was designed based on lettering formerly used at the old Makishi Public Market that once stood on the site. Tatsuki Tatara of Dentsu, who oversaw the project, commented, “To make this a permanent initiative rather than a transient campaign, blending into the local history and culture is essential.” The company announced that the initiative will also expand to Shibuya and Osaka in the future (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: What catches the eye here is how a global brand developed an original character IP from scratch in order to “blend in” with a local community. Moreover, rather than ending it as a one-off project, they designed the framework so the same format can be rolled out in Shibuya and Osaka. We can see the strategic thinking of turning a regionally limited initiative into a reproducible template rather than leaving it as a single event.

Music Artists and Restaurant Chains Closed the Distance with Fans Through Direct Messages

FANCL “#NatsuyasuMrs” — Letter Advertisements Addressed to Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Starting July 13, cosmetics and health company FANCL put up out-of-home (OOH) advertisements in Shibuya, Tokyo, under the hashtag “#NatsuyasuMrs” (a play on natsuyasumi [summer vacation] and Mrs. GREEN APPLE) to promote its counseling service “FANCL SKIN PATCH.” The advertisements featured illustrated letters addressed to the three members of the band Mrs. GREEN APPLE—Motoki Ohmori, Hiloto Wakai, and Ryoka Fujisawa—who appear in commercials for the service. Centered on summer skin care with messages such as “Please get plenty of sleep for the sake of your skin too,” the letters were based on actual advice given to the three members when they tried the service during their commercial shoot in March. Maho Teranishi of FANCL’s Marketing Strategy Division explained that the company positioned Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s fanbase, known as “JAM’S,” as an important audience for communication (PR EDGE (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: FANCL took real experiences from the commercial shoot and used them directly as the words of the letters, expanding its target audience beyond fans of the product to include fans of the artists. That approach is deftly executed. Re-editing a touchpoint born in the past and turning it into an advertisement is a helpful model for companies sitting on unused behind-the-scenes shoot material.

back number Says “Thanks for Having Us” — Handwritten Ads Coloring a Nine-Show Tour

To accompany their first five-major-stadium tour, “Grateful Yesterdays Tour 2026,” the band back number placed OOH advertisements in each host region. The tour spanned nine performances across five areas—Miyagi, Shizuoka, Osaka, Kanagawa, and Kumamoto—drawing approximately 500,000 attendees. The ads featured handwriting by band member Iyori Shimizu, with different messages prepared for each host region, such as “Osaka, thanks for having us!!” (Osaka ojama shimasu!!) and “Kumamoto, thanks for having us!!” Yuki Noda of Dentsu, who worked on the project, said, “We aimed to make the ads function as part of the tour experience itself, rather than stopping at a mere announcement tool.” Fans who spotted the ads took photos and posted them on social media. The band members themselves also took commemorative photos in front of the ads, prompting fans to take pictures striking the exact same poses (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: back number turned promotional announcements into something fans could preserve as a “record of attending the show.” By changing the phrasing for each region, they also demonstrated an attitude of facing local fans directly. As fan support ads (ouen koukoku) continue to take root, the approachable warmth of handwritten lettering is giving a boost to spontaneous photography and sharing on social media.

KFC × Takion — Official Account’s Rapid Response to a Comedy Punchline About “Three Dozen”

The comedy duo Takion, who won the comedy competition “Double Impact 2026” broadcast on July 20, delivered the punchline “You’re going through three dozen Colonels!” during their manzai routine. On July 21, KFC’s official X account quoted a post by Takion member Sasuke announcing their victory and offered to present the gift, writing, “Three dozen. If you don’t mind, please let us send them to you to celebrate.” At KFC, product shortages for certain items and shortened operating hours had been ongoing due to a system failure at the Nichirei Logistics Group, which handles the chain’s food ingredient deliveries. KFC sent out this post the day before normal operations were scheduled to resume at all stores (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: KFC responded on social media within minutes to hours, turning a comedic joke into an actual gift offer. Because this came during a period of ongoing stockouts and reduced hours, reacting quickly to a cheerful topic likely also helped restore the company’s public image.

Pro Sports Invited Anime and VTubers into Match Venues

J.League × Detective Conan — Broadcasting a Collaboration Episode Explaining Referees and VAR

As a collaboration project between Detective Conan (also known as Case Closed) and Japan’s professional soccer league, the J.League, a special tie-up episode titled “J.League: The Whistle of Opening” aired on July 18. In producing the anime, the J.League provided full cooperation with stadium location scouting and story supervision. Former Japan national team player Hiroaki Morishima, now Representative Director and Chairman of Cerezo Osaka, and television personality Yuka Kageyama also appeared as anime characters. The new J.League season opening on August 7 was a special season that included a “season transition” shifting the opening timing from spring to August. In parallel, the J.League was also running a collaboration with Pokémon and a campaign inviting 220,000 people for free. According to the league, this anime project was intended to help viewers learn about the difficulty of referees’ work and technologies such as VAR (Video Assistant Referee) (J.League Official Site (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: The J.League packaged the announcement of an institutional change—the season transition—into the enjoyable format of a collaboration anime. Here, an IP collaboration functions as a way to communicate a difficult social theme, respect for referees, without sounding preachy.

Chiba Lotte Marines — Sesame Street Merchandise and a hololive First Pitch Ceremony

On July 22, the Chiba Lotte Marines professional baseball team released a lineup of eight collaboration goods with Sesame Street, including short-sleeve T-shirts (4,000 yen each), face towels (2,200 yen), and tote bags (2,200 yen) (Inside (in Japanese)). In addition, the July 20 game against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at ZOZO Marine Stadium was held as “Coolish & Sou DAY,” a title-sponsored game presented by Lotte. Appearing at the ceremonial first pitch were Hoshimachi Suisei, a VTuber affiliated with hololive, and virtual singer Hatsune Miku. As Hatsune Miku cheered her on from the stadium’s main vision screen, the pitch thrown by Hoshimachi Suisei recorded a 105 km/h strike (Inside (in Japanese), KAI-YOU (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: Combining ongoing merchandise sales with a one-night-only live experience—the ceremonial first pitch—in the same week is an effective pairing. Merchandise can be bought any number of times, but the chance to witness a 105 km/h pitch happens only once. Offering both everyday fan goods and extraordinary live experiences suits business models like professional baseball teams that rely on repeat stadium visits.

Railway Companies Created Reasons to Ride Through Train Designs and Anime

JR West — “Sanyo Blue” for the Sanyo Shinkansen “Kodama” to Foster Affection

On July 22, West Japan Railway Company (JR West) announced that it would change the exterior design of the N700-6000 series trains operating on the Sanyo Shinkansen Kodama service. Adopting “Sanyo Blue”—inspired by the Seto Inland Sea—as its base color, the new livery was scheduled to enter service this winter. Meanwhile, the long-beloved 500 series Shinkansen will end commercial operations in 2027. Explaining the new design, JR West stated that it hopes passengers “will feel even greater affection for the train than ever before.” Built around the design concept “YURARI – Savoring the Shifting Scenery at Your Own Pace,” the exterior incorporates a visual mechanism in which horizontal lines stand out while the train is in motion, whereas a dotted wave pattern emerges when the train is stopped at a station (Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: What stands out here is JR West’s effort to cultivate emotional attachment (aichaku) through the simple element of color. Choosing a design update that appeals to emotion rather than purely functional specs for a train replacing a retiring icon serves as a useful reference for companies facing the renewal of aging equipment.

JR Central × My Dress-Up Darling — Turning the Shinkansen into a Collaboration Stage Under the “Oshi Tabi” Brand

Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) announced that it would hold a collaboration event between Season 2 of the TV anime My Dress-Up Darling (Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru, often abbreviated as KiseKoi) and its “Oshi Tabi” (Oshi Travel) brand from July 31 to September 27 onboard Tokaido Shinkansen trains and at other locations. The onboard feature was an “Original Voice Drama” that passengers could listen to by accessing a special website while riding the moving train. As a bonus after listening, riders received a limited-edition smartphone wallpaper (four designs in total, one per day). The campaign also included a “Digital Stamp Rally” touring five locations in Nagoya City where participants could enjoy voice stories and AR photos, awarding an original postcard upon completion. In addition, collaboration merchandise was announced for sale at Animate Nagoya (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: By making the content accessible only while riding the train, JR Central adds value to the act of transit itself. Also worth noting is how the company clearly fronts the brand name “Oshi Tabi,” positioning character collaborations as a continuous, ongoing initiative rather than isolated tie-ups.

Systems for Gathering Fan Voices Expanded Across Travel, Voting, and Product Development

Nippon Kuyu “Good Trip Express” — Launching a Special Feature Page for Oshikatsu and Nui-katsu Travel

On July 17, the travel booking site “Good Trip Express (Guttori),” operated by Nippon Kuyu, launched a special feature page dedicated to oshikatsu and nui-katsu (plushie photography and outings) travel. The page introduces sacred pilgrimage spots, scenic locations matching fans’ oshi-iro (their favorite character’s or member’s signature color), and photogenic cafes, proposing travel plans that fans can enjoy alongside concert or event trips (ensei). Bookings made through the feature page could also take advantage of app-exclusive coupons, a birthday coupon (10% off), and a daily luck-of-the-draw lottery offering up to 7% off (PR TIMES (in Japanese), Iza! (in Japanese), Good Trip Express (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: The key point here is adopting consumer vocabulary—“oshikatsu and nui-katsu”—directly as the title of the feature. The site creates an easy-to-follow path from fans’ existing behavior of visiting sacred sites to purchasing travel packages.

JK Fandom — Operating Virtual Idol Fan Voting on an Asian Scale

“JK Fandom,” operated by F@N Communications Global, joined the 1st “VIVA (Virtual Icon Vision Awards)” as the main voting organizer and official partner. VIVA is an awards event hosted by the Korea Virtual Human Industry Association (KOVHIA). On July 22, JK Fandom opened preliminary fan voting for the Virtual Idol category. Covering 31 groups, the system was structured so that the top 20 groups would advance to the main awards vote. The company announced that votes would be tallied by combining totals across three platforms: JK Fandom, Stardom, and Rematch. Fans could cast votes using both free points and paid points. F@N Communications Global had previously signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for business cooperation with KOVHIA in April 2026 (PR TIMES (in Japanese), Koubo (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: F@N Communications Global has turned the operation of fan voting itself—where each fan’s vote shapes the outcome—into a contracted business for an overseas organization. Operating an infrastructure that gathers fan votes across national borders represents a recurring revenue model distinct from one-off campaign promotions.

Commune × Ibaraki Dairy “Ibanyu Ouendan” — A Community Where Fans Can Participate in Product Creation

Community platform provider Commune supported the creation of “Ibanyu Ouendan” (Ibanyu Cheering Squad), a fan community launched on July 22 by Ibaraki Dairy (a group company of JFLA Holdings), known for long-selling products such as “Tamago Pudding” (Egg Pudding). The community offers exclusive giveaway campaigns, advance tastings of pre-release products, and a program where members can accumulate points to exchange for limited-edition merchandise. By soliciting ideas for new products and facilitating interaction with employees, the company aims to reflect customer voices directly in product development. Hiroaki Suzuki of Ibaraki Dairy’s Sales Department commented, “The deciding factor for adoption was that Commune carefully listened to our challenges and goals in fan marketing and provided an optimal proposal based on them” (PR TIMES (in Japanese), Fukushima Minpo (in Japanese)).

Lab Note: This case demonstrates that we have entered an era where even regional small and mid-sized manufacturers can involve fans in product development if they build a community. Fan marketing is no longer something only major corporations can undertake.

Speaking in the Brand's Own Words & Seizing Serendipity

• FANCL turned real commercial shoot skin-care advice into illustrated letters for Mrs. GREEN APPLE
• back number placed regional handwritten "Thanks for having us" ads across 9 stadium shows
• KFC replied on X to Takion's comedy routine within hours, offering to gift "3 dozen"
• Tottori Prefecture and Nihombashi Mitsukoshi rapidly turned VIVANT filming ties into campaigns

Building Ongoing Systems to Gather Fan Voices

• Nippon Kuyu's Good Trip Express packaged oshikatsu and nui-katsu outings into a travel booking hub
• JK Fandom operated cross-border virtual idol voting across 3 platforms for Korea's VIVA awards
• Ibaraki Dairy launched the "Ibanyu Ouendan" community with Commune to co-create products with fans

Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article

Editorial Reflections on the Week

This was a week in which brands stepped away from templates and began speaking in their own words.

FANCL’s letters, back number’s handwritten lettering, and KFC’s rapid response on social media—none of these relied on standardized advertising agency formats. Instead, it was the companies’ own candid, unscripted reactions that moved fans’ hearts. At the same time, moves to capitalize directly on accidentally becoming a “stage” also stood out, as seen with Tottori Prefecture and Nihombashi Mitsukoshi. Tottori did not miss the opportunity of becoming a filming location, nor did Nihombashi Mitsukoshi miss its Tennyo statue being chosen for a key visual; both turned those connections into projects right away. This kind of agility is now being put to the test.

Another notable current is the spread of “systems” themselves for gathering fans’ voices. JK Fandom turned the operation of virtual idol voting into a business, while Ibaraki Dairy invited fans into product development through a dedicated community. Oshikatsu marketing is not limited to big-budget campaigns. Owning touchpoints with fans as a structured “system” is itself beginning to become a source of competitive advantage.

How can your organization make the most of an “accidental stage,” and how can you systematize your touchpoints with fans? Take a look back at this week’s developments alongside our articles on the Design Principles of Oshikatsu Marketing and Anime & Fandom Pilgrimages (Seichi Junrei).

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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 the Oshikatsu × News category.