KFC & Lawson Team Up with Uma Musume / Local Govs Promote Tourism on Roblox [Weekly News: July 31, 2026]

Here is our roundup of standout news in corporate oshikatsu (fan-driven activity) marketing and the fan business from the week of July 24 to July 30, 2026.

This Week’s Highlights

The defining theme of the week was a growing number of touchpoints for fan activities across both physical spaces and virtual worlds.

Among restaurant and retail chains, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Lawson each announced collaborations starting in August with the multimedia franchise Uma Musume Pretty Derby. Conveyor-belt sushi chain Sushiro also kicked off a two-phase campaign with Hello Kitty. On the local government front, Tochigi Prefecture announced an initiative featuring hololive VTuber La+ Darknesss in a video series and digital stamp rally designed to guide fans around 13 “sacred sites” (seichi, real-world locations connected to a beloved work or creator). Meanwhile, Yokosuka City and Osaka Prefecture each rolled out official items and avatars inside the online platform Roblox.

In technology, confectionery maker Lotte launched the “Bikkuriman AI Goods Maker,” a service that uses generative AI to turn facial photos into Bikkuriman-style characters for custom merchandise. Otani Design Lab announced “Vuinade!” (Buinade!), an interactive system priced from 1.08 million yen for corporate clients that uses hand tracking so fans can virtually pet their favorite characters. Several notable numbers also made headlines this week. Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island (Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu) recorded 2,240,333,500 yen in box office revenue over its first three days. And a survey by Hamaru Strategy found that the trimmed mean of the maximum amounts respondents had spent at one time on blind-box or randomized merchandise, excluding the highest and lowest 10%, was 20,256 yen.

A Week Where Restaurant and Retail Chains Built Reasons to Visit Around Popular IP

KFC x Uma Musume — Pairing In-Game Content with Combo Meals

Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan announced that it would run the “Uma Musume no Umauma! Kentucky!” campaign at KFC locations nationwide from August 12 to September 30, in collaboration with Uma Musume Pretty Derby. The collaboration sets were announced as available exclusively through KFC Net Order. The first wave, featuring the “Uma Musume no Umauma! Cobb Mayo Dip Set,” was announced to begin on August 12 and include one random trading card (out of 18 designs total) as a purchase bonus. The second wave, featuring the “Carrot Occhahoi Set” (Ninjin Occhahoi Set), was announced to begin on September 9 and come with one random tin badge (out of 8 designs total). Each set was also announced to include a serial code redeemable inside the game for a limited support card, “SSR [Take a Big Bite and Smile] Red Desire” (SSR [Gabutto, Egao ni] Red Desire). Inside the game itself, the collaboration was announced to add a commemorative song titled “Gabutto!” along with special missions allowing players to earn a “KFC Goodwill Ambassador Golshi” outfit for the character Gold Ship (Inside (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: What stands out here is that KFC prepared not only physical bonus merchandise at its restaurants, but also in-game login rewards and character outfits. By linking an in-store purchase with an in-app experience under the same campaign, the promotion is designed so that fans are reminded of visiting a KFC restaurant every time they open the game app. We view this as a clear example of how frequency of contact changes depending on where you invite fans to start their journey, rather than relying on a one-off collaboration menu item alone.

Lawson x Uma Musume — Taking Over Storefronts with 141 Different Banners

Convenience store chain Lawson announced its Uma Musume collaboration campaign for August 18 to August 31. The key visual featured seven characters—Epiphaneia, Logotype, Rulership, Victoire Pisa, Almond Eye, Kiseki, and Daring Tact—dressed in casual streetwear and enjoying Lawson staples like Karaage-kun fried chicken bites and soft-serve ice cream. Lawson announced original collaboration products including Kajyu Gummy fruit gummies, oversized Country Ma’am cookies, Choipaku Rusk (honey flavor), and sitting plushies. The standout feature announced for the campaign was the planned placement of vertical storefront banners (nobori) depicting a total of 141 different Uma Musume characters across Lawson stores in Tokyo and surrounding areas. Lawson also announced the sale of tabletop-sized “mini banners” for fans to collect (Inside (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Lawson creates a massive physical presence at the storefront through the sheer scale of 141 characters. Rather than displaying a single character on a giant poster, lining up a wide roster of characters outside stores makes it possible to draw in different groups of fans who each support their own particular Uma Musume. It is a display strategy built around volume—something only possible with an IP that commands a deep roster of characters.

Sushiro x Hello Kitty — Bringing a Sense of Occasion to Conveyor-Belt Sushi in Two Phases

Sushiro began the first wave of its Hello Kitty collaboration, “KAWAUMA HELLO KITTY” (combining kawaii [cute] and uma [delicious]), on July 29 and announced a second wave starting August 19. The announced bonus items were food picks, stickers, and zippered pouches in the first wave, followed by clear picks, decals, and mini charms in the second wave. Menu items bundled with mascots were also announced for both periods. Crucially, the backs of the stickers and decals were announced to include a coupon for 5% off at Sushiro. In addition, the company announced official app and social media sweepstakes where customers could win oversized bath towels or digital dining vouchers worth 10,000 yen by lottery. Customers could also experience a special “Hello Kitty Mode” on Sushiro’s large “Digiro” digital touch-screen lane displays, and five locations in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi, Osaka, and Fukuoka were set up as special themed collaboration stores (Inside (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Sushiro’s decision to combine character merchandise and a discount coupon onto the exact same sticker or decal is highly practical. Customers who obtain the coupon during the collaboration can use the 5% discount from September 9 to 30, 2026, subject to its conditions. That allows the same campaign to appeal to both character fans and price-conscious diners. Designing fan-targeted perks and standard sales promotions as a single integrated piece is an approach that other restaurant chains could easily adapt.

DIAGRAMThree Chain Collaborations and How They Engineered Store Visits

KFC x Uma Musume

Two waves of physical bonus items (18 trading cards, then 8 tin badges)
Serial codes for an in-game SSR support card
In-game song and Gold Ship outfit missions that remind app users of KFC

Lawson x Uma Musume

Key visual with 7 characters eating Karaage-kun and soft-serve ice cream
Storefront banners featuring 141 characters across Tokyo-area stores
Original snacks, plushies, and tabletop mini banners for sale

Sushiro x Hello Kitty

Two phases of bonus picks, stickers, pouches, and mini charms
5% off Sushiro coupons printed directly on the back of stickers and decals
"Hello Kitty Mode" on Digiro screens and 5 special themed stores

Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of chain announcements covered in this issue

A Week Where Local Governments Tackled Tourism PR with Roblox and VTubers

Tochigi Prefecture x La+ Darknesss — An Official VTuber Ambassador Designs “Sacred Sites”

On July 31, Tochigi Prefecture launched a video-linked promotional campaign starring hololive VTuber La+ Darknesss. The initiative combines oshikatsu with anime/creator pilgrimage (seichi junrei) to raise awareness of the prefecture and encourage visitors to travel around multiple areas within Tochigi. La+ Darknesss had previously been appointed in May 2026 as the first-ever VTuber “Tochigi Future Ambassador” (Tochigi Mirai Taishi). The video series, titled Behold! La+ Darknesss’s Journey to Conquer Tochigi!! (Katsumoku Seyo! La+ Darknesss no Tochigi Seifuku Tabi!!), consists of five episodes of roughly five minutes each, introducing a total of 13 locations as “sacred sites.” The first episode, “in Nasu,” premiered on July 31 on Tochigi Prefecture’s official YouTube channel, “15Tube.” Subsequent episodes covering Nikko, Central Tochigi (Ken’o), Eastern Tochigi (Kento), and Southern Tochigi (Kennan) were announced for sequential release through November. A LINE digital stamp rally launched on the same day covers a total of 25 locations—the 13 spots featured in the videos plus nearby regional attractions—and runs until January 31, 2027. In addition to giving digital coupons to all participants based on the number of stamps collected, the rally enters participants into a lottery to win Tochigi local specialties and merchandise featuring a handwritten message from La+ Darknesss (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Tochigi Prefecture intentionally expanded the scope of the stamp rally from the 13 locations featured in the videos to 25 locations in total. The structure is designed so that fans who travel to Tochigi specifically to visit a spot they saw in a video will also stop by neighboring attractions while they are in the area. Because there is a VTuber serving as a “guide,” fans can experience regional tourism information as retracing the exact route that La+ Darknesss walked. It is a case study that clearly illustrates how important talent selection is in municipal regional-touring campaigns.

Yokosuka City — Handing Out Free Official Sukajan Jackets in Roblox

On July 27, Ignisus Co., Ltd. and Yokosuka City began distributing free “Yokosuka City Official Sukajan” jackets inside Roblox. Distribution was capped at a total of 300 digital jackets—150 in “Lavender” and 150 in “Blue”—available on a first-come, first-served basis. Players could claim them at a special booth set up inside the Roblox game Cozy Life, with distribution ending as soon as supplies ran out. The sukajan (souvenir jacket) is a style of jacket that originated in Yokosuka, representing a local fashion culture known for intricate embroidery. For this digital release, the embroidery details and satin fabric texture were recreated as a 3D wearable avatar item. The giveaway is part of the “Metaverse Yokosuka” project, which promotes the city’s appeal online and aims to give both domestic and international users—especially Gen Z—an opportunity to connect with Yokosuka’s history and culture (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: By limiting the quantity to 300 pieces, Yokosuka created genuine competition to claim an item even within a digital platform like Roblox. Because the item is free, the “while supplies last” constraint works effectively, turning what could have been a routine municipal announcement into an active event. It shows that even when turning regional culture into a digital item, restricting supply can produce the same urgency and appeal as limited-edition physical goods.

Osaka Prefecture’s “Mozuyan” — Linking Roblox with a Physical Nationwide Tour

Osaka Prefecture’s official mascot character, “Mozuyan,” made an appearance in NAMBA PLAY PARK, an original Roblox world produced by Meta Osaka Co., Ltd. Inside the world, players control a Mozuyan avatar and take on an obstacle-course action game set in the streets of Namba, Osaka (taking roughly 3 to 4 minutes per playthrough). This digital content can also be experienced in person through the “Mozuyan’s Osaka Oshikatsu! Nationwide Caravan” event. The caravan was announced to tour five venues across Japan from August 2 at LaLaport Kadoma through November 1, stopping at Sunshine City (Tokyo), LaLaport Fukuoka, Global Gate (Aichi), and AEON Mall Shijonawate (Osaka). Visitors can play the game on gaming PCs set up at each venue, with participation requiring visitors to follow Osaka Prefecture’s official LINE account (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: What sets Osaka Prefecture’s approach apart is the sequence: it built the virtual experience first, and announced plans to take that digital experience on the road to five physical venues nationwide. By bringing the play space to different regions, Osaka creates a tangible touchpoint—“I played a game with Mozuyan”—even for people who cannot travel to Osaka in person. It demonstrates that expanding awareness of a local mascot can be designed independently from immediate inbound travel to the prefecture itself.

A Week Where AI Business Cards and Hand Tracking Expanded How Fans Experience Their Oshi

Lotte’s “Bikkuriman AI Goods Maker” — Turning Yourself into a Custom Character with Generative AI

On July 29, Lotte launched the “Bikkuriman AI Goods Maker,” a service that generates a one-of-a-kind Bikkuriman-style character from a user’s facial photograph and lets them order custom items such as business cards and T-shirts. This marks the second installment of the “Bikkuriman AI Business Card Maker” (Bikkuriman AI Meishi Maker), which ran for a limited time in December 2025; development and system operations support are handled by the web service planning company Alu. The first installment was held for a limited 40-day period starting December 16, 2025, as part of the 40th-anniversary project for the “Devil vs. Angel Series” (Akuma VS Tenshi Series), selling custom business cards starting at 4,400 yen for 100 cards. During that initial run, the daily quota of 400 sets sold out every single day, selling out in an average of just 4 to 5 minutes. For this second installment, Lotte expanded the product lineup beyond business cards (now priced from 7,700 yen for 200 cards) to include T-shirts, acrylic keychains, and other merchandise (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: The proven track record of selling out daily during the first run directly informed the decision to expand the merchandise lineup for the second wave. Choosing business cards—an item with an established culture of person-to-person exchange—as the starting point was also a clever move, designing the product to spread naturally from person to person in business and hobby communities alike. For participatory AI merchandise, this case shows the effectiveness of restricting supply first to verify real demand before broadening the product catalog.

“Vuinade!” — Petting Your Oshi Through Hand Tracking

On July 30, Otani Design Lab began full-scale provision of “Vuinade!” (Buinade!), an interactive experience system that lets users virtually pet (nade-nade) characters on a screen using a hand-tracking sensor. The system requires no dedicated controller, gloves, or touch panel; users simply hold their hand over the sensor to interact. For VTuber events, the streamer can see in real time exactly where the user is petting, enabling two-way communication. For anime and game characters, the character’s facial expressions and voice lines change in response to the user’s petting motions. Another key feature is that companies can use their existing Live2D or 3D models and voice assets as-is, without needing to produce brand-new assets from scratch. One-time purchase plans start at a standard price of 1.48 million yen, offered at a promotional price starting from 1.08 million yen during the launch campaign (Mogura VR (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: By designing the system to reuse existing character models and voice files, Otani Design Lab essentially reduces the workload of planning rather than the financial adoption cost. When rightsholders do not need to commission newly drawn illustrations or custom animations, it becomes much easier to consider deploying the system even for a one-off event. We can see how the company is trying to grow the market around fans’ desire to interact with characters by focusing on ease of implementation rather than the content itself.

A Week Where Multiple Companies Moved to Build Summer Storefronts and Touchpoints

LUUP x Garigarikun — Wrapping 150 Vehicles in Tokyo and Handing Out Free Popsicles

On July 27, Luup, the operator of the electric kickboard and bike-sharing service “LUUP,” launched a summer collaboration campaign with Akagi Nyugyo’s iconic popsicle brand “Garigarikun.” Combining the “edible coolness” of Garigarikun with the “riding coolness” of LUUP, the campaign aimed to encourage people to use LUUP to get around even during the summer heat. From July 27 to August 23, the company decorated the LUUP port in front of Gotanda Station in a special Garigarikun theme and planned to deploy a total of 150 specially wrapped electric kickboards and electric-assist bicycles across Tokyo. In addition, Luup announced a social media posting campaign awarding limited LINE stickers to 300 winners by lottery, as well as a ride-completion campaign awarding original eco-bags to 200 winners by lottery. The company also designated several ports as “Cooling Stations” and announced dates on which free Garigarikun popsicles would be handed out after 6:00 PM (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Pairing the physical sensation of “staying cool” across both food and mobility gives this campaign a cohesive hook. Because the promotion centers on the everyday summer challenge of beating the heat, it creates a practical reason to use LUUP even for people who are not die-hard Garigarikun fans. It demonstrates that cross-industry collaborations can often build stronger consumer touchpoints by looking for a shared everyday life situation rather than relying solely on a shared character fanbase.

Sanrio x Mckee — Connecting Stationery and Characters at a 50th Anniversary Pop-Up

Collaborative merchandise pairing pen manufacturer Zebra’s official character “Hi! Mckee” with Sanrio Characters was announced for sale at a special pop-up event scheduled at RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK in Shibuya starting August 24. “Hi! Mckee” is a character created in 2024 based on the distinctive silhouette of Zebra’s classic “Hi-Mckee” permanent marker. Marking the character’s first-ever collaboration with Sanrio Characters, the event was announced to offer limited-edition Hi-Mckee markers (220 yen each, available in 8 colors), eco-bags, stickers, and more under the theme of “Hi! Mckee Town.” The pop-up event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Mckee marker was scheduled for August 24 to August 30. Alongside limited-edition merchandise sales, the venue was announced to feature a custom workshop corner where visitors could assemble their own one-of-a-kind Hi-Mckee marker, as well as scheduled character greeting times (Cho! Animedia (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Zebra aligned its corporate character’s very first collaboration with a massive external IP with the 50th anniversary of the product itself. While a standalone pop-up for a newly minted corporate mascot can make foot traffic hard to predict, teaming up with a powerhouse customer magnet like Sanrio elevates the appeal of visiting the physical store. For companies that own an original brand character, co-starring with an established external IP can serve as an effective shortcut to broader public recognition.

SEGA’s Official Beijing Store — Accelerating Physical Retail Expansion with Its Third Store

On July 18, SEGA opened a permanent official retail store, “SEGA STORE BEIJING,” inside the major shopping mall Joy City Chaoyang (Beijing Chaoyang Joy City) in Beijing. This marks SEGA’s third permanent official store worldwide. The company had previously opened “SEGA STORE SHANGHAI” in Shanghai, China, in May 2025, followed by its first flagship store in Japan, “SEGA STORE TOKYO” (in Shibuya, Tokyo), in July 2025. The Beijing store carries the same core lineup as the Shanghai store while adding Beijing-exclusive items. SEGA stated that the store would offer experiences unique to a physical retail location, including original merchandise sales for SEGA and Atlus IPs alongside hands-on game demo corners (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Looking at the store opening sequence of Shanghai, Tokyo, and Beijing, we get the impression that SEGA is expanding step-by-step from markets where it has already confirmed solid traction, rather than looking at market size alone. SEGA is extending 65 years’ worth of IP assets beyond video games into physical store experiences. This trajectory illustrates one clear model for how content companies can turn their back-catalog IP assets into recurring retail revenue.

What the Numbers Said: This Week’s Oshikatsu and Fan Spending Data

DIAGRAMKey Fan Business and Consumer Survey Numbers from This Week

¥2.24B: 3-day opening box office revenue for Chiikawa the Movie (1,508,538 admissions across 447 theaters)
89.7%: Share of respondents who prefer paying a higher unit price if they can choose their exact character item
¥20,256: Trimmed mean of maximum amounts spent at one time on randomized blind-box merchandise, excluding the highest and lowest 10% (median: ¥15,000)
84.3%: Share of survey respondents involved in manufacturing or selling random goods who say they dislike the format

Source: Anime! Anime! and Hamaru Strategy survey reports covered in this issue

“Chiikawa the Movie” Earns 2.24 Billion Yen — A Massive Three-Day Opening

Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island (Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu) drew 1,508,538 moviegoers and earned 2,240,333,500 yen at the box office over its first three days from July 24 to July 26. It debuted at number one in the weekend attendance rankings, marking a strong start. Released across 447 theaters nationwide (including 65 IMAX screens) with complete supervision by original creator Nagano, the film also earned a 4.2-star rating on the movie review site Filmarks (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: When concrete box office figures emerge within just three days of release, partner companies can use that hard data to inform investment decisions for upcoming merchandise rollouts and regional collaborations. For an IP where grassroots fan support translates directly into box office numbers, a theatrical release makes it much easier for licensing partners to move quickly. In fact, numerous store promotions tied to Chiikawa the Movie were running simultaneously across Japan during this very same week.

Favorite Live Venues Chosen by Oshikatsu Fans — Why Tokyo Dome Tops the List

The oshikatsu media outlet “Oshicoco” published a ranking of “Favorite Live Venues” based on a reader survey covering 56 venues nationwide, with Tokyo Dome (Tokyo) taking first place. Tokyo Dome was praised for combining “great location” with an “overwhelming sense of scale,” winning support for its easy access from train stations and abundant nearby facilities. Second place went to Osaka-jo Hall (Osaka Prefecture), which was valued for practical advantages such as proximity to the station and having very few “bad seats” with poor views. Third place was a tie between Yokohama Arena and Pia Arena MM (both in Kanagawa Prefecture), with fans citing sightlines, acoustics, and overall convenience as their reasons for support (Anime! Anime! (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: What the top-ranked venues have in common is not flashy stage production equipment, but practical conditions: easy access from the nearest station and clear sightlines from almost any seat. From the perspective of venue operators, this shows that a venue’s appeal is determined not only by the performance on stage, but also in large part by how smoothly foot traffic flows between the station and the arena. For venue operators and surrounding commercial facilities, improving the transit route for traveling fans can be a concrete target for investment.

On July 31, Hamaru Strategy Co., Ltd. published the final report of its “2026 Consumer Awareness Survey on Random Goods” on a dedicated website. The voluntary survey, which did not use random sampling, gathered 35,866 valid responses, with free-response comments totaling approximately 2.69 million Japanese characters, and also incorporated interviews with 18 companies involved in randomized (blind-box) merchandise. The most common preference—selected by 89.7% of respondents—was for sales methods where “the unit price goes up, but you can choose which item you buy.” The trimmed mean of the maximum amounts respondents had spent in a single purchase on randomized goods, excluding the highest and lowest 10%, was 20,256 yen, with a median of 15,000 yen. Meanwhile, tolerance for blind-box sales was exceptionally low for plushies (0.6%) and figures or mascots (1.8%), with respondents explaining that they “feel a sense of life” in three-dimensional character items. Notably, even among respondents involved in manufacturing or selling merchandise, 84.3% answered that they “dislike” randomized sales (PR TIMES (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: The fact that 84.3% of respondents involved in manufacturing or selling merchandise answered that they “dislike” random goods is a crucial finding. If sellers themselves feel uncomfortable while continuing the practice, it suggests that blind-box sales are being driven not by consumer demand, but by inventory clearance needs and sales efficiency on the supply side. The fact that nearly 90% of respondents are willing to pay a higher unit price to choose their item suggests that switching to open-choice sales would not necessarily reduce overall revenue.

Partnerships Creating New Markets and Corporate Owned-Media Strategies

Robot Start x BEAMING — Opening a New Market for “Oshikatsu x Podcast Ads”

On July 29, Robot Start Co., Ltd. partnered with BEAMING Co., Ltd. to launch a new initiative combining oshikatsu with podcast advertising. BEAMING operates the fandom management platform “STAN,” while Robot Start operates one of Japan’s largest podcast advertising networks. Under this new system, fan support actions—such as voting, attending events, buying merchandise, or engaging on social media—are set up as “triggers.” Depending on the volume of fan activity, thank-you audio messages from the oshi or event announcements are distributed through podcast advertising slots. The first project links with a voting campaign on BEAMING’s “STAN” platform: using the “Heart” support actions sent by fans to their oshi as a trigger, celebratory audio messages will be broadcast on the birthdays of the top-ranking creators (PR TIMES (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: Redefining an “advertising slot” as a “stage for fan-unlocked messages” is an original concept. Because the audio message is delivered only after active participation through fan support, it is much more likely to stick in listeners’ memories than passive ad exposure. Audio advertising slots are often avoided by marketers because listeners frequently tune them out while multitasking. However, when designed as a reward for fan support, a podcast ad can become something fans actively tune in to hear.

PARCO Revives Free Paper “GOMES” After 30 Years — Breaking Away from Reliance on Clearance Sales

On July 17, department store operator PARCO began distributing “GOMES by PARCO,” a subculture-focused free paper, across 15 stores nationwide. The publication revives GOMES, which originally ran from 1989 to 1996, after a 30-year hiatus. A second issue is scheduled for publication in September, and PARCO announced that the magazine will be distributed exclusively in physical stores without being published online. Describing it as “a free paper that is useless for advertising PARCO,” the company includes no information at all about store tenants or discount sales. Notably, PARCO also canceled its “Grand Bazar”—a massive chain-wide clearance sale it had held for roughly 50 years—this summer. In an interview with the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), PARCO President Kenji Kawase expressed the view that interesting cultural projects are more likely to motivate store visits today than price markdowns. During its original run from 1989 to 1996, the old GOMES published 80 issues in total, distributing up to 100,000 copies per issue at PARCO stores nationwide. Its pages featured works such as Katsuki Tanaka and Masakazu Amahisa’s Baka Drill and manga by Kyoko Okazaki, and it served as a launchpad that helped creators like Nameko Shinsan expand their careers (AdverTimes. (in Japanese)).

The Oshi Lab’s Note: It can hardly be a coincidence that the cancellation of PARCO’s flagship clearance sale and the revival of its subculture free paper happened in the exact same year. PARCO has stepped away from the mindset of drawing crowds through price cuts, pivoting instead toward showing customers what kind of culture the company itself finds exciting. Choosing to invest in a physical print medium that does not directly drive short-term tenant sales suggests that PARCO is prioritizing long-term brand affection over immediate discount-driven foot traffic.

Reflections on the Week

This week was a week in which companies expanded “where fans can meet their oshi” across both physical locations and virtual spaces.

KFC and Lawson announced plans to build touchpoints with Uma Musume through in-game rewards and storefront banners. Tochigi Prefecture, Yokosuka City, and Osaka Prefecture used virtual platforms and talent—Roblox and VTubers—as the venues themselves for tourism PR. Lotte’s AI Goods Maker and “Vuinade!” used technology to recreate the sensation of getting closer to or physically touching a character. Even though the methods of building touchpoints differed, the underlying goal was the same: giving fans a reason to come back and meet again.

At the same time, Hamaru Strategy’s survey revealed the reality that 84.3% of respondents involved in manufacturing or selling merchandise dislike randomized blind-box merchandise, while PARCO voluntarily let go of the traditional clearance sale as a customer touchpoint. Together, these moves show that simply multiplying the number of touchpoints is not the whole answer. How companies transform increased contact into higher-quality relationships—this week’s news reflected both sides of that challenge.

To explore how companies can design meaningful touchpoints with fans in greater depth, see our related analyses on Design Principles of Oshikatsu Marketing, Random Goods and Oshikatsu Consumption, and Anime Pilgrimage (Seichi Junrei) as a Methodology.

Weekly Oshikatsu News brings you a weekly roundup of the latest developments at the intersection of fan culture and business. You can browse past issues in the Oshikatsu x News category.