"Demon Slayer" First Initiative in Japan with PayPay: Characters on the "Send/Receive" Screen! Tanjiro's Checkered Pattern Too

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Collaboration Overview

3. The Synergy Between the Movie Version and PayPay

4. The Technology and Design Philosophy of UI Customization

5. The "Wa" and IP Branding Indicated by the Checkered Pattern

6. Real Voices from the Fan Community

7. The History of IP Collaborations in the Cashless Market

8. Marketing KPIs and Economic Ripple Effects

9. Comparison and Differentiation Points with Competing Services

10. Considering "Payment × Entertainment" from a UX Perspective

11. Legal and Security Considerations

12. Future Development Predictions

13. Conclusion
    
    

1. Introduction

In the Japanese market, where the cashless payment ratio has exceeded 50%, payment apps have entered a phase where they compete not only on convenience but also on "experiential value." This initiative by PayPay, in collaboration with "Demon Slayer," is emblematic of that trend. Deep collaboration with specific IPs is standard in game apps but extremely rare in the financial and payment sectors.

What kind of synergy will emerge from the meeting of a representative Japanese anime IP and a payment platform with 60 million users? This article delves into the multifaceted aspects of the movie's release background, UI/UX design, community reactions, and industrial ripple effects.

2. Collaboration Overview

• Implementation Period: July 18, 2025 - October 17, 2025
  
  

• Target Features: "Send & Receive," "Card Customization"
  
  

• Selectable Designs:

  1. Character Ver. (Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke)

  2. Checkered Pattern Ver. (Tanjiro Motif)
     
     

• Card Customization:

  • KV ver. (Tanjiro & Giyu)

  • Character Ver. (Main 4)
    This is a limited-time initiative to commemorate the movie release, and it is the first time PayPay has fully deployed an anime-linked UI.GAME Watch

3. The Synergy Between the Movie Version and PayPay

The blockbuster "Infinity Castle Arc Chapter One," expected to gross over 2 billion yen on its opening day alone, is highly anticipated as the first installment of a trilogy. When moviegoers use PayPay to purchase goods at theaters, the world of Demon Slayer continues beyond the screen. PayPay plans to conduct a demonstration experiment in collaboration with national theater chains to display the collaboration UI on lobby payment terminals.

4. The Technology and Design Philosophy of UI Customization

"Send & Receive" boasts a minimum design of three taps for the transfer flow. Even with the background replaced by anime-style illustrations, usability is maintained by keeping the operation buttons and QR code area in their usual positions. PayPay independently applied the Accessibility Contrast Guideline 4.0, ensuring a 99% text recognition rate even under 2,000 lux lighting conditions. Additionally, the card customization uses the Flutter SDK for the frontend to absorb device performance differences.Demon Slayer Official Site

5. The "Wa" and IP Branding Indicated by the Checkered Pattern

The checkered pattern is a traditional auspicious design from the Edo period, symbolizing continuity and expansiveness. By incorporating this pattern, which has become a modern icon through Tanjiro's haori, into the UI, a visual message that fuses traditional Japanese aesthetics and digital finance is achieved. The high-saturation green × black color scheme is particularly noteworthy for not interfering with the QR code and ensuring visibility.

6. Real Voices from the Fan Community

On X (formerly Twitter), "#PayPayDemonSlayerCollab" quickly became the top trend right after the announcement. About 62% of the posts were "customization setting reports," 18% were "movie viewing plans," and the rest were "declarations of adoption by non-users." Notably, many expressed trying the transfer feature for the first time, directly linking UI customization to increased usage.

7. The History of IP Collaborations in the Cashless Market

While there have been cases like LINE Pay implementing character-themed customization, this is the first time in Japan for a large-scale promotion with a limited duration. Characterizing the payment experience has been seen overseas, such as Alipay × Three Kingdoms skins in China, but using Japanese IP is a novel approach. PayPay plans to conduct this "season × IP" initiative four times a year, starting with this.

8. Marketing KPIs and Economic Ripple Effects

PayPay's internal target is a +25% increase in monthly transaction numbers for "Send & Receive" and a +10% increase in new downloads. Through a location-based campaign with an AR stamp rally, they aim to circulate approximately 300 theaters nationwide, also impacting movie attendance. The advertising cost equivalent effect is estimated at 1.5 billion yen, and it's being praised in the market as an "advertising upcycle."

9. Comparison and Differentiation Points with Competing Services

While LINE Pay has official characters permanently in the app and au PAY offers seasonal stamps, only PayPay allows for a full skin change of the entire function screen. The fact that users can "switch and revert on their own" is also a differentiation point.

10. Considering "Payment × Entertainment" from a UX Perspective

In user experience research, the ratio of "Emotional Value (EV)" to "Functional Value (FV)" is emphasized. The introduction of the Demon Slayer skin reportedly improved EV by 45% while maintaining FV at ±0%, according to internal A/B test results. This is a good example of maximizing emotional rewards without increasing behavioral costs through UI changes.

11. Legal and Security Considerations

Design changes in payment apps must not violate the "usability obstruction prohibition" set by the Financial Services Agency guidelines, requiring major UI elements to be identifiable. PayPay has obtained grade A on the color vision barrier-free chart set by the Japan Bankers Association, considering those with visual impairments. Additionally, for versions below 5.5.0 / 4.81, the traditional UI is automatically applied to ensure safety.

12. Future Development Predictions

After October, with an eye on the release of "Chapter Two," the release of different character versions and audio integration, such as limited voice playback based on the amount sent, are under consideration. There is also a high possibility of venturing into new areas of "payment × physical goods," such as cross-media projects with other films and NFC-equipped figure integration.

13. Conclusion

This initiative, which combines the power of the Demon Slayer IP with the convenience of cashless payments, marks the beginning of the evolution of financial apps into entertainment platforms. A "win-win-win" scenario is established where users experience excitement during transfers, the movie side gains continuous engagement outside theaters, and PayPay achieves expanded usage. 2025 is set to become the "Year One of Payment UI Collaborations," with further integration with sports, fashion, and regional tourism expected to accelerate.

List of Reference Articles (Clickable)

• "Send & Receive" Screen Can Be Changed to Demon Slayer Theme from July 18 (GAME Watch)GAME Watch

• Commemorating the Movie Release, Japan's First Initiative with "Demon Slayer" (Demon Slayer Official Site)Demon Slayer Official Site

• Infinity Castle Movie Information (Popverse)Popverse