Why Do People and Companies Want to Know About "Oshi-Katsu"? — Insights from Analysis Revealing the Background of Consumer Enthusiasm Becoming Visible —

Why Do People and Companies Want to Know About "Oshi-Katsu"? — Insights from Analysis Revealing the Background of Consumer Enthusiasm Becoming Visible —

2025年07月11日 23:37

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction: What is "Oshi-katsu"?

  2. The Global Perspective on the Oshi-katsu Boom

  3. Four Major Factors of Enthusiasm Created by Visualization

  4. Why Companies Are Focusing on Oshi-katsu

  5. Market Size and Economic Ripple Effects

  6. Insights by Generation and Gender, and Overseas Comparisons

  7. Understanding Spending Patterns Through Data

  8. Risks and Challenges: Overheating, Disparities, and Sustainability

  9. The Formula for Successful Oshi-katsu Marketing

  10. Key Points for Overseas Companies Entering the Market

  11. Conclusion: The Future Consumer Culture Indicated by Oshi-katsu


1. Introduction: What is "Oshi-katsu"?

"Oshi-katsu" is a Japanese slang term referring to the general activities of supporting one's favorite idols, anime characters, VTubers, and even trains or local mascots. It spread through social media in the mid-2010s and was a candidate for the "U-Can New Words and Buzzwords Awards" in 2021. Currently, it is also used by overseas media as a translation for "fan activity."


2. The Global Perspective on the Oshi-katsu Boom

Reuters reported in 2025 that "wage increases among young people and the growth of disposable income are driving oshi-katsu"Reuters. Asia Times also analyzed that "oshi-katsu is a 'stress-coping consumption' that is less likely to slow down even under inflation"Asia Times. Oshi-katsu is rapidly expanding in South Korea, Thailand, and China, developing into a phenomenon where concert tours and live streaming payments circulate across borders.


3. Four Major Factors of Enthusiasm Created by Visualization

3-1 Digital Platforms

With action logs from social media and e-commerce sites, it has become possible to obtain real-time data on "who spent how much on what and when." Fans' "enthusiasm scores" are valued as investment decision indicators by companies.


3-2 Experience Value Economy

Spending on "pseudo-close experiences" like chats and online handshake events is increasingly surpassing physical consumption. Fans purchase their own stories, and companies insert "upgrade charges" into them.


3-3 Empathy Domino Effect

Offline events→SNS posts→secondary creations→buzz→new customer acquisition, this cycle occurs in a chain reaction. The visualized "enthusiasm" accelerates viral spread.


3-4 Lifestyle Transformation

Surveys show that the participation rate in oshi-katsu among women in their early 30s has surged to 30.4%PR TIMES, and nearly 40% of those in their 50s have favoritesReuters. Delayed marriages and increased disposable time are the background factors.


4. Why Companies Are Focusing on Oshi-katsu

  • Subscription-type Consumption That Easily Creates Repeat Customers
    Fan clubs, digital memberships, and monthly donations allow for the construction of a stable income model.

  • Immediate Effectiveness Through Collaborative Campaigns
    In 2025, the beef bowl chain "Sukiya" collaborated with the anime "Haikyu!!", achieving a 120% year-on-year increase in sales by distributing limited edition cardsGMO NIKKO Inc. |.

  • UGC Reduces Advertising Costs
    Fans themselves become advertising towers, and SNS word-of-mouth lowers CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost).


5. Market Size and Economic Ripple Effects

The CDG×Oshicoco survey estimated oshi-katsu consumption at 3.5 trillion yen, recording a +17% year-on-year increasePR TIMES. Reuters reported that this expenditure accounts for 2.1% of Japan's total retail salesReuters. The Bank of Japan's regional economic report also noted that "high-priced consumption such as purchasing multiple sets of trading cards supports local retail."


6. Insights by Generation and Gender, and Overseas Comparisons

6-1 Generational Differences

Teens: Focus on SNS live viewing and gacha spending.
20s-30s: Highest inclination towards travel and on-site experiences, with an average annual expenditure of about 300,000 yen per person.
40s-50s: Notable expansion into aroma nails and favorite color cosmetics as "oshi-katsu × self-care."


6-2 Gender Trends

Women are notable for supporting multiple identical products with an "emphasis on support," while men are prominent for collecting limited editions with "asset value" in mind.


6-3 Differences with Overseas Fans

South Korea and China have a high ratio of donations, while North America and Europe prefer "ownership proof types" such as NFTs and limited vinyl records.


7. Understanding Spending Patterns Through Data

CategoryAverage Spending RatioTrend
Official Merchandise28%Absolute amount increases with a wide variety of online sales
Tickets21%Demand for high-priced VIP seats is expanding
Travel Expenses17%Increased frequency with LCC and private lodging use
Cafes and Collaborative Food11%"Pilgrimage" experiences and SNS appeal
Digital Spending23%Live streaming and fan apps

(Compiled from Neo Marketing's independent survey, June 2025Neo Marketing)


8. Risks and Challenges: Overheating, Disparities, and Sustainability

Oshi-katsu is a "nutrient that loosens the purse strings," but

  • Excessive Spending Leading to Financial Strain

  • Environmental Impact of Merchandise Waste

  • Community Fatigue Caused by "Peer Pressure"
    are also shadow aspects. Companies are required to manage fan communities that ensure psychological safety, implement purchase limits, and recycling initiatives.


9. The Formula for Successful Oshi-katsu Marketing

  1. Real-time Analysis of Enthusiasm Data

  2. Design with "Shareability" in Mind to Encourage UGC

  3. Extracting Symbolic Elements like Favorite Colors and Numbers

  4. Layering Participation Costs (Free to High-Priced VIP)

  5. Opening Fan Co-Creation Platforms


10. Key Points for Overseas Companies Entering the Market

  • Partner with Local Entities and Understand Japanese UGC Culture

  • Reduce "Translation Costs" Through Cross-Border Collaborations with Character IP

  • Design Limited Production Schemes with Logistics and Tariffs in Mind


11. Conclusion: The Future Consumer Culture Indicated by Oshi-katsu

Oshi-katsu is a symbol of an era where "likes" are visualized and monetized. Fans strengthen their identities, and companies commercialize empathy value through data. This dynamism will serve as an indicator of consumer trends transitioning to an experience value economy not only in Japan but globally.



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