Figures / Garage Kit Culture

The world's largest figure and garage kit festival, organized by Kaiyodo. Held twice yearly (summer/winter) at Makuhari Messe, thousands of dealers from professionals to amateurs exhibit. Its unique 'one-day license' system officially permits fan-made derivative figure sales, making it a distinctly Japanese event that bridges professional and amateur creative communities.

The world's largest figure and garage kit festival, organized by Kaiyodo. Held twice yearly (summer/winter) at Makuhari Messe, thousands of dealers from professionals to amateurs exhibit. Its unique 'one-day license' system officially permits fan-made derivative figure sales, making it a distinctly Japanese event that bridges professional and amateur creative communities.

A culture of self-published works by fans and independent creators. Distributed primarily through Comiket, it encompasses diverse works from fan fiction to original creations. It also functions as a gateway for professional authors, forming a crucial foundation of Japan's creative ecosystem.

Romance simulation games aimed at a female audience. Players take on the role of a female protagonist engaging in romantic storylines with multiple male characters. Titles like Uta no Prince-sama have spawned active media mix developments including anime and stage adaptations.

A fiction genre depicting male-male romance. It spans diverse media including manga, novels, anime, and drama, primarily supported by female fans. This Japan-originated culture has spread globally, especially across East Asia, spawning new developments like Thai BL dramas.

A trading card game based on Pokemon, launched in 1996. Sold in over 80 countries with cumulative sales exceeding 64 billion cards, it combines collectibility with strategic gameplay. Recent high-value rare card transactions have made headlines worldwide. The Pokemon TCG is the foremost example of Japanese-born trading card culture spreading globally.

A merchandise market for anime characters including figures, badges, clear files, etc. Annual market size exceeding hundreds of billions of yen. Involves anime studios, publishers, and distribution companies. International markets expanding rapidly. Central element of otaku consumption with increasing number of merchandised titles. Product quality and variety diversifying with rising price points for premium items.