Rubber ducks, always around as playthings and symbols of positivity, playfulness, and simpler days, tend to see periodic surges in interest. This is one of those times. Although it is hard to say what specifically is driving this iteration of the trend, some of the manifestations include the current popularity of duck races to spur […]
Tag Archives | Pokémon
Commuting With Cartoon Characters
By Karen Raugust on April 16, 2026 in Character/Entertainment, Experiential licensing, International, Licensing
In Japan, collaborations with subway and train systems are a frequent form of experiential licensing featuring anime and video game characters. The different regional systems under the Japan Railways umbrella are common collaborators, but many other train operators, both public and private, are also players in this space. On the licensor side, Nintendo is a […]
A Sugar Rush for Gamers
Chocolate and gaming go well together, as indicated by the number of limited-edition chocolates featuring characters with roots in interactive gaming that have popped up in the last couple of years. The pairings make sense in that chocolate is a popular choice as a snack during gaming sessions, and the products’ collectibility mirrors an element […]
Educating Through Esports
Esports have been growing as an extracurricular activity in high schools since the early 2020s and, more recently, have extended into middle schools and even the older elementary grades as well. The trend is global, with one organization, the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations (NASEF), having 9,000 member clubs and more than 130 […]
Not The Same Old Song and Dance
Established cartoon characters have appeared in pop stars’ music videos occasionally over the years, including Beavis and Butt-Head in a recording of Cher’s “I Got You Babe” (1993), Popeye and Friends in Wilco’s “Dawned on Me” (2012), and Rick and Morty in Run the Jewels’ “Oh Mama” (2018). In the second half of 2025, there […]
Anime Is a Hit at Baseball Games
Major League Baseball and its teams, whose 2025 season began late last month, have been increasingly teaming with a variety of Japanese pop-culture properties for products and promotions. Japanese-origin IPs from the worlds of anime, kawaii, videogames, and VTubers are a good fit with the sport in many ways. The league and its teams, especially […]
Building a Foundation in Construction Toys
Building kits, led by Lego, have been one of the bright spots in the toy industry over the past several years. In the U.S., construction toy sales were up 16% in 2024 compared to 2023, according to Circana figures, representing a significantly higher rate of growth than any other supercategory tracked. The same was true […]
Wearing Your Fandom at Your Wedding
By Karen Raugust on September 26, 2024 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Fashion, Licensing
Earlier this year, a deal between wedding gown maker Lulu Felice and manga artist Ai Yazawa produced a collection of wedding dresses and other wedding-appropriate formal wear tied to two of the artist’s properties, Nana and Neighborhood Story. Some of the pieces—each line features nine dresses and two tuxes—replicate gowns worn by the lead characters […]
Pairing Anime and E-sports
By Karen Raugust on March 25, 2024 in Character/Entertainment, Interactive gaming, Licensing, Sports
A popular sub-segment within the e-sports licensing sector consists of cross-licensed apparel collections that bring together e-sports teams and anime properties. The audiences for the two types of IP dovetail nicely, and the anime characters help drive interest and purchase intent for the e-sports brands. This trend has been ongoing since at least 2019 and […]
Entertainment Studios Strategize Over TCGs
Classic trading card games (TCGs), especially the “Big 3” of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), Pokémon, and Yu-Gi-Oh!—all introduced in the 1990s—are going strong. They continue to rank at the top of the TCG sales charts, are expanding into new media and licensed product categories, and are making cameos in productions not connected to their brands, […]