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A cute, fluffy hamster, a cat with a particular eye patch, and an eccentric rabbit recognized for its distinctive sounds — these are the celebs of Japan’s vastly well-liked Chiikawa animation sequence, now inflicting a retail frenzy in China.

Dubbed “digital ibuprofen” on social media, their comforting tales and lovely appearances are serving to younger Chinese escape real-life stresses. And in current months, pop-up shops that includes Chiikawa merchandise have drawn huge crowds, with merchandise promoting out inside hours.

Following a viral social media advertising marketing campaign, its first pop-up retailer alone — working between March 29 and May 5 in Shanghai at Chinese low cost retailer Miniso — drew floods of enthusiastic followers.

Hundreds lined up for hours to get their fingers on Chiikawa merchandise, starting from a 49.9 yuan lunch bag to a 520 yuan outsized doll. The retailer bought 8 million yuan ($1.1 million) price of products in simply three days after opening its doorways.

“An introvert and a bit shy, Chiikawa is like another version of me in a parallel universe,” stated Li Rongrong, a 24-year-old white-collar employee, as she browsed by way of a brand new pop-up retailer in Shanghai with a good friend earlier this week.

Until now, Chiikawa merchandise was not extensively accessible in China, compelling keen followers to make use of proxy buyers to buy gadgets from overseas at considerably larger costs. Qiu Yajing, a 23-year-old from Hubei, recalled shopping for a Hachiware doll — a Chiikawa character with cat options — in Japan for 100 yuan, which was being bought by proxies in China for 300-500 yuan.

Following the success in Shanghai, comparable shops have now launched in different top-tier cities, together with Beijing, Shenzhen, and Chengdu, since March. One of the newest pop-up shops opened on May 13 within the japanese metropolis of Suzhou and can proceed operations till June 20.

In addition to themed pop-up shops, Chiikawa merchandise are additionally accessible by way of numerous on-line gross sales channels, together with e-commerce platforms and livestreams.

A Japanese manga sequence by Nagano, Chiikawa revolves across the on a regular basis adventures of its three main characters.

The protagonist, Chiikawa, which implies “small and cute” in Japanese, is a playful hamster stuffed with insatiable curiosity. It loves chasing bugs and squirrels and enjoys cuddling.

Accompanying Chiikawa is the aforementioned talkative and dependable good friend Hachiware, a cat that lives alone in a cave. Hachiware at all times provides assist at any time when Chiikawa is in hassle. Usagi, the rabbit, is liked for its eccentric and nonchalant mood.

Though serialized on-line since 2020, Chiikawa has just lately surged in reputation in China, initially gaining traction throughout the nation’s web meme and slang tradition. The sequence has since expanded its attraction past the ACGN (animation, comics, gaming, and novel) neighborhood.

To develop its digital presence, Chiikawa’s Chinese branding company, JY Animation, launched official accounts on main content material platforms Bilibili and Douyin, the Chinese model of TikTookay, in January.

In simply 5 months, these accounts amassed practically a million followers, and associated hashtags have drawn greater than 8 billion views.

However, Miniso confronted backlash after an advert marketing campaign launched on its official Douyin account on April 3 referred to the three characters as “Moron Crybaby Rat,” “Crazy Screaming Rabbit,” and “Blue Panties Cat.” The model was compelled to difficulty an apology the identical day.

Behind the frenzy

Much of Chiikawa’s allure stems from its temporary but relatable episodes that highlight life’s easy pleasures with out dramatic twists. This minimalist storytelling resonates with a era that prizes authenticity and the quiet, on a regular basis victories over grand narrative arcs.

In the sequence, characters have interaction in duties like mowing meadows and producing electrical energy to earn cash for weapons to battle monsters, a story that Li Rongrong finds deeply relatable.

“They experience fear and even cry when facing fierce creatures, but they always muster courage, and their camaraderie offers comfort,” stated Li, who graduated from college a yr in the past.

But on this planet of Chiikawa, life is much from a fairy story.

To achieve higher rewards, characters should move exams to earn working certificates, mirroring real-life challenges. “It’s my life story,” stated Li. “I aspire to have supportive friends like Hachiware and to embody the carefree nature of Usagi.”

Others are drawn to the present for its emotional purity and simple narrative.

Qiu found the sequence final November and was instantly captivated. “I like how the animation is easy to watch; each episode is just one minute long, offering a clear, standalone story without a complex plot,” she defined.

“Many anime shows have grand themes and a complex worldview, but Chiikawa doesn’t,” stated Qiu, including: “It is too brief to develop a deep storyline or impart significant values.”

Her favourite episode entails Hachiware, the cat. After saving sufficient to purchase a digicam, Hachiware goals that if he by accident movies Chiikawa, the titular character would vanish. In a comforting twist, Chiikawa bravely steps in entrance of the digicam to dispel his fears.

According to Yu Jie, an analyst on the New Marketing Institute, Chiikawa’s reputation in China demonstrates that characters with real emotional depth shortly resonate with audiences, encouraging energetic engagement.

“The rise of popular franchises and emotional economies stems from young people’s increasingly segmented emotions, namely happiness and stress relief, passion, relaxation, and authenticity,” stated Yu.

(Header picture: A fan poses for an image with a Chiikawa doll at pop-up retailer in Shanghai, March 31, 2024. VCG)

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