Grand Reveal of the Secret to Characters Being Loved for a Long Time (Feat. Long-standing Japanese IP)

Any IP holder would share the same desire for their character to be loved for a long time rather than just being a fleeting trend.

You, too, reading this, probably came here with the thought, "I want my character to be remembered by more people and for a longer time."

In fact, characters that have been loved for a long time are not created simply by luck or by chance.

Only by having a ‘structure that can survive for a long time’ can you be loved and not forgotten for a long time.

You can immediately tell this by looking at Japan's long-standing IPs.

Then, what is needed for a character to become a consistently beloved presence across generations?

Today, I’d like to take a look at some long-standing characters from Japan and discuss how they were able to become ‘IPs that defy time.’

1️⃣ Japan's representative regional mascot, Kumamon

Kumamon is a regional promotional character created by Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan, born in 2011 to announce the opening of the Kumamoto Shinkansen. Although it was initially created as a mascot for local tourism, it now enjoys great recognition not only throughout Japan but also overseas.

Beyond being a simple promotional character, Kumamon has established itself as a symbol of Kumamoto Prefecture, appearing in various products, events, and advertisements.

2️⃣ Japan's Pengsoo, Funasshi (ふなっしー)

If Korea has Pengsoo, Japan has Funasshi.

Originally, Funasshi is a character created by the citizens of Hubabashi City to promote the city.

So, it was made based on the boats of Funabashi City and looks like a boat.

However, contrary to the original creative intent, Funasshi was not selected as the city's mascot.

Nevertheless, Funasshi gradually expanded its scope of activities by appearing on TV, performing music, and participating in live events while wearing a mascot costume, and eventually became a character loved throughout Japan.

3️⃣ The hottest Chiikawa on social media

One of the most trending characters on Japanese social media recently is Chiikawa.

Chiikawa is a character that originated when author Nagano posted a short comic on social media.

Cuteness, empathy, and a touch of poignancy blended within short and simple stories, forming a wide fanbase.

Now, it has grown into a popular character representing Japan, expanding beyond comics into various forms such as animation, merchandise, and collaborations.

4️⃣ Sanrio, the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Japan

Sanrio is a leading Japanese character company that has created numerous characters, including Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, and Gudetama. Since the 1970s, it has consistently introduced new characters and has established itself as a brand that appeals to all generations.

In particular, Hello Kitty has been loved worldwide for over 50 years and has become an iconic figure in the Japanese character industry.

There is a common reason why characters with different charms can be loved for a long time.

The characters mentioned earlier each have different starting points, reasons for their creation, and scopes of activity.

However, if you take a closer look at these characters one by one, you can see commonalities that must be considered to become a long-lasting IP.

💡 Creating your own worldview rather than following trends, and building relationships within it

The biggest lesson shown by Japan's long-standing character IPs is that they maintain relationships with people within their own worldview.

In addition to this, you must clearly establish the character's worldview, adapt flexibly to various media and products, and continuously maintain communication with people.

When these three elements are combined, it creates an IP that is loved across generations, rather than just fleeting popularity.

Ultimately, a character's lifespan is determined by these three factors, rather than concepts like cuteness or B-grade sensibility, or large-scale marketing. If those reading today keep these three points in mind when creating characters...

You could become a character that surpasses today's long-standing IPs!