-- TOPPAN Inc. (TOPPAN) and Cross Media Ltd. (Cross Media), TOPPAN Group companies and subsidiaries of TOPPAN Holdings Inc. (TYO: 7911), are launching a business to support Japanese anime and manga content owners looking to sell merchandise in the UK.
Examples of some of the first figures that will be available following the launch of the business supporting merchandise sales
(From left: Nendoroid, figma, HELLO! Series)
Cross Media operates HYPER JAPAN, one of the UK’s leading events for Japanese culture. HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL has gained a large audience by showcasing Japanese food, drink, and culture, including anime and manga content. Cross Media now aims to drive growth of Japanese content and penetration of Japanese culture in the UK by supplying anime, manga and other merchandise from Japan to local retail outlets. This will be done in collaboration with TOPPAN, which has extensive connections with Japanese content owners and expertise in businesses leveraging intellectual property (IP).
In the initial phase, TOPPAN and Cross Media will support UK sales of figures, such as Nendoroid, figma, and HELLO! Series products from Good Smile Company, Inc. (Good Smile Company), a creator of anime and video game content and manufacturer of character figures. In addition to launching wholesale distribution to UK retailers, merchandise will be on general sale at the HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL 2025 events in London from July 18 to 20 and Manchester from November 14 to 16.
Background
With increased global demand for over-the-top (OTT) media services, markets for Japanese content and anime in particular are expanding. Interest in Japan is notably high in the UK, ranking first among European countries in terms of spending by travelers to Japan1 and annual content consumption per capita.2 However, UK wholesalers often lack sufficient experience with Japanese IP to ensure effective sales strategies aligned to purchasing patterns and retail sales attuned to the world of the content. Another challenge is a trade in pirated goods stemming partially from the fact that the lack of a local distribution network can make it difficult to distribute genuine merchandise.
TOPPAN and Cross Media are addressing these challenges by launching a wholesale business to supply Japanese anime, manga, and other related merchandise to local retailers via a secure distribution network in the UK. TOPPAN will act as the point of contact with Japanese IP owners while Cross Media will handle distribution by leveraging its extensive track record in supporting expanded exposure and sales of Japanese content in the UK, aiming to create an efficient network and enhance the footprint of Japanese content and merchandise.
Features of the Business
・Harnessing expertise in UK commercial practices and Japanese content to expand supply to local retailers
As the organizer of events such as HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL, Cross Media’s extensive track record in the UK market makes it well-versed in local commercial practices and has enabled the company to build relationships with numerous Japanese businesses from its base in the UK. TOPPAN, meanwhile, has accrued a wealth of know-how in promotional campaigns and merchandise production through many years in the marketing field. The two companies will collaborate on ensuring an accurate understanding of Japanese IP to underpin efforts supporting its distribution and deployment in a form aligned with both UK commercial practices and the needs of Japanese content owners.
・Merchandise sales at HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL
Launched by Cross Media in 2010, HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL brings together fans of Japan at one of the largest Japanese cultural events in the UK. In tandem with the launch of sales to UK retail outlets, merchandise will also go on sale at HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL, providing an opportunity to promote merchandise and content directly to UK consumers. As an event dedicated to Japanese culture, it enables a focus on UK consumers with stronger purchasing intent.
・Supporting PR activities and leveraging networks to build relationships with retailers
Cross Media has accumulated considerable know-how in UK-based PR activities through its involvement in events for Japanese companies and products as well as a tourist representative business in which it collaborates with various Japanese local authorities. This expertise can be applied to merchandise sales to reach UK consumers efficiently and plan effective marketing and sales promotion strategies. The insights and local networks developed through this business will be leveraged to build relationships with retail outlets in a way that is in sync with content owners’ own sales strategies.
・Kicking off by supporting UK sales for Good Smile Company
Good Smile Company’s figures are manufactured under a high-quality system at sites in Japan and overseas. The company has developed multiple original brand series that also enjoy increasing popularity outside Japan. As a first initiative, TOPPAN and Cross Media will work with PROOF Inc., which handles wholesale of Good Smile Company’s figures in Japan, to support sales expansion in the UK.
Overview of merchandise sales support business
© TOPPAN Inc.
Future Goals
TOPPAN and Cross Media aim to expand the wholesale business and HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL going forward. In addition to supporting the introduction of Japanese content to the UK—increasing opportunities for exposure and sales—the two companies intend to develop infrastructure for delivering Japanese content throughout Europe. TOPPAN and Cross Media also aim to contribute to PR activities for Japanese content in the UK and Europe and to establish local merchandise sales channels and supply chains by the end of 2025.
HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL 2025
HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL was first held in 2010, and this year’s event will be its 21st iteration. The 2024 festival was the first following Cross Media’s becoming part of the TOPPAN Group. This year, the event will be held not only in London, but also in Manchester, making HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL more accessible to people living in the north of the UK.
HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL 2025 will feature more than 70 booths from companies active in the Japanese anime, video game, content, food, alcoholic beverage, and traditional craft sectors, as well as from public-sector organizations. Food stalls and more than 300 exhibits by individual participants, all coming together under the same roof, will help drive promotion and sales directly to UK consumers. Japanese artists and performers active in the UK are scheduled to perform on the main stage, and the event is expected to attract in the region of 50,000 visitors.
In addition to the event, multiple channels for engaging with UK-based fans of Japan have been established through newsletters with more than 50,000 subscribers and social media accounts with a cumulative total of more than 100,000 followers.
The TOPPAN Group aims to drive sales of products related to Japanese content through merchandise sales at the event and via UK retailers.
Dates: July 18 to 20, 2025 (Venue: Olympia London)
November 14 to 16, 2025 (Venue: Manchester Central Convention Complex)
Organizer: Cross Media Ltd.
Official website: https://hyperjapan.co.uk/festival/
1. According to Cool Japan Strategy Related Data, ver. 1.0, December 22, 2023, Japanese Cabinet Office Secretariat of Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters
2. According to Travel Spending Per Foreign Traveler in Japan in 2024, Japan Tourism Agency
About the TOPPAN Group
Established in Tokyo in 1900, the TOPPAN Group is a leading and diversified global provider committed to delivering sustainable, integrated solutions in fields including printing, communications, security, packaging, décor materials, electronics, and digital transformation. The TOPPAN Group’s global team of more than 50,000 employees offers optimal solutions enabled by industry-leading expertise and technologies to address the diverse challenges of every business sector and society and contribute to the achievement of shared sustainability goals.
https://www.holdings.toppan.com/en/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/toppan/
- CompanyTOPPAN Inc.
- CategoryCommunication Media
- TagMarketing DX
- Digital Content
- Global
- Events / Exhibitions
Release ID: 89164428
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