Taiwan's Beloved Characters Shine at Licensing Japan 2025

Taiwan's Popular Characters to Feature at Licensing Japan 2025

Taiwan has emerged as a significant player in the IP licensing arena, with Japan being one of its top three markets. From July 2nd to 4th, 2025, a selection of ten beloved Taiwanese characters will be featured at the Taiwan Pavilion during Licensing Japan in Tokyo, aiming to build cross-border business opportunities through exhibitions and discussions. This initiative is spearheaded by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) and the Taiwan Character Brand License Association.

The characters attending this year's event boast unique originality deeply rooted in Taiwanese culture, capturing the hearts of Japanese consumers. Among them, 好想兔 (Hao Xiang Tu) has garnered a strong fanbase across Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Additionally, 茶葉少女 (Tea Leaf Girl) is a celebrated manga series that achieved an impressive 16-week streak at number one on Japan's free comic portal, Kadokawa. Other notable characters include 醜白兔 (Busa Usagi), which ranked in the top five for stamp sales in Taiwan, and 鯊童宇宙 (Shark Boy Universe), known for its exploration into the manga and toy sectors. Other participating IPs include BOUNCE, 月亮忘記了 (When You Were There, When You're Not), 章魚熊 (Octopus Bear), 瘋狂邦妮 (Crazy Bunny), 饅頭家族 (Mantou Family), and 胖鯊魚鯊西米 (Shamey Shark), each offering rich narratives and distinctive personalities.

To ensure the success of Taiwanese IPs, TAICCA has invited renowned experts, including Yasushi Higashiyama from CBLA, Keisuke Watanabe from Sony Creative Products, and Teruo Koibuchi from Kamio Japan, to serve as judges for the selected characters. They focused on curating a diverse lineup from Taiwan's popular character pool, ensuring a delightful representation at Licensing Japan. To further enhance the chances of business deals, TAICCA is organizing pre-event workshops and seminars led by industry experts, covering insights into the Japanese market, local business models, and personalized character consulting to assist Taiwanese IP entrepreneurs in internationalizing their brands.

The theme for the Taiwan Pavilion at Licensing Japan 2025 is