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Pokémon, Yuri!!! on Ice, Detective Conan Top Japan Character Awards
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
The Character Brand Licensing Association (CBLA) announced the winners of its Japan Character Awards 2017. The awards acknowledge Japan's best brands and characters for the previous fiscal year. This year marks the association's ninth award year.
The top prize went to the Pokémon franchise. CBLA acknowledged the brand for successfully integrating the adult market with the launch of Pokémon Go and performing well overall and across multiple generations of fans.
The Japan Character Grand Prize New Face Award went to Yuri!!! on Ice. The CBLA praised the anime series for taking an unusual topic like figure-skating and making it stick with audiences, especially women. The association predicts that Yuri!!! on Ice can continue to grow on a global level.
The Licensing Agency Award went to Detective Conan. The association noted that the series' yearly films break ticket sales records year after year and continues to find new ways to entertain, like with recent real escape games. The Promotion Licensee Award went to the Hatsune Miku and Lux hair product campaign. The ad featured Miku letting down her hair after a conversation with Scarlett Johansson. Tōken Ranbu was also highlighted with the Selection Committee Special Award for the game's expansion into a multimedia franchise.
The Japan Brand License Award Grand Prix prize went to juggernaut Marvel for its aggressive approach to expanding into new markets and appealing outside its core fans and male audiences.
Other winners include the Putitto series of cup companions (Product Licensee Award), Loft (Retail Award), and the Snoopy Museum (Selection Committee Special Award).
An award ceremony will be held on June 28 within the "Licensing Japan" venue at Tokyo Big Sight. During the fair, the winning properties will be displayed in a dedicated space inside the hall.
[Via Nijimen]
