YouTube Channel 'Kuma-ba' with 500 Million Total Views! Revealing How We Aim to Become the 'Representative Kids' IP of the Reiwa Era'

Nice to meet you! My name is Hiwatashi, Representative of Akatsuki Media Studio Inc.
From now on, I plan to regularly share the character development insights and YouTube growth know-how we have accumulated within the company here on note, and give back to everyone, so I look forward to your support!

Company Introduction

Akatsuki Media Studio has set the mission of 'bringing smiles to children through the power of characters,' and we will deliver characters and content that create smiles for the children who will carry the future.

Akatsuki Media Studio creates and produces IP (Intellectual Property). As our own IP, we operate the kids' IP project 'Kuma-ba Channel,' which is centered on YouTube, and in collaboration with Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Co., Ltd., we operate the IP projects 'Hoppe Pomris' and 'Okashina Kuma,' which are centered on TikTok.

We also conduct content production and social media marketing businesses, developing characters and content for other companies.

Originally, 'Kuma-ba Channel' started in May 2019 as a project of Akatsuki Inc., which develops business as an IP production company centered on games.

Since 'Kuma-ba Channel' grew more smoothly than initially expected, Akatsuki Media Studio was born as a subsidiary of Akatsuki in September 2020 to advance the business with a sense of speed.
*By the way, here is the note about the birth story of 'Kuma-ba Channel' ↓

This time, I will introduce our own IP, 'Kuma-ba Channel'.

What is 'Kuma-ba Channel'?

'Kuma-ba Channel' is targeted at preschoolers (0-6 years old) and is centered on YouTube, with media mix developments in television, music, publishing, and more.
Our goal is precisely to be the 'Representative Kids' IP of the Reiwa Era'!

With that thought in mind, we posted our first video on YouTube on May 1, 2019 (the first day of the Reiwa era) ↓↓↓

It brings back memories of editing alone on my PC until late the night before the release...
Looking at it now, Kuma-ba's lip-syncing is strange, his gaze is all over the place, and his movements are broken, but... I think it was okay for a first post..!!

I will talk about why 'Kuma-ba Channel' chose the YouTube platform.
For preschool characters, television is still the main battlefield, and they are developed mainly around television. However, 'Kuma-ba Channel' creates YouTube-first videos and delivers content that children can enjoy on YouTube 'anytime, anywhere'.

In this modern age where YouTube is used as a matter of course, I believe 'Kuma-ba Channel' is the one and only kids' IP in Japan that provides YouTube-first content, so we intend to increase our IP power on the YouTube platform and become the 'Representative Kids' IP of the Reiwa Era'.

YouTube Data

'Kuma-ba Channel' is watched by 1.35 million people a month, and if the current number of births in Japan is 810,000 (2021), I am surprised that it is being watched by quite a lot of children!

Also, although YouTube Analytics cannot capture the age of the children watching, it is assumed that parents aged 25-34 are showing it to their children.

There is a survey function in the YouTube community, and in July 2022, we conducted a survey on the 'age of viewers,' and found that 60% of the viewers are 0-1 years old, meaning it is being watched by super young people.
*I was also surprised that 4,031 votes were collected...

Comparison with other companies' IP

The YouTuber ranking site Yutura publishes monthly view rankings for Japanese YouTube channels, so I used that to compare our channel with other companies' kids' IP channels.

Looking at this, I think you can see that the "Kuma-ba Channel" is working hard on YouTube. It also shows that kids' IP aimed at preschoolers is not really a focus for others on YouTube. I believe this is where the "Kuma-ba Channel" has its chance to win...!!

Something shocking

The most shocking thing about working on this project was winning the "New Face Award" at the Japan Character Awards 2021 in April 2021.

I received the notification of the award via a phone call to my smartphone, and I vividly remember saying "Are you serious!?" three times over the phone.

This is an event where the Character Brand Licensing Association determines the best domestic licensed brands and characters of 2021.
In 2021, the following works were awarded.

▼ Grand Prix
・ "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train"
▼ Character Licensing Award
・ "Disney Twisted-Wonderland"
・ "TV Anime 'Jujutsu Kaisen'"
▼ New Face Award
・ "Kuma-ba Channel"

The lineup is so incredible... the "out of nowhere" feeling of Kuma-ba Channel is just unreal...

The results we achieved on YouTube were recognized.
I will do my best to become the [Kids' IP Representing the Reiwa Era]...!!!!

Toward an IP that lasts 50 years

And the major goal of the "Kuma-ba Channel" project is to [become an IP that lasts 50 years]. I decided this with the team members at the start of the project, thinking, "It would be the ultimate happiness if the characters we created could make children smile even for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren's generations."

The reason I chose 50 years instead of 100 is that there is a high possibility that we will still be alive in 50 years, so I can imagine a future where Kuma-ba exists.

I was 33 when the project started, and in 50 years I will be 83, so if the average life expectancy for Japanese people is 84, I might just barely be alive...!! Wouldn't it be the ultimate happiness if Kuma-ba and the others were still active then?

I have shared this major goal with all the relevant parties involved with the "Kuma-ba Channel," and since everyone resonates with it, I am glad we made it.

• "Doraemon" - 52nd anniversary since the start of comic serialization

• "Kamen Rider" - 50th anniversary of its birth

• "Anpanman" - 49th anniversary since the publication of the picture book

Looking at the backs of our great predecessors, the "Kuma-ba Channel" will also do its best to become an IP that lasts 50 years!

[2030] Enter the Top 5 most popular characters among kids

The intermediate goal before becoming an IP that lasts 50 years is to enter the "Top 5 most popular character rankings among kids in 2030."

It was a little while ago, but according to the "Survey on Children's Favorite Characters" released by Bandai in 2018, the current rankings are as follows.

What is noteworthy here is that 'Sumikko Gurashi' is included among such impressive, long-standing predecessors. 'Sumikko Gurashi' is an IP announced in 2012 by San-X, the company behind 'Rilakkuma' and 'Tarepanda'.

'Sumikko Gurashi' is popular for its merchandise, centered on plush toys and stationery, and boasts a market size of 25 billion yen at the time (2019), entering the Top 5 within six years of its IP announcement.

I believe 'Sumikko Gurashi' was able to achieve this because San-X already had a physical retail network and was strong in merchandise, but since they have a track record of entering the Top 5 within six years of their IP announcement, I believe it is not just a dream for 'Kuma-ba Channel' as well.

By distributing content centered on YouTube, which has now become a standard medium for children, and by being able to watch and interact with the characters 'anytime, anywhere,' we aim to enter the Top 5 by 2030.

Media Mix Development

So, how do we aim for the Top 5? From here on, I will explain how we are climbing.

'Kuma-ba Channel' is an IP originating from YouTube that conducts various media mixes based on its YouTube content.

For example, with other IPs, Doraemon = manga, Anpanman = picture books, and Pokemon = games, they expand from their original medium to other media to increase awareness.

[Music] Collaboration with Universal Music

For music, we are working with Universal Music, one of the world's largest music companies.
We jointly created an IP derived from Kuma-ba called 'DJ Kuma-ba' and are distributing a music program called 'DJ Kuma-ba Music' on 'Kuma-ba Channel,' which was planned so that children can grow up happily and healthily through music.

When we made our major debut in May 2020, we were featured on Fuji TV's 'Mezamashi TV' and also appeared on TBS's 'Countdown TV' in the newcomer debut slot!!

We have produced 10 original songs so far, and the total number of views on YouTube has exceeded a staggering 12 million!!

We will continue to release original songs, and our goal is to appear on the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen!! Dream big!

[Merchandising] Master License Agreement with Itochu Corporation

In October 2020, we signed a master license agreement for 'Kuma-ba Channel' in Japan with the general trading company Itochu Corporation.
Simply put, we gave the rights to create merchandise to Itochu Corporation, and they are deploying 'Kuma-ba Channel' merchandise to mass retailers nationwide.

For product development, we utilize Itochu Corporation's extensive experience and network in the textile business to grant product licenses to sub-licensee companies.
There are currently 16 sub-licensee companies making 'Kuma-ba Channel' merchandise!

Akatsuki Media Studio supervises the merchandise made by the sub-licensee companies, and based on that, the products are commercialized and lined up in specialty stores and mass retailers nationwide.

With an eye toward collaborating on overseas expansion with ITOCHU Corporation, we intend to focus on domestic and international licensing from here on out.

Future Roadmap

YouTube will continue to serve as the original source for content distribution, and we will create real-world touchpoints with children through merchandising and publishing, which began last year, to increase the time they spend interacting with the characters.

Furthermore, looking ahead, we would like to expand into streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, and although nothing is set in stone yet, we also want to produce a terrestrial TV anime. Once a TV anime starts, I believe it is better for the IP to keep it running indefinitely, like 'Doraemon' or 'Anpanman,' so we are carefully timing our approach.

And by 2030, we aim to be in the 'Top 5 Most Popular Characters for Kids' ranking.

Conclusion

Having said all that so confidently, I am still a beginner in the character business, so I would appreciate your continued guidance and support...!!!!!!!! I also intend to keep running the PDCA cycle and share what I learn.

The philosophy behind the creation of 'Kuma-ba Channel' is written in the article below, so please take a look if you have the time!

'I want to do something interesting with Akatsuki Media Studio!'
'I want you to create characters or videos!' Please feel free to send us a DM via our inquiry form or Twitter!

・Inquiry Form
・CEO Hiwatashi's Twitter
・Akatsuki Media Studio Inc.: Website