Comic books, collectibles, cosplay attract consumption across generations
Shuishui, 36, who asked to be identified by the name she uses in online communities, quit her stable office job six years ago to pursue a career in the anime, comics and games (ACG) industry. Today, she works as a freelancer and occasionally serves as a part-time shop assistant at an anime merchandise store in Beijing.
"As a child, I had few friends at school, and I often felt frustrated. But when I was reading a comic book one day, a classmate started talking to me about it," she recalled. "We became friends, and ACG became my escape."
In recent years, anime merchandise stores have sprouted up in major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in Guangdong province. These stores sell everything from badges and keychains to posters and cards, catering to the ever-growing demand for ACG-related goods.
From shop assistants and store owners to passionate collectors, the anime merchandise market is a place where the life stories of different generations converge. For many, it represents both a renaissance of ACG culture and a shared sense of belonging with the ACG community.
Shuishui began her career as an accountant at a State-owned company, a job with a stable income, symbolically called an "iron rice bowl" job in China. Her friends praised her for excelling in various office roles, whether organizing files or handling accounting tasks.
"They called me an ideal office worker," she said. "But I'm also an idealist. I realized I hadn't found the job I truly wanted."
When a position opened at a company known for creating delicate dolls and collaborating with ACG intellectual properties, Shuishui seized the opportunity without hesitation.
According to a 2024 report by data analysis platform QuestMobile on China's ACG industry, it boasts a consumer base of over 500 million people, creating a solid foundation for consumer demand. Notably, the ACG fan base spans nearly four generations, ranging from those who grew up in the 1980s to fans born in the 2010s, closely aligning with the country's primary consumer demographic.
To outsiders, the surge in anime merchandise might seem like a recent phenomenon.
Shuishui, sitting behind the checkout counter at the store, wearing a straight-cut school-style fringe and glasses, reflected that she grew up reading comic books and watching anime.
The connection with ACG transported Shuishui to a world of joy. "I have little interest in accessories or cosmetics. I save my money for dolls and ACG-related goods," she said.
For her generation, ACG was part of their formative years, with iconic series like Sailor Moon and Detective Conan still popular today.
However, because ACG was considered a subculture back then, Shuishui's parents didn't support her in her pursuit of drawing, either as a hobby or a major during her school years, a decision she now regrets.
Although her real life often felt distant from the ACG world, the spirit and values fostered by the stories happening in the pages or on screen shaped her romanticized worldview.
"I've always lived in a beautiful imaginary world," she said. "I see the real world through the lens of that idealism."
Despite the risks of leaving a stable job, Shuishui followed her passion and resolutely entered the field she had been craving. Fortunately, her husband, also an anime fan, supported her decision.
"I'm drawn to the simplicity of relationships in the ACG community," she said. "I've made many friends here who share my passions."
When the doll company stopped collaborating with her favorite IPs, Shuishui's enthusiasm for the work waned. She eventually joined an anime merchandise store and started managing her own ACG merchandise club, where she oversees both design and sales.
With over two decades of immersion in the anime world and six years of professional experience, Shuishui has become a highly skilled industry insider.
"I helped my previous company increase revenue by millions of yuan and built a loyal customer base of 4,000 fans," she said. "Now, I'm eager to apply these skills in my current role as a club manager."
She has also observed changes in consumer preferences. "Earlier, fans preferred buying expensive figures and statues, but now smaller items like badges and cards are more popular. They're cheaper, easier to display and more affordable."
At the store, Shuishui warmly greets customers who buy blind boxes — a type of packaging that keeps its contents a mystery until opened — of badges and postcards. She refers to the customers as "teachers", a respectful term in the ACG community. "The title fosters a sense of belonging to the community," she explained.
Leaving behind her "iron rice bowl" job at a State-owned company wasn't easy, and Shuishui sometimes longs for financial stability. "I feel anxious about finances at times," she admitted. "But I have also realized that living a happy life is what truly matters.
"I've set high targets to support myself through the club's revenue, and my focus now is to make the club a success," she added.
This kind of internal struggle between stability and enthusiasm is also shared by Chen Jiaxin, a 25-year-old who recently took the plunge into the ACG business world to realize her long-held dream.
A dedicated fan since middle school, Chen began collecting merchandise from various IPs, ranging from Japanese animations to Chinese online games. She recently opened a store specializing in ACG-related products.
Before pursuing her business venture, Chen worked at an overseas education agency, managing a portfolio of 120 students planning to study abroad. "The job was stressful, especially during the pandemic," she said.
"Nightmares always haunted me during that time. Parents would scold me for not helping their children go abroad," she recalled. "I gained 10 kilograms in the first six months from stress eating."
The tipping point for opening her store came when she saw a friend also struggle with work stress. "I told her that I could create a job for her. Now, we run the store together," Chen said.
Chen has a particular fondness for virtual idol anime characters such as Hatsune Miku, a virtual singer with green ponytails, and a Japanese animation about a girl band striving to perform in a world where music is banned.
Her passion for anime merchandise led her to pursue her undergraduate degree in Japan, where she continued collecting items. "I filled two spare rooms with merchandise, which led me to the idea of selling it," she explained.
Today, various toys and collectibles grace the shelves of her store.
Chen invested some 150,000 yuan ($20,700) to open her store, and revenue has so far exceeded expectations. "I initially estimated monthly earnings of around 3,000 yuan, but we're now averaging between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan," she said. The recent winter vacation also helped increase sales.
Her store, One Grain Within Three Bites, is located in a shopping center in Beijing, offering a range of merchandise, both from her own collection and imported items.
However, despite a promising start, Chen remains cautious about the future. "I've noticed the peak of the ACG market in China has passed and prices for products are falling," she said. "To succeed, the uniqueness of products is key to attracting consumers."
Chen, who describes her business as "generating electricity for love", a phrase often used by ACG fans to express their passion for collecting merchandise and look down on monetary investment, hopes to stabilize her store's operations in the coming months.
"I have made a worst-case plan, which is to find another job if needed, but for now, I think I can sustain this business for two or three years," she said.
"I'm not naturally an optimistic person, but when I see my favorite anime characters overcoming difficulties, it inspires me to do the same," Chen said.
On commercial streets lined with ACG stores, it's common to see junior high school students dressed in anime costumes. Buying anime merchandise, "or eating grains" as they call it, has become a popular trend among teens.
Zhang Zi, a 15-year-old high school student from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, is a frequent visitor to anime merchandise stores. For Zi, ACG merchandise is more than just collectibles — it represents a sense of companionship and belonging.
"When I feel overwhelmed by study pressure or setbacks, seeing my favorite anime character brings me happiness," she said.
Zi's journey into the world of ACG began when she encountered Hatsune Miku during a middle school computer class. "The more I learned about her, the more I wanted to collect her merchandise, like badges and plastic stands," she recalled. "When my classmates saw my collection, they thought it was interesting, and soon, they joined me."
For Zi, the process of collecting merchandise offers a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, providing emotional value. "It's not just about the items themselves, but what they represent," she said.
Zi has also made new friends outside of school, bonding with other ACG fans. She noted that these friendships, spanning different age groups, have made her life more enjoyable.
"Before I joined the community, I didn't understand the jargon, and I felt disconnected," Zi said. "But once I learned the terms, I felt a sense of belonging to the community because we speak the same language."
Like many fandoms, the ACG community has its own set of jargon, such as guzi, a homophone of "goods" meaning grain in Chinese, and baji, a homophone of "badge". Thanks to introductory videos of these terms, Zi gradually became familiar with the culture.
Without knowledge of ACG-specific jargon, shopping at an anime merchandise store can be challenging for outsiders, as price tags and labels often incorporate it.
Zi is always eager to share her knowledge with others. "I don't see a gap between us and outsiders," she said. "I am willing to explain it to them."
As the trend of buying ACG merchandise continues, there's an ongoing debate within the community about whether purchasing goods is a necessary way to show genuine affection for an IP.
"I don't think buying merchandise should feel like a burden," Zi said. "I buy it simply because I like it."
