Anime Franchising in Japan: Animation and the Diversity of Media Mix Practice

Rayna L Denison

doi:10.1525/fq.2025.79.2.62

Anime Franchising in Japan: Animation and the Diversity of Media Mix Practice

Rayna L Denison

Department of Film and Television

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

5 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

“Media mix” is the term used to describe a multitude of franchising and transmedia practices in Japan; ones that align with wider franchising theory but which act in ways shaped by specific media practices within Japan. This article considers several contrasting examples of media mix, including the successful and longstanding franchise built around Gosho Aoyama’s manga Case Closed (Meitantei Konan), as well as more ad hoc and emergent franchises like those built around CLAMP’s xxxHolic and Yuasa Masaaki’s adaptations of The Tatami Galaxy (Yojōhan Shinwa Taikei) novels. In doing so, the aim is to unpack the media mix, reading its operations in Japan as bespoke and nuanced, rather than substantially standardized.

Original language	English
Article number	62
Pages (from-to)	62-68
Number of pages	7
Journal	Film Quarterly
Volume	79
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1525/fq.2025.79.2.62
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2025

Access to Document

10.1525/fq.2025.79.2.62

Full-text PDF (accepted manuscript)
This is the accepted author manuscript (AAM) of the article which has been made Open Access under the University of Bristol's Scholarly Works Policy. The final published version (Version of Record) can be found on the publisher's website. The copyright of any third-party content, such as images, remains with the copyright holder.
Accepted author manuscript, 836 KBLicence: CC BY

Handle.net

Persistent link

Cite this

@article{be03b865acb74d4cb23fbe32412777b0,

title = "Anime Franchising in Japan: Animation and the Diversity of Media Mix Practice",

abstract = "“Media mix” is the term used to describe a multitude of franchising and transmedia practices in Japan; ones that align with wider franchising theory but which act in ways shaped by specific media practices within Japan. This article considers several contrasting examples of media mix, including the successful and longstanding franchise built around Gosho Aoyama{\textquoteright}s manga Case Closed (Meitantei Konan), as well as more ad hoc and emergent franchises like those built around CLAMP{\textquoteright}s xxxHolic and Yuasa Masaaki{\textquoteright}s adaptations of The Tatami Galaxy (Yojōhan Shinwa Taikei) novels. In doing so, the aim is to unpack the media mix, reading its operations in Japan as bespoke and nuanced, rather than substantially standardized.",

author = "Denison, \{Rayna L\}",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1525/fq.2025.79.2.62",

language = "English",

volume = "79",

pages = "62--68",

journal = "Film Quarterly",

issn = "0015-1386",

publisher = "University of California Press",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Anime Franchising in Japan

T2 - Animation and the Diversity of Media Mix Practice

AU - Denison, Rayna L

PY - 2025/12/1

Y1 - 2025/12/1

N2 - “Media mix” is the term used to describe a multitude of franchising and transmedia practices in Japan; ones that align with wider franchising theory but which act in ways shaped by specific media practices within Japan. This article considers several contrasting examples of media mix, including the successful and longstanding franchise built around Gosho Aoyama’s manga Case Closed (Meitantei Konan), as well as more ad hoc and emergent franchises like those built around CLAMP’s xxxHolic and Yuasa Masaaki’s adaptations of The Tatami Galaxy (Yojōhan Shinwa Taikei) novels. In doing so, the aim is to unpack the media mix, reading its operations in Japan as bespoke and nuanced, rather than substantially standardized.

AB - “Media mix” is the term used to describe a multitude of franchising and transmedia practices in Japan; ones that align with wider franchising theory but which act in ways shaped by specific media practices within Japan. This article considers several contrasting examples of media mix, including the successful and longstanding franchise built around Gosho Aoyama’s manga Case Closed (Meitantei Konan), as well as more ad hoc and emergent franchises like those built around CLAMP’s xxxHolic and Yuasa Masaaki’s adaptations of The Tatami Galaxy (Yojōhan Shinwa Taikei) novels. In doing so, the aim is to unpack the media mix, reading its operations in Japan as bespoke and nuanced, rather than substantially standardized.

U2 - 10.1525/fq.2025.79.2.62

DO - 10.1525/fq.2025.79.2.62

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

SN - 0015-1386

VL - 79

SP - 62

EP - 68

JO - Film Quarterly

JF - Film Quarterly

IS - 2

M1 - 62

ER -

Anime Franchising in Japan: Animation and the Diversity of Media Mix Practice

Abstract

Access to Document

Handle.net

Fingerprint

Cite this