“Chiikawa” wins the Grand Prix at the “Japan Character Awards 2024”! This is the second honor following 2022.It has been announced that “Chiikawa” has won the Grand Prix at the Japan Character Awards 2024, an award for the character and licensing business industry. This is the second time that Chiikawa has received this honor, following her win in 2022. Other winners for each award include “Oshi no Ko,” “Mobile Suit Gundam series,” “TV anime ‘Frieren’s Funeral’,” and “PreCure series.”

The Japan Character Awards (formerly known as Character & Brand of the Year) was established in 2009 to promote the value of the licensing business industry in Japan, which has grown into one of the world’s leading licensing business powerhouses, and to contribute to the healthy development of the industry. That year, Pokémon won the Grand Prix.

Since then, in the 2010s, the Grand Prix winners have been One Piece in 2010, Kobito Zukan in 2011, One Piece in 2012, Kumamon in 2013, Funassyi in 2014, Yo-kai Watch in 2015, Mr. Osomatsu in 2016, Pokémon in 2017, Despicable Me series in 2018, and Sumikko Gurashi in 2019. In the 2020s, the Grand Prix was awarded to the TV anime “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba,” in 2020 to the movie “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train,” in 2021 to “Chiikawa” in 2022, and “One Piece” in 2023.

The 15th Japan Character Awards 2024 was held on July 3rd at Licensing Japan, Japan’s largest licensing trade fair, held at Tokyo Big Sight. The Grand Prix was announced at the ceremony, and Chiikawa, who has taken the fancy character world by storm with her unique worldview, won the award for the second time, following her win in 2022.

Other winners of the Character Licensing Award were “Oshi no Ko,” which has expanded its fan base to new fans after being made into an anime, the Mobile Suit Gundam series, which has been loved by both men and women for bringing a new wind to anime for 45 years, and Chiikawa. The

New Face Award went to the TV anime “Frieren’s Funeral,” the Product Licensee Award went to Ichiban Kuji, the Promotion Licensee Award went to Hello Kitty Happy Set 50th Anniversary, the Retail Award went to Sesame Street Market, and the Selection Committee Special Award went to the Pretty Cure series. There is a special corner set up at Licensing Japan, which is being held at Tokyo Big Sight until July 5th, so be sure to check it out.

“Japan Character Awards 2024”

●Japan Character Awards Grand Prix

Chiikawa (Spiral Cute Co., Ltd.)

●Japan Character Awards Character License Award

[Oshi no Ko] ([Oshi no Ko] Production Committee)

●Japan Character Awards Character License Award

Mobile Suit Gundam series (SOTSU CO., LTD., BANDAI NAMCO Filmworks Inc.)

●Japan Character Awards Character License Award

Chiikawa (Spiral Cute Co., Ltd.)

●New Face Award

TV Anime “Furieren no Frieren” (Furieren no Frieren Production Committee)

●Product Licensee Award

Ichiban Kuji (BANDAI SPIRITS Co., Ltd.)

●Promotion Licensee Award

Happy Set Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary (McDonald’s Japan Co., Ltd.)

●Retail Award

Sesame Street Market (Mash Style Lab Co., Ltd.)

●Selection Committee Special Award

PreCure Series (Toei Animation Co., Ltd.)

Awards Ceremony: Wednesday, July 3, 2024, 13:00-13:40

Venue: Tokyo Big Sight Licensing Japan Special Venue

Organizer: Character Brand Licensing Association (CBLA)

Supporter: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Co-organizer: RX Japan Co., Ltd.

Special cooperation: Hong Kong Trade Development Council / Asian Licensing Association

Cooperation: Character Data Bank Co., Ltd.

Japan Character Awards Special Corner: 15th Licensing Japan <Character & Brand Utilization Exhibition>

Period: July 3rd (Wed) to 5th (Fri), 2024 10:00-17:00

Venue: Tokyo Big Sight (West Exhibition Hall)