Anime Character Endorsements Gain Popularity – “Sakura” Goes Viral During Black Tuna Season

Reporter You t
ru / Comprehensive Report

In recent years, Pingtung County Government has boldly integrated anime by using virtual characters to endorse promotional campaigns. Following the huge success of “Lost Little Momo” during the Wanjin Christmas Festival last year, this year’s Black Tuna Cultural Tourism Season also featured “Sakura,” a character designed based on sakura shrimp, sparking another wave of enthusiasm in the anime community. Fans have flooded the Facebook fan page with creative works inspired by “Sakura,” while many have even “chased the star” all the way to Donggang. There have even been real-life cosplayers, showcasing the charm of anime.


▲ The Black Tuna Cultural Tourism Season also featured “Sakura,” a character designed based on sakura shrimp, sparking another wave of enthusiasm in the anime community. (Photo / Provided by Pingtung County Government)

The creative team behind “Sakura” and “Lost Little Momo” consists of university students and young people with an average age in their 20s, including two planners, six illustrators, one art editor, and one assistant. Among them, the two planners, Yang Jiayu (Simon) and Lin Junyi, are currently a graduate student and a junior, respectively, in the Department of Business Administration at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology. Yang Jiayu pointed out that in the past, some government agencies had tried using anime characters or animations for endorsements, but because the anime fan base is generally younger, policymakers did not understand the fans’ perspectives, resulting in a gap between the final designs and expectations, leading to less-than-ideal outcomes. This time, the Pingtung County Government placed almost no restrictions, allowing for free creative expression, and the designs conceptualized from the perspective of the anime market were best able to resonate with anime fans.

The main characters of “Sakura” and “Lost Little Momo” are both designed to be under 160 cm tall, with petite figures and cute expressions that are exactly the kind of moe appeal that anime fans love, instantly capturing many people’s attention. The characters’ outfits were also designed to reflect local culture. Yang Jiayu said that the name “sakura shrimp” was given by the Japanese, while locals in Donggang call them “flower-shell shrimp.” After consulting with the Donggang Fishing Association, in addition to incorporating a Japanese style into “Sakura,” they specially dressed her in straw sandals that symbolize local culture, adding a blend of Taiwanese and Japanese cultural elements.

Thanks to the successful precedent set by “Lost Little Momo,” “Sakura” became even more popular upon its debut. The “Early Summer Sakura of Donggang” Facebook fan page surpassed 28,000 likes in less than two months. Anime fans submitted over a hundred pieces of fan art imitating “Sakura,” and there were even real-life cosplayers, demonstrating just how popular “Sakura” has become.

The Department of Tourism and Communication also used the “Sakura” comics to introduce the ecology of sakura shrimp, fishing boat operations, local snacks, and famous attractions such as Donglong Temple and Pengwan Cross-Sea Bridge, helping more people get to know Donggang. Yang Jiayu said that many anime fans found it “unbelievable” that the Pingtung County Government was using subcultures to promote large-scale tourism events, and that finally a government agency was paying attention to the anime culture sector.

Due to “Sakura’s” immense popularity, the Department of Tourism and Communication produced two “Sakura” standing boards and placed them at the Overseas Chinese Market and the Donggang Riverside Heart Bridge Station for fans to take photos. By uploading photos to Facebook, visitors could redeem a Sakura hand fan and poster. As a result, many anime fans “chased the star,” and the items were quickly snapped up. The department urgently prepared an additional 200 sets of hand fans and posters. Visitors who find “Sakura,” take a photo with it, and upload it to Facebook can redeem their prize at the service counter of the Overseas Chinese Market.