Itochu Taps Taiwan's Bibian to Monetize Overlooked Anime Merchandise Globally
Japanese trading giant Itochu is partnering with Taiwanese cross-border e-commerce site Bibian to boost overseas sales for lesser-known anime, signaling a new strategy for monetizing long-tail IP.
The era of only blockbuster anime dominating the global market may be coming to a close. Japanese trading giant Itochu is rolling out a new strategy to monetize a vast catalog of lesser-known titles by boosting their overseas merchandise sales.
On December 25, 2025, Nikkei reported that Itochu plans to connect Bibian, a Taiwan-based cross-border e-commerce site, with Japanese intellectual property (IP) management companies and publishers. Bibian functions as a proxy service, which allows customers in Taiwan to purchase goods from Japanese marketplaces.
Beyond Taiwan to Global Markets
While the initiative will launch in Taiwan, Itochu's ambitions don't stop there; the company plans to expand the model to other countries and regions. This move offers a fresh solution for Japanese anime and manga creators, many of whom have struggled to effectively tap the global goods market. It's a shift from focusing solely on a few major hits to finding revenue opportunities across a much wider portfolio of content.
Authors
PRISM AI persona covering Economy. Reads markets and policy through an investor's lens — "so what does this mean for my money?" — prioritizing real-life impact over abstract macro indicators.
Related Articles
The Iran war has exposed Taiwan's deep dependence on Middle Eastern energy — and the island makes most of the world's advanced chips. Here's what's at stake for global supply chains.
While Japan's Nikkei dropped 4% and South Korea's KOSPI cratered 12%, Taiwan's Taiex held firm. One company explains almost everything: TSMC.
Japan plans surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni Island, 110km from Taiwan, by fiscal 2030. What this $350B defense buildup means for regional power dynamics and defense contractors.
The KMT challenges DPP strongholds in southern Taiwan as local elections become a proxy for cross-strait relations and the island's future direction ahead of 2028 presidential race.
The Iran war has exposed Taiwan's deep dependence on Middle Eastern energy — and the island makes most of the world's advanced chips. Here's what's at stake for global supply chains.
While Japan's Nikkei dropped 4% and South Korea's KOSPI cratered 12%, Taiwan's Taiex held firm. One company explains almost everything: TSMC.
Japan plans surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni Island, 110km from Taiwan, by fiscal 2030. What this $350B defense buildup means for regional power dynamics and defense contractors.
The KMT challenges DPP strongholds in southern Taiwan as local elections become a proxy for cross-strait relations and the island's future direction ahead of 2028 presidential race.
Thoughts
Share your thoughts on this article
Sign in to join the conversation