Mocked at First but Now a Gold Mine as the Myaku-Myaku Craze Refuses to Fade

The birth of an idol that moves the economy

Once harshly criticized as creepy, it is now showered with cheers like a pop idol.

When it was first announced in 2022, social media was filled with confusion and mockery. But once the Expo opened, the evaluation completely flipped. Even after the event closed, its popularity has not faded. The “Myaku-Myaku Statue Installation Ceremony” held on February 21 at Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in Suita, Osaka Prefecture had odds of 100 to 1, and limited-edition goods and events sold out instantly—

The star is Myaku-Myaku, the official character of the 2025 World Expo (Osaka-Kansai Expo). A true “Myaku-Myaku frenzy,” where love and desire intertwine.

On February 16, the “Myaku-Myaku Fan Appreciation Festival” was held in Osaka City. With only 800 spots available for both daytime and evening sessions, the host revealed there was an astonishing number of applications, showing the intense interest. When Myaku-Myaku briskly appeared from the audience, the venue erupted into a chorus of “Myaku-Myaku!” “Look over here!” “So cute!”

With drums beating and a glockenspiel playing, Myaku-Myaku attempted a tablecloth-pulling trick, even showing off sharp dance moves in a display of eager fan service.

The highlight was the first-ever reveal of “Black Myaku-Myaku,” a version said to turn black when it gets excited. The venue was filled with a roar that was somewhere between screams and cheers.

“Maybe a white costume will be born next? Like USJ’s Hamikuma, it might keep multiplying.”

Fans’ wild speculation shows no signs of stopping.

We are now in an era where characters are enjoyed through their world-building. Myaku-Myaku’s design combines the red cell motif of the Expo logo with water, symbolizing Osaka as the city of water. Its name carries the wish that wisdom and culture will be passed down continuously.

The Expo was once predicted to fail. During the preparation stage, there were plenty of concerns and criticism.

However, once it opened, about 25.58 million people visited the venue, and sales of official licensed products reached 124.6 billion yen as of the end of last October. Needless to say, it greatly contributed to improving the Expo’s financial balance. Even after the closing, official shops remain lively, and there is little doubt that Myaku-Myaku is one of the key drivers of the Expo’s success.

“Until recently, Sanrio collaboration items and Black Myaku-Myaku plushies were popular, but now ‘White Myaku-Myaku’ is hugely popular. New products come out almost every day, so it’s hard to keep up,”

said a housewife fan of Myaku-Myaku with a wry smile.

On the day an official store reopened after renovation, hundreds of people lined up even before the first train. “No matter how neatly we line up the Black Myaku-Myaku, they sell out instantly,” a staff member said with a strained smile. Even with a one-per-person handover system, some customers ask to see the faces and compare more than ten items. Silent pressure builds from the line behind them. The stress on the sellers never ends.

For die-hard fans who once waited eight hours at the Expo site, lining up has become part of everyday life. But as the frenzy grows, so does friction.

Cutting in line, reselling, even bringing sleeping bags—

Among fans, the kind of “oshi-katsu” (support activities for one’s favorite) centered on attending events and collecting merchandise is called “Myaku-katsu.” A woman who says she visited the Expo 47 times expresses her frustration.

“There are even adults yelling at each other over whether someone cut in line or not. Kids are watching, and it’s honestly appalling.”

Suspicions of reselling never seem to go away.

“Someone who should already own every type of White Myaku-Myaku plush still lines up from the first train every day. It obviously looks like it’s for resale,” she adds.

There are also people who leave the line to eat or grab coffee and then casually return, as well as those who bring sleeping bags and sleep without a care for those around them. At one point, a particularly bold shopper caused a stir by buying more than 50 of the “Shinkansen Super-Hard Ice Cream,” discounted to 120 yen each during a closing sale.

“The person behind them filed a complaint, and now there’s a purchase limit.”

Whenever restock information spreads on social media, fans rush in all at once, and shelves are emptied in an instant. The frenzy sometimes tests people’s sense of reason.

Looking back, at an event held one year before the Expo’s opening, only a dozen or so people stood before Myaku-Myaku as it desperately tried to charm the crowd. “Back then, it was honestly pitiful,” a related party recalls. Now, it’s in demand at events across the country. One Expo watcher says:

“Myaku-Myaku is a gold mine. Its popularity won’t fade anytime soon.”

Once mocked as creepy, it has now become a symbol that drives the economy. Waiting in long lines without hesitation, sweeping entire shelves clean if there were no limits— is this merely consumption? Or is it the impulse to hold on to the once-in-a-lifetime memories of the Expo?

The “Osaka-Kansai Expo Master License Office” is currently in discussions with the Expo Association about extending the official merchandise sales period, which was originally set to end in late March. The heartbeat of Myaku-Myaku continues to pulse somewhere today—eerie, lovable, and just a little chaotic.

It seems this frenzy is not at its final movement just yet.