[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-136002-en":3,"doc-seo-136002-105":31,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":92},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":21,"is_downloadable":21,"audit_status":21,"page_count":22,"language":23,"language_code":24,"site_id":25,"html_lang":24,"table_of_contents":26,"faqs":27,"seo_title":28,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":29,"read_time":30},136002,549768702563,"Fahsai","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/8000c4aa63b76e948b?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1786536092046926083",8,"Research & Report","Intellectual Property and the Japanese Media Mix - Videogames between Fan culture and business strategies","Japanese video games are a major segment of the global entertainment and media industry and a core expression of Japanese popular culture worldwide. Many technological advances originate from Japanese companies, and iconic franchises have been shaped through media mix strategies that extend shared narratives across anime, manga, games, and related merchandise. Strong fan communities intensify cultural impact, yet certain fan activities can implicate intellectual property (IP) rights. This paper analyzes the Japanese video game media mix, associated fan cultures, and the resulting complex IP considerations publishers face.","City Research Online  \nCity St George’s, University of London  \nCitation: Imamura, T. & Mimler, M. (2025) . Intellectual Property and the Japanese Media Mix: video games between Fan culture and business strategies (2025/08) .  \nLondon, UK: City Law School, City University of London. This is the published version of the paper.  \nThis version of the publication may differ from the final published version. To cite this item please consult the publisher's version.  \nPermanent repository link: [https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/36392/](https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/36392/)  \n[Copyright and Reuse:](Copyright and Reuse: Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the author)[ Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the author](Copyright and Reuse: Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the author)([s](s)) and/or copyright holders. Copies of full items can be used for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge, unless otherwise indicated, provided that the authors, title and full bibliographic details are credited, a hyperlink and/or URL is given for the original metadata page and the content is not changed in any way. For full details of reuse please refer to City Research Online policy.  \nCity Research Online:  [http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/](http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/  publications@citystgeorges.ac.uk)[ ](http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/  publications@citystgeorges.ac.uk)[ publications@citystgeorges.ac.uk](http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/  publications@citystgeorges.ac.uk)  \nIntellectual Property and the Japanese Media Mix: Videogames between Fan culture and business strategies  \nCLS Working Paper Series 2024/25  \nTetsuya Imamura  \nProfessor, School of Information and Communication, Meiji University  \nMarc Mimler*  \nSenior Lecturer in Law, The City Law School, City St.  \nGeorge's, University of London.  \n* The City Law School, City, University of London, London, EC1V 0HB  \nTetsuya Imamura. Marc Mimler  \nThe City Law School  \nThis text may be downloaded for personal research purposes only. Any additional reproduction for other purposes, whether in hard copy or electronically, requires the consent of the author(s) . If cited or quoted, reference should be made to the name(s) of the author(s), the title, the number, and the  \nworking paper series  \nAll rights reserved.  \n© 2025  \nThe City Law School Working Paper Series are published by The City Law School, City University London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB.  \nAn index to the working papers in The City Law School Working Paper Series is located at:  \n[www.city.ac.uk/law/research/working-papers](www.city.ac.uk/law/research/working-papers)  \nIntellectual Property and the Japanese Media Mix: Video games between Fan culture and business strategies  \nForthcoming in the Research Handbook on Interactive Entertainment Law (Edward Elgar) edited by Gaetano Dimita, Yin Harn Lee, Michaela  \nMacDonald and Marc Mimler  \nTetsuya Imamura, Professor, School of Information and Communication, Meiji University (Tokyo, Japan); ORCID identifier: 0009-0008-3534-0829; email:  \nMarc Mimler, Senior Lecturer in Law, City University London, City Law School (London, UK); ORCID identifier: 0000-0002-9457-2506; [email:](email: Marc.Mimler@city.ac.uk)[ ](email: Marc.Mimler@city.ac.uk)[Marc.Mimler@city.ac.uk](email: Marc.Mimler@city.ac.uk)  \nAbstract  \nJapanese video games have become a significant segment of the global entertainment and media industry, while also serving as a defining element of Japanese popular culture enjoyed worldwide. Many of the industry's key technological advancements have been driven by Japanese companies, and numerous iconic video game franchises trace their origins to Japan. Notably, these games are often integrated into a broader media mix strategy, in which publishers expand a single narrative across various media formats—such as anime, manga, and video games—featuring shared characters and immersive fictional w","cbCaieHIxA4wiX2Q","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaieHIxA4wiX2Q","pdf",610044,3,1,31,"English","en",105,"# Abstract\n# Introduction\n## Media mix strategy and global pop culture\n## Fan communities and IP concerns","[{\"question\":\"What is the central idea of the Japanese video game media mix discussed in the paper?\",\"answer\":\"The paper explains how publishers expand a single narrative across multiple media formats—such as anime, manga, and video games—using shared characters and immersive worlds, often with related merchandise.\"},{\"question\":\"Why do fan communities matter for the popularity of the media mix?\",\"answer\":\"It argues that passionate fan communities engage deeply with characters and universes, strengthening the cultural impact and popularity of the media mix.\"},{\"question\":\"What legal issue can arise from fan activities in this ecosystem?\",\"answer\":\"Some fan practices may cross into intellectual property infringement, creating difficult decisions for publishers about whether to enforce their IP rights.\"}]","Intellectual Property and the Japanese Media Mix - Videogames between Fan culture and business strategies | PDF",1787337433,78,{"code":4,"msg":32,"data":33},"ok",{"site_id":25,"language":24,"slug":34,"title":13,"keywords":35,"description":14,"schema_data":36,"social_meta":87,"head_meta":89,"extra_data":91,"updated_unix":29},"intellectual-property-and-the-japanese-media-mix-videogames-between-fan-culture-and-business-strategies","",{"@graph":37,"@context":86},[38,54,69],{"@type":39,"itemListElement":40},"BreadcrumbList",[41,45,49,51],{"item":42,"name":43,"@type":44,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":46,"name":47,"@type":44,"position":48},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":50,"name":12,"@type":44,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",{"item":52,"name":13,"@type":44,"position":53},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/intellectual-property-and-the-japanese-media-mix-videogames-between-fan-culture-and-business-strategies/136002/",4,{"url":52,"name":13,"@type":55,"author":56,"headline":13,"publisher":58,"fileFormat":61,"inLanguage":24,"description":14,"dateModified":62,"datePublished":63,"encodingFormat":61,"isAccessibleForFree":64,"interactionStatistic":65},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":57},"Person",{"url":42,"name":59,"@type":60},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-03","2026-08-21",true,{"@type":66,"interactionType":67,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":68},"ViewAction",{"@type":70,"mainEntity":71},"FAQPage",[72,78,82],{"name":73,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":75},"What is the central idea of the Japanese video game media mix discussed in the paper?","Question",{"text":76,"@type":77},"The paper explains how publishers expand a single narrative across multiple media formats—such as anime, manga, and video games—using shared characters and immersive worlds, often with related merchandise.","Answer",{"name":79,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":80},"Why do fan communities matter for the popularity of the media mix?",{"text":81,"@type":77},"It argues that passionate fan communities engage deeply with characters and universes, strengthening the cultural impact and popularity of the media mix.",{"name":83,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":84},"What legal issue can arise from fan activities in this ecosystem?",{"text":85,"@type":77},"Some fan practices may cross into intellectual property infringement, creating difficult decisions for publishers about whether to enforce their IP rights.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":52,"og:type":88,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":59,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":90,"canonical":52},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":25},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":93},[94,98,102,106,111,116,121,124,129,132,136],{"id":21,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":48,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":99,"show_sort_weight":100,"slug":101},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":53,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":112,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":113,"show_sort_weight":114,"slug":115},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":118,"show_sort_weight":119,"slug":120},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":122,"slug":123},30,"research-report",{"id":125,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":126,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":128},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":130,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":131},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":133,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":134,"show_sort_weight":133,"slug":135},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":137,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":138,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":139},19,"General","general"]