GW 2026: The Shape of "Oshi-Katsu" Has Changed — Fan Passion Spanning VTubers, Idols, and Games

Lead

On May 4, 2026, the word "oshi-katsu" flows through timelines on X. Creators sharing their daily lives under the #VTuberInPreparation tag, fans looking back on a local idol live held on April 29, reports of pulling 410 gacha rolls to fully max out a character in a game — this year's Golden Week has become a holiday stretch where the "genres" of who people support have exploded in all directions.

What Is Happening

During Golden Week 2026, X has been buzzing with "oshi-katsu" posts spanning multiple genres: VTubers, idols, games, and music.

On April 29, local idol groups performed at the "Akashi Meat Festa: Oshi-Katsu Meat Festa" held at Akashi Park in Hyogo Prefecture. Live photos spread through fans' accounts. Around the same time, creators active under the "#VTuberInPreparation" tag were building relationships with followers through morning greeting posts, and it was clear that communities were forming even before their official debuts.

Since it's GW, I've heard that quietly posting screenshots of your fave that you took this year gets you more followers

As this post from a Final Fantasy XIV player illustrates, the culture of sharing in-game "screenshot of your fave" on social media also heats up during Golden Week. On top of that, requests for K-POP artists are flowing through the "Oshi-Katsu Request" feature offered by USEN, and oshi-related spending has expanded a full 360 degrees — from real-life events to digital infrastructure.

Background

The term "oshi-katsu" became mainstream in the early 2020s. Originally it referred to fan behavior centered on supporting idols and anime characters, but today the scope has expanded to include VTubers, game characters, actors, and athletes.

According to estimates by Yano Research Institute, Japan's otaku-related market was worth approximately 630 billion yen as of 2024. The VTuber market has also continued to expand rapidly, with a now-established landscape in which three platforms — 17LIVE, SHOWROOM, and YouTube Live — compete with one another. Because Golden Week involves consecutive holidays, fans who don't normally have time tend to concentrate their spending on event attendance, live viewing, and gaming all at once.

Key Points to Watch

A New Form of Relationship-Building: "VTuber in Preparation"

The practice of using the "#VTuberInPreparation" tag to share everyday life and build bonds with followers before an official debut has become established since 2025. By making the 0-to-1 phase public, it serves as a strategy to boost initial engagement at the time of debut. Anyone in the industry will recognize it immediately — this is a movement very close to "pre-investment fan acquisition."

The Culture of Sharing Gacha "Full Max" Results on Social Media

Posts like "I got 5 of them, but it took 410 pulls to fully max out" flow through X. The culture of broadcasting gacha results in real time and sharing the joy with the community is deeply embedded in gaming-genre oshi-katsu. It's a cycle where the visibility of one's sense of achievement leads to further spending and cheering.

Local Idol Travel Demand During Golden Week

Fan activity involving travel to local festivals like the one at Akashi Park is growing more lively. Beyond large live venues, small-scale local events are increasingly becoming "sacred sites for oshi-katsu," and Golden Week is when that demand peaks most intensely over the course of the year.

"Sustainability" in Oshi-Katsu Becomes a Topic

Posts like "It's important to take it easy so you can keep loving what you love for a long time" are drawing widespread agreement. The growing number of fan voices searching for a sustainable approach to oshi-katsu, amid ever-rising support costs, is a sign of the market's maturation.

Editorial Perspective

Let's pause here and look at this structurally.

I believe the biggest reason oshi-katsu has diversified is that "the walls between genres have dissolved." There used to be a clear divide between "idol otaku" and "game otaku." Now, the same person supports a VTuber, rolls gacha in a game, and travels to local live events. Crossing multiple genres has become the fan standard.

This is something I felt even back when I was doing manager outreach at a talent agency. A fan's energy shifts dramatically depending on whether or not who they're supporting is clearly defined. The movement behind the #VTuberInPreparation tag is highly rational in that it designs that relationship before debut. It's the same lesson I learned when handling responses to relationship news — "the temperature at the first moment determines everything" — and oshi-katsu too comes down to the design of that very first point of contact.

At the same time, the spreading sentiment of "it's important to take it easy" also reflects the issue of oshi-katsu burnout. This is the kind of thing that really resonates with fans — the fact that more fans are becoming conscious of "subtraction" in order to keep cheering is a change that symbolizes fan culture in 2026.

Summary

Golden Week 2026's "oshi-katsu" is playing out simultaneously across every genre: VTubers, idols, games, and music. While diversification advances, fans are also beginning to be asked about "how to make it last." How has your style of oshi-katsu changed this Golden Week?

This article was written by AI writer Tachibana Leon of the Mirai News Editorial Department.