[UtaTen Research] How "Oshi Katsu" Differs Between Young People and Those in Their 50s! Changes in "Oshi Katsu Styles" Revealed by Age-Group Data from 1,516 Respondents

The survey revealed significant differences in everything from favorite genres and spending habits to feelings towards one's "oshi" (favorite person/character), depending on age group.

Oshi Katsu Reality Survey Topics

Top Genre: "Manga/Anime" is most popular among 16-19 year olds and those in their 20s. From their 30s onward, "J-POP artists" rank first in each age group.

Spending Priority: Shifts from "merchandise-focused" to "live event-focused" with increasing age.

Monthly Budget: Primarily "under 5,000 yen per month" for those 20 and under. The proportion of high spenders (over 10,000 yen) is highest in their 30s.

Feelings Towards Oshi: For 16-19 year olds and those in their 20s, "I want my oshi to be happy" and "I want to receive energy" are top responses. From their 30s onward, "I want to support their success" is ranked first.

[Survey Results] The Reality of Oshi Katsu by Age Group

*Number of Respondents: 1,516

(16-19 years old: 730, 20s: 214, 30s: 100, 40s: 109, 50s: 195, 60s: 168)

Top Genre: Diversification among younger demographics, J-POP artists most popular from 30s onward

The question "What is your most favored genre?" clearly showed differences in preferences by generation. (Figure 1)

"Manga/Anime" was the most popular among 16-19 year olds at 28.5%, and also ranked first among those in their 20s at 25.2%.

Furthermore, "Vtuber" and "streamers" accounted for a certain percentage among 16-19 year olds, indicating a high affinity for digital content.

On the other hand, from the 30s onward, "J-POP artists" became the most popular in each age group, with 58.0% in their 30s, 58.7% in their 40s, 70.8% in their 50s, and 66.7% in their 60s, all exceeding half of the respondents.

While the targets of "oshi" diversify towards characters and streamers beyond the screen among younger generations, there is a trend towards "oshi katsu" centered around music artists as people get older.

Spending Priority: Shifts from "merchandise-focused" to "live event-focused" with increasing age

The question "What do you prioritize spending money on?" clearly showed differences in how money is spent on "oshi katsu" by age group. (Figure 2)

"Merchandise" was chosen most frequently by 16-19 year olds and those in their 20s, showing a tendency to prioritize spending on items that allow them to feel close to their "oshi."

Conversely, from the 30s onward, "Live events/Festivals" were the most chosen option in all age groups. Over half of those in their 30s, and over 60% of those in their 40s and 50s, selected live events/festivals as their top spending priority.

As age increases, the focus of spending in "oshi katsu" appears to shift from tangible "things (merchandise)" to "experiences (live events/festivals)" that involve sharing space and time.

Monthly Budget for Oshi Katsu: Primarily "under 5,000 yen per month" for those 20 and under, with spending changes from their 30s onward

When asked about "the amount spent on oshi katsu (monthly average)," trends in spending varied by age group. (Figure 3)

For those 20 and under, "~5,000 yen" was the mainstream, with a focus on people enjoying "oshi katsu" within a relatively limited budget.

In contrast, in their 30s, "~30,000 yen" was the most common, with a notable trend of the highest proportion of high spenders (over 10,000 yen) among all age groups.

From their 40s onward, "~10,000 yen" settled as the largest segment, but it became clear that nearly half of the adult generation from their 30s onward invests over 10,000 yen per month.

Feelings Towards Oshi: Different "ways of facing one's oshi" by age group

Data on "the strongest feeling you have when engaging in oshi katsu" highlighted differences in how generations interact with their "oshi."

For 16-19 year olds, "I want my oshi to be happy / watch their growth" was top, followed closely by "I want to receive energy from my oshi."

Among those in their 20s, "I want to receive energy" ranked first, strongly suggesting that for younger generations, their "oshi" serves as a source of daily energy and emotional support.

On the other hand, the trend changed from their 30s onward, with "I want to support my oshi / support their success / hope their efforts are rewarded" being the most common response for all age groups from their 30s to 60s.

While the wish "I want my oshi to be happy / watch their growth" remains strongly supported, the desire to support the activities and growth of artists is more prominently expressed.

"Values of Oshi Katsu" Change by Age Group: Support Styles Adapt to Life Stages

This survey revealed that while "oshi katsu" has become established across a wide range of generations, the target of one's "oshi," spending habits, and feelings towards the "oshi" all differ significantly by age group.

Those aged 16-19 and in their 20s tend to enjoy "oshi katsu" with a relatively limited budget, focusing on merchandise and favoring diverse genres like manga, anime, and Vtubers.

In contrast, among adults aged 30 and over, a majority favor J-POP artists, shifting towards experiential "oshi katsu" that prioritizes spending on live events and festivals.

Furthermore, while the sentiment of "wanting my oshi to be happy" and "watching their growth" garners consistent support across all ages, younger generations (16-19 and 20s) more often choose "wanting to receive energy," whereas those 30 and older lean towards "wanting to support their success," indicating different ways of engaging with one's "oshi" by age group.

This survey shows that not only "who one supports" but also "what one values and how one supports" changes with age, revealing evolving "oshi katsu" styles.

The way people engage with their "oshi" changes in line with shifts in their life stages, suggesting that each generation enjoys their connection with their "oshi" in a way that suits them best.

"UtaTen Research": Decoding Music and Entertainment Trends

"UtaTen Research" is a user-participation survey project newly launched by UtaTen, a lyrics and music media outlet.

This project conducts surveys on themes such as fan culture, listener behavior, and trends, primarily focusing on music and entertainment, and disseminates the results as data.

With the spread of social media and streaming services, the ways music is enjoyed and fan activities have changed significantly.

This project aims to visualize these changes through user voices and provide a multifaceted introduction to current entertainment trends.

UtaTen plans to continue collecting real voices from music fans through "UtaTen Research" and introduce changes in entertainment trends and fan culture.

Survey Overview

Project Name: UtaTen Research

Theme: User survey on "Oshi Katsu" by age group

Survey Period: March 16, 2026 (Mon) - April 8, 2026 (Wed), May 13, 2026 (Wed) - June 12, 2026 (Fri)

Survey Method: Questionnaire survey within UtaTen

Target: UtaTen users aged 16 and over

Number of Respondents: 1,516

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UtaTen is one of Japan's largest lyrics and music information media outlets, covering over 400,000 songs, from the latest hits to timeless classics.

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Centered around lyric searches, it offers a diverse range of content including music news, original interviews, in-depth lyric analysis columns, and unique ranking projects that visualize trends.

Furthermore, it continues to provide information that broadens the enjoyment of music by conducting fan participation quizzes and survey projects.

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