"Rakuten Books" Celebrates 25th Anniversary with "Entertainment Timeline" and "Hall of Fame Products & Artists" Announcement

Rakuten Group, Inc.'s online bookstore "Rakuten Books" announced today its "Entertainment Timeline" covering 25 years and "Hall of Fame Products and Artists" to commemorate its 25th anniversary since its service launch on April 1, 2026 (Wednesday).

The "Entertainment Timeline" looks back at hit entertainment content over 25 years, from 2001 when "Rakuten Books" launched its service to last year, 2025, along with memorable episodes gathered from 3,024 "Rakuten Books" users. The "Hall of Fame Products and Artists" introduces products that achieved historical hits, reflecting on the history of "Rakuten Books." Furthermore, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the service launch, the "25th Anniversary Total 2.5 Million Yen Equivalent Grand Cashback Campaign" will be held from April 1, 2026 (Wednesday) 10:00 to April 30, 2026 (Thursday) 9:59.

■□ "Rakuten Books" Entertainment Timeline □■

■□ "Rakuten Books" Entertainment Timeline Details □■

■2001-2005: The Dawn of the 21st Century and Diversification of Entertainment

2001, when "Rakuten Books" launched its service on April 1, was the year the movie "Spirited Away" was released, holding the record for Japan's highest-grossing film until "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train" broke it in 2020. Also, in 2002, SMAP's song "Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana" (The Only Flower in the World) was released, and the phrase "Only One" in its lyrics became a buzzword that year. Furthermore, the portable game console "Nintendo DS," the first in the subsequent "Nintendo DS series," was released in 2004.

■2006-2010: Hollywood Films Dominate! The Wave of Global Entertainment

In this period, "Rakuten Books" saw hits in video works such as "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (released in 2005, DVD released in 2006) from the "Harry Potter" film series, and "THIS IS IT" (released in 2009, DVD released in 2010), a documentary featuring rehearsals for Michael Jackson's legendary concert tour. Regarding "THIS IS IT," episodes recalling the shocking news of the time were gathered, such as "As a Michael Jackson fan, I watched it repeatedly while crying" and "I felt he was a truly great person again." Also, the book "Moshi Kōkō Yakyū no Joshi Manager ga Drucker no 'Management' o Yondara" (What If a High School Baseball Manager Read Drucker's "Management"?) by Natsumi Iwasaki, affectionately known as "Moshidora," was released in 2009 and later became a hot topic when it was adapted into a film. Furthermore, the DVD "ARASHI Anniversary Tour 5×10" (2010), which recorded the 10th-anniversary tour of Arashi, a national idol group still supported today, also garnered much attention.

■2011-2015: The Infiltration of K-POP and the "Frozen" Phenomenon

In the first half of the 2010s, Korean girl groups like KARA and Girls' Generation, which were instrumental in igniting the K-POP boom, gained popularity, leading to a K-POP craze. Around this time, Japanese female idol group AKB48 also had huge hits with songs like "Flying Get," and members like the "Kami 7" (Top 7) were active in TV, dramas, and commercials, creating an "AKB48 whirlwind." Users also shared memories such as "I bought many CDs eligible for the general election" and "I was able to buy CDs with handshake tickets on 'Rakuten Books'." Additionally, Disney's "Frozen," known for its theme song "Let It Go" sung by Takako Matsu, was released in 2014, and its video release the following year became a massive hit, ranking No. 1 in annual sales on "Rakuten Books."

■2016-2020: The Retirement of a Legendary Diva and the Emergence of a Social Phenomenon Game

In September 2017, the retirement of Namie Amuro, a singer beloved as a diva representing the Heisei era, was announced, shocking many fans. Her best album "Finally," released that year to commemorate her 25th anniversary and retirement announcement, achieved a million-seller status in its first week and became the No. 1 annual seller on "Rakuten Books" that year. Many fans still comment, "I still listen to it." Also, in 2017, Nintendo's game console "Nintendo Switch" was released. Subsequently, the Nintendo Switch software "Animal Crossing: New Horizons," released in 2020, became the No. 1 annual seller on "Rakuten Books" that year. Its long-term play style attracted many fans, and the demand for "stay-at-home activities" due to the COVID-19 pandemic further fueled its popularity, creating a social phenomenon.

■2021-2025: Anime Films Lead the Way! New Era Entertainment Colored by Online-Born Artists

The anime film "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train," released in October 2020, became a long-running hit, even being re-released in 2025. It eventually surpassed 40 billion yen in domestic box office revenue, securing the all-time No. 1 spot. Other anime films based on manga, such as "Jujutsu Kaisen 0 the Movie" (2021) and "ONE PIECE FILM RED" (2022), also achieved huge hits. Regarding "ONE PIECE FILM RED," the artist Ado, who originated as a "singer," was responsible for the in-film songs, and her vocal prowess garnered significant attention. Furthermore, the activity of online-born artists like Kenshi Yonezu and YOASOBI is a characteristic of this era. Also, in May 2025, "Nintendo Switch 2," Nintendo's first new game console in eight years since the "Nintendo Switch," attracted significant attention.

"Rakuten Books" will continue to support everyone's fulfilling entertainment life by selling books, CDs, DVDs, games, and more.

■□ "Rakuten Books" Hall of Fame Products □■

■□ "Rakuten Books" Hall of Fame Product Details □■

・Overall Category: "Frozen MovieNEX"

Product Page: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/12794394/

Release Date: July 16, 2014

・Books Overall Category: "Hontou no Jiyuu wo Te ni Ireru Okane no Daigaku" (The Money University to Achieve True Freedom) by Ryō@Libertarian University President

Product Page: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/18041936/

Release Date: June 19, 2020

*The revised edition released on November 20, 2024, is currently on sale.

・Novel Category: "Hibana" (Spark) by Naoki Matayoshi

Product Page: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/14602267/

Release Date: February 10, 2017

・Comic Category: "ONE PIECE" by Eiichiro Oda

Special Page: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/mediamix/XW00000520/

・Game Category: "Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) Joy-Con(L)/(R) White"

Product Page: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/16882955/

Release Date: October 8, 2021

・Game Software Category: Nintendo Switch Software "Animal Crossing: New Horizons"

Product Page: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/16220456/

Release Date: March 20, 2020

・Male Idol Category: Arashi

Artist Page: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/artist/100000000036539/

・Female Idol Category: AKB48

Artist Page: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/artist/100000000024489/

・J-POP Category: Kenshi Yonezu

Artist Page: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/artist/100000000285802/

■Survey Overview

Survey Area: Nationwide

Target Respondents: "Rakuten Books" users

Number of Samples Collected: 3,024 samples

Survey Period: March 3, 2026 (Tuesday) - March 8, 2026 (Sunday)

Survey Conducted by: "Rakuten Books"

■"25th Anniversary Total 2.5 Million Yen Equivalent Grand Cashback Campaign" Details

URL: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/event/anniversary/25th/

Period: April 1, 2026 (Wednesday) 10:00 - April 30, 2026 (Thursday) 9:59

1. "Win a 25,000 Yen OFF Coupon for 25 People! X Campaign"

Overview: Follow "Rakuten Books" official X (@rakutenbooks) and post "Your life-changing entertainment work" with hashtags "#RakutenBooks25thAnniversary" and "#LifeChangingEntertainmentWork" to be entered into a lottery to win a 25,000 yen off coupon usable at "Rakuten Books" for 25 winners.

2. "Total 1 Million Points Share Campaign"

Overview: During the period, enter from the special page and purchase 1,000 yen or more in a single order on "Rakuten Books".