YOAKE Entertainment Raises Approximately JPY 500 Million from Sony Group Company to Create New “Oshi-Katsu” Experiences on Soneium

YOAKE entertainment, a joint venture established by Asobisystem and its partners, announced on the 13th that it has secured approximately JPY 500 million in additional funding from Sony Ventures.

Following this funding round, the company will accelerate collaboration with Soneium, Ethereum’s Layer 2 blockchain developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs, to create and expand new “oshi-katsu” (fan engagement) experiences in the entertainment sector and broaden related use cases.

In addition, YOAKE plans to strengthen its expansion beyond the idol space into a wider range of entertainment fields, including music, film, gaming, and anime.

To date, YOAKE entertainment has hosted “IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION Supported by TGC (IRC)”, one of Japan’s largest idol and fashion festivals. It has also launched the official IRC APP on Soneium. At IRC 2025, held in March 2025, a total of 107 idols performed, drawing approximately 11,800 attendees. The company plans to host IRC 2026 this March under the theme of co-creation, promising enhanced technology-driven experiences through the IRC APP.

The IRC APP is designed to record and visualize fans’ support activities, converting them into rewards and exclusive experiences.

As social media continues to diversify the ways in which entertainment is consumed, the scope of “oshi-katsu” activities has expanded significantly. However, fan engagement remains fragmented across multiple platforms, making it difficult for fans to fully recognize the value of their contributions. At the same time, entertainment companies struggle to accurately measure fan enthusiasm and demand.

In response to these challenges, YOAKE entertainment is leveraging technologies including AI and blockchain to record fan engagement within communities and translate those contributions into tangible rewards and experiences. The company aims to design and implement a new model of “oshi-katsu” where fan activity is officially recognized and valued.

To make such a framework viable as an official experience, YOAKE emphasizes the importance of close collaboration with intellectual property (IP) holders and existing fan communities. Strengthening partnerships with IP owners is expected to be a key focus moving forward.

Looking ahead, YOAKE entertainment plans to promote the following initiatives:

• Creation of next-generation on-chain entertainment experiences on Soneium
• Expansion of the infrastructure model established through the IRC APP
• Acceleration of global expansion

As part of its efforts to build on-chain entertainment experiences, the company plans to utilize its proprietary “REC token.” By recording and circulating the value of fan enthusiasm, YOAKE aims to create a new relationship between fans and IP/content creators.

Furthermore, the company seeks to evolve Japan-originated “oshi-katsu” culture into a globally accessible experience that transcends national and language barriers, with plans to expand into overseas markets.

Reference: Announcement
Image: Shutterstock

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