A young buyer at Ciyuan Xiagu selects products in Beijing. Zou Hong/China Daily
Small Treasure
The “Drawing” cards are a popular Guzi item with young enthusiasts. They cost just 5 yuan ($0.70) and are sold in “blind” packs containing five to 10 different character cards. Liu said the affordable price and the uncertainty of not knowing what’s inside the pack until you open it and draw a card make them appealing to young children.
“We once saw a very cute boy come into our store and buy a pack of cards with his favorite characters from My Little Pony for 5 yuan,” Liu said.
Children often gather at shopping malls to show and exchange cards. “They don’t drink milk tea, they buy cards with the money. It’s a new way of communication between children,” he said.
Pins and cards are also used to decorate “itata” bags, which are usually covered with badges and figurines showcasing favorite anime characters.
But some of the rarer cards can sell for thousands of yuan a pack, raising concerns among parents and teachers that young people could become obsessed with the cards.
“Anime-themed cards are a hot topic among children, so banning them may not be the best solution,” Liu Bo, a researcher at the Education Science Research Institute in Zhenhai district, Ningbo city, Zhejiang province, told China Education Daily.
“It is important for parents and educators to provide proper guidance, empathize with children and explain the commercial logic,” Liu said, adding that the industry needs to be regulated.
Rita, a 19-year-old from Yichun city, Jiangxi province, discovered ancient characters when a high school classmate took her to a stationery store. She became obsessed and bought cards and stickers featuring her favorite anime characters.
Since coming to Beijing in September to study Portuguese at Communication University of China, Rita has learned even more about Guzi culture thanks to her new classmates.
Her preference is sports anime that feature strong characters and “hot-blooded storylines.”
“When I go to a koji store and buy koji, I feel like I’m meeting a friend from the 2D world in the 3D world,” she said, adding that she loves buying small items like key chains and badges to attach to her bags.
Before a trip, she looks for koji shops in the cities she and her friends want to visit. “We plan all our other destinations, like restaurants and tourist sites, based on the koji shop locations,” she says.
Not just for kids
Yuuyu, 20, loves idol anime, which tells the story of the main characters training, rehearsing, competing, and honing themselves to be successful. The genre combines well-animated choreography with memorable songs. The first idol anime Yuuyu read was “Aikatsu!” when she was about 10 years old.
She travels to Japan to visit Furuko’s shop, an experience she describes as “like a mouse falling into a jar full of grain.”
“I spend the whole day in the store looking for ancient characters with my favorite characters,” said You You, who spends 2,000 to 3,000 yuan a month on buying ancient characters.
Yuyu’s mother, who was born in 1981, is just as passionate about anime as her daughter.
“My mother loved reading comics as a child, just like me, so I’m very lucky that she supports my hobby and shares the things I love,” she added.
Song Shuang, owner of the Guzi store at Huaxi Live Mall in Beijing’s Wukesong district, said having physical products gives enthusiasts an opportunity to communicate with others who share the same interests. He said it not only provides emotional support for young people who grew up with the internet and anime culture, but also a place to socialize. His store has a space where customers can sit, chat and play games.
Song, 37, was born in Beijing and grew up reading manga and watching anime. He said not only are there a lot of guko enthusiasts, but that a wide range of age groups, including himself, enjoy the hobby. But he isn’t worried about being seen as immature.
“Adults my age didn’t have as many old-fashioned products as young people do today, but we have our favorite anime characters,” she says. “Now we’re financially independent and can buy what we want.”
In August 2023, Song opened his first store, Ciyuan Jihua, in the Gulou area, an old district of Beijing famous for its hutongs, or courtyards.
She also helps organize events for anime fans: In March, about 500 people gathered at her store to celebrate the birthday of their favorite character, Wu Xie, from “Tomb Robbers Chronicle,” a popular Chinese animated series based on a famous novel.
“For an independent owner, running a koji store is akin to managing a community centered around a common interest,” she says. “Store owners must have a deep passion for anime culture to effectively navigate the complex issues of sourcing, distribution, and community engagement.”