Students from Shibuya Girls' International School Participate in a Roundtable Discussion with the Producer of Lotte's "Pienomi Oshinomori e Youkoso!"

Six students from "Shibuya Girls' International School (hereinafter referred to as the School)," which teaches next-generation skills such as English conversation, video production, and SNS operation, participated in a roundtable discussion planned and executed by "Z-Gen Trend Lab by GMO," a media outlet for Gen Z operated by GMO NIKKO, Inc. (President and CEO: Isamu Sakuma).

The roundtable featured Mr. Yuki Kubota, Marketing Producer for Lotte Co., Ltd.'s "Pienomi Oshinomori e Youkoso!". The first half delved into the students' real-life "oshi-katsu" (fan activities) styles, while the latter half involved evaluating the worldview of a new character IP from a Gen Z perspective. The students provided fresh insights into corporate content design, merchandise development, and diffusion strategies, reflecting their experiences as high school girls.

Gen Z's "Oshi-katsu" Permeates All Aspects of Daily Life

In the first half of the roundtable, the six students from the School shared their personal "oshi-katsu" styles. Their passion and drive extended beyond mere hobbies, evident in choices like selecting jersey numbers based on their idol's birthday, working at baseball stadiums to be near their idol, and buying three calendars – one for display and two for safekeeping.

Actions such as arranging merchandise on shelves and gazing at them daily, or adhering to group rules that prohibit support beyond official merchandise, highlighted the "seriousness" and "adherence to rules" of "oshi-katsu" among Gen Z. Some students even stated they could discuss their idol "in more detail than Wikipedia," indicating a deep level of personal involvement.

Moments of Feeling "Like Myself" Among 14 Characters - The Success of Empathy-Driven Design

In the second half, the students evaluated the worldview of "Pienomi Oshinomori e Youkoso!," which launched in Spring 2026, from a Gen Z perspective. Characters were assigned roles such as "Collection Manager," "Evangelist," and "All-Round Fan," directly mirroring "oshi-katsu" styles. Each of the six students naturally found a character they felt was "just like me."

For instance, a student who emphasized her focus on idol jersey numbers resonated with "Roxie (the one who obsesses over numbers)," while a student who enjoyed arranging merchandise on her shelf identified with "Kitsune-san (the collection manager)." This confirmed that the character design accurately captured the realities of Gen Z.

"If I'm Promoting, It's TikTok Only" - High School Girls Discuss Reaching Gen Z

When discussing diffusion strategies and which platforms to use among Instagram, X, and TikTok, all six students immediately answered, "TikTok only." They explained, "X is where I go to find information I need. I wouldn't search for an unknown character, but on TikTok, I can discover things when I'm bored," highlighting the importance of passive discovery.

Regarding merchandise development, students spontaneously offered concrete suggestions about distribution channels and collaborative brands, such as "If it's a gachapon, I'd definitely put it on my school bag" or "I'd buy it if it was a collaboration set with a cosmetics brand," leading to a dialogue rich with insights for marketing professionals.

About Lotte Co., Ltd.'s "Pienomi Oshinomori e Youkoso!"

"Pienomi," a long-selling snack launched in 1979, began a new project in Spring 2026 with a worldview inspired by "oshi-katsu" culture. The squirrel characters that have long been depicted on the packaging have been given names and stories, and are being developed as an IP project. Currently, there are 14 characters, each characterized by having an assigned role that aligns with "oshi-katsu" styles. The project is undergoing multifaceted development, including 4-panel manga, anime, and AI-generated content experiences.

Anime Episode 1: https://youtu.be/019tI1mFQes

Official Website: https://www.lotte.co.jp/products/brand/painomi/pienomioshinomori/

Pienomi AI 4-Koma Maker: https://www.pienomi-ai4koma.com/

About Shibuya Girls' International School

Shibuya Girls' International School is a full-time correspondence high school support school where students can obtain a high school diploma while systematically learning essential next-generation skills such as English conversation, video production, and SNS operation. As an educational institution operated by a corporation, it provides practical learning by leveraging its network with companies and society. Students engage in brand projects and marketing planning from their time in school, gaining experience at the forefront of society. After graduation, they aim for diverse paths, including advancing to universities and vocational schools, or pursuing careers in corporate and creative fields. "Learning with society and designing one's own future" is the new educational model of Shibuya Girls' International School.

We provide an environment where students can collaborate on marketing initiatives for Gen Z through participation in roundtable discussions and group interviews like this one, as well as involvement in SNS content creation and event planning/operation. We are always open to collaboration inquiries and proposals.

〈Official Website & SNS〉

Website: https://shibujyo.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shibujyo_0428/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shibujyo_0428?lang=ja-JP

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@shibujyo2023

Published Information

Details of this group interview are published as an article on "Z-Gen Trend Lab by GMO," a media outlet that disseminates real Gen Z trends.

Published Article URL: https://www.koukoku.jp/truemarketing/genzlab/20260707/

School Overview

Opening: April 2023

Address: TAKADEN Aoyama Bldg. 3F, 2-7-8 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002

TEL: 03-6820-2174

Official Website: https://shibujyo.com/

〈Contact Information for Inquiries〉

Shibuya Girls' International School Public Relations

E-mail: [email protected]