Unfortunately, Angry Birds is not popular in Japan. There are very few kinds of sold goods, and it is difficult to find them in downtown and shops. When I tell this to foreign people, they are surprised. However, this is a fact. Angry Birds is one of the contents to realize the difference between Japan and overseas market. Why? The main problem is that there are a lot of rivals of Angry Birds. Too many mobile games and too many characters…
Now, their biggest rival of the character of mobile game is Nameko. In addition, LINE characters are tough like this, too.
In fact, Japan resembles Finland. At first, the area of the country is the almost same. 80% of the country are the forest, don’t have underground resources and nations love mobile. However, Japan has a big difference. It’s population. Population of 125 million produces mobile games and characters and to consume. Well, Japan has a closed specific market.
I think that the reason is not only it.
I live in farm village in Yokote city, Akita now. Most of the inhabitants are old people of poor farmers, and they don't have the knowledge of the mobile game at all, and don't have the preconception for Finland, too(In the first place, they don't know where Finland exists either). I showed them Angry Birds. Unexpectedly their impression for characters were very good. They said "Funny face!". However, their reaction changed completely when I let them play a game. They said in this way, “What a cruel game!”, “I feel sorry for the birds and piggies!”.
Needless to say, Japan is Hentai big country. There are a lot of more cruel, weird and bizarre games. However, many Japanese adults have a feeling of repulsion to “Aerial ramming”. This was the same in Tokyo. When Rovio Japan started, they held an event in Apple Store Ginza and a businessman asked them a question in Q and A time, "After having attacked pigs, what happens to them? Do they die?". I did not see such a question until now in overseas sites. I told this to the American friend who lived in Tokyo. Then he answered, "It's natural! Aerial ramming is Kamikaze(Kamikaze Suicide Attack) for the Japanese!".
via Wikipedia "
Kamikaze"
This was an unexpected viewpoint. Surely, Japanese may have a bad impression toward Aerial ramming because of Kamikaze Suicide Attack. Most of generations who experienced WW II already died, but the subsequent generation learns WW II and how was Japan of those days foolish in books, TV programs, movies, etc... In those processes, a Japanese may dislike Aerial ramming under unconsciousness. It's right "imprinting".
Then what kind of measures should Rovio Japan take in future to let Angry Birds be popular in Japan?
1. Focusing for small kids
Fortunately, Angry Birds is already popular among Japanese kids. Most of participants of the sketch event that they held in Tokyo in last month were children of kindergarteners. Furthermore, they do not have the preconception because they do not yet know WW II.
See Also:
2. Don't be angry, let's laugh
They cooperated with popular mobile game Puzzle & Dragons of GungHo last month, and birds laughed there. It was very popular with Japanese Puzzle & Dragons fans.
See Also:
Collaboration of Angry Birds and Puzzle & Dragons began today
3. Leave "Aerial ramming"
Fortunately too, racing game Angry Birds Go! was just released and many Japanese game and apps media wrote articles about this. Japanese gamers are used to a comical race game because of the Mario cart series(Besides, Nintendo does not yet have an intention to go into a smartphone market). Angry Birds Go! may give Japanese people a new impression of Angry Birds.
