A 3-Trillion-Yen Market: When Cotton and Cloth Come to Life
Speaker
Character Soul Director
井形 武司
Overview
- Date
- Wed, September 30, 2026, 12:30–13:30
- Venue
- Hyatt Regency Tokyo
- Meeting No.
- 1,687th Club Meeting
Profile
October 17, 1954: Born in Omuta, Fukuoka Prefecture
1977: Graduated from the School of Economics, Senshu University
1977: Joined apparel maker POPMODE Co., Ltd.
1981: Left POPMODE Co., Ltd.
1981: Founded BALISH:Y (apparel design and planning company)
1986: Renamed BALISH:Y as MOSTOR (general planning company)
1990: Opened Flower Box (a florist) in Hanamigawa, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture
1992: Founded Handbell Co., Ltd., a character planning, manufacturing and sales company
1993: Renamed Flower Box as Donguri Kyowakoku and moved the store to Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture
1997: Renamed Handbell Co., Ltd. as Benelic Co., Ltd.
1997: Founded the “Acorn Bank,” which keeps acorns themselves (an environmental protection project)
2003: Benelic Co., Ltd. acquired part of the business rights of the Market Development Department of Bandai Co., Ltd.
2006: Became a part-time lecturer at Kochi University
2009: Benelic Co., Ltd. grew to 46 directly managed stores, 24 franchise stores and 80 employees,
becoming a general character planning, manufacturing and sales company with sales of 10 billion yen; having achieved his own goal, he took early retirement
2018: Concluded a consignment sales agreement with Nanatairiku Co., Ltd., the rights holder of works by Sengoku warlord illustrator 諏和原
2020: Concluded a business alliance with Hangzhou FanFan Animation Group (FAN FAN), China
Began producing exhibitions of works by 14 Japanese artists
Designs concepts and store layouts for FanFan Animation Group’s directly managed and franchise stores
Currently about 35 stores
2021: Held an exhibition of works by 14 Japanese artists in Shanghai
Signed a contract employee agreement with SC Communications Co., Ltd.
Took part in the Kobe Rokko Island revitalization plan with SC Communications
2022: Became adviser to Hangzhou FanFan Animation Group, China
2024: Opened the Kobe Rokko I Park commercial facility
Since then, he has been independently producing character content he loves.
A 3-Trillion-Yen Market: When Cotton and Cloth Come to Life