Summer 2023: A Warning from My Shoulder
On the subway ride home from Comic World, my left shoulder began to throb. Inside my ita-bag were 60 can badges, 12 acrylic stands, and 8 rubber straps. When I placed the ita-bag on my bathroom scale at home, it read 1.8kg. I had been carrying the equivalent of two Good Smile Company 1/7 scale figures on my shoulder.
Oshi-katsu (推し活, activities supporting one's favorite character) has become central to Korean fandom culture since the mid-2010s. If figure collecting is static appreciation inside a glass case, the ita-bag is dynamic exhibition carried outside. The problem is that the size of one's affection is directly proportional to the weight of one's bag. Online communities regularly discuss "methods for reinforcing ita-bag shoulder straps," and orthopedic doctors point out that "a significant number of female patients in their 20s and 30s visiting for unilateral shoulder pain are heavy bag users."
Let me get to the conclusion first. The ita-bag is a different kind of density game from figure collecting. Glass cases are a battle with space, but ita-bags are a battle with weight. What I realized only after filling it with 60 can badges was that oshi-katsu also has physical limits.
Why Does One Can Badge Weigh 18g?
The average weight of a standard 57mm diameter can badge is 18g. Safety-pin type metal badges can reach 22g. The problem is quantity. Twenty badges equals 360g, forty equals 720g, sixty equals 1080g. Add the weight of the ita-bag itself (average 200-300g) and acrylic stands (30-50g each), and you easily exceed 2kg.
In 2018, a research team from Kansai University's Faculty of Health and Well-being published a paper stating that "when a load of 2kg or more continues on one shoulder, trapezius muscle tension increases by 37%." Ita-bag weight reduction is not merely a matter of convenience but a health issue. However, online ita-bag showcase posts rarely mention weight. Photographs cannot distinguish between 1.8kg and 800g.
The mistake beginners commonly make is the "fill it up first, ask questions later" approach. This stems from the perception that a high-quality ita-bag means filling the front surface without gaps. But at events where you must carry it for over three hours, weight becomes a problem before aesthetics. This is especially true at all-day standing events like Wonder Festival.
Acrylic Stands vs. Hologram Stickers: The Strategy of Density
Oshi-katsu merchandise divides into three density classes. High-density includes acrylic stands, metal badges, and figure keychains; medium-density includes regular can badges and rubber straps; low-density includes hologram stickers and fabric posters. The same image can weigh 45g as an acrylic stand or 3g as a hologram sticker. A fifteen-fold difference.
Experienced ita-bag users employ a layering strategy. Light hologram stickers and acrylic keyrings go on the outer layer, while heavy acrylic stands attach only to the inner fixed panel. This maintains visual density while reducing overall weight by around 30%. This is why "lightweight merch sets for ita-bags" exist as a separate category on secondhand trading sites.
The "Ita-bag Weight Challenge" that trended on Twitter in 2021 confronted this problem head-on. Participants disclosed their ita-bag weights and shared weight-reduction tips, with the ultimate winner recording 1.2kg despite containing 70 items. The secret was using acrylic keyrings instead of can badges, resin badges instead of metal badges, and flat acrylic cards instead of 3D stands.
CAN Badge The Bear's School x Hello Kitty 10Pack BOX →Choosing the Ita-bag Body: Canvas vs. Synthetic Leather
Ita-bags on the market come in three main materials: canvas fabric (200-250g), synthetic leather (300-400g), and transparent PVC bags (150-200g). The same design can differ by up to 200g in body weight alone depending on material. If you plan to hold 60 can badges, this 200g is decisive.
Canvas material is light but lacks durability. Cases have been reported of shoulder strap connections tearing when loaded with nearly 2kg of merch. Synthetic leather is sturdy but heavy, and vulnerable to summer sweat. Transparent PVC bags are light and waterproof, but the merch inside is fully visible, leaving no room to hide layout mistakes.
Personally, I prefer 300g-range synthetic leather ita-bags with reinforced shoulder pads added. A 10mm-thick urethane shoulder pad can be purchased from online fabric shops for 2,000 won and weighs only 15g. This small investment determines whether you can endure a four-hour event or not. For surviving Wonder Festival until 3 PM, shoulder pads are not optional.
Merch Turnover Rate and Ita-bag Lifespan
Figures stay in glass cases for five years or more once purchased. But the average replacement cycle for ita-bag merch is 3-6 months. With each new anime broadcast, birthday café event, or collaboration merch release, the layout gets completely overhauled. This turnover rate is the essence of ita-bag culture.
The problem is what happens to replaced merch. Merch bundles listed under the "ita-bag clearance" tag on secondhand trading sites typically sell at 30-40% of original price. When you repeatedly list 5,000-won can badges for 1,500 won, oshi-katsu depletes your wallet faster than figure collecting. Figures can even gain premiums in the resale market, but merch almost invariably loses value.
Some collectors operate "seasonal ita-bags." They prepare multiple ita-bags for spring season, summer festivals, and winter Comic World, fixing themes to each bag. This eliminates the hassle of repeatedly attaching and detaching merch and prevents fabric damage from repeated safety pin use. However, acquiring 3-4 ita-bag bodies alone requires an investment of over 100,000 won, which presents another barrier to entry.
バッジ・ピンズ Leo/need ねんどろいどぷらす 缶バッジセット 「プロジェクトセカイ カラフルステージ! feat. 初音ミク」 →Oshi-katsu and Figure Collecting: Where to Spend Your Budget
As of 2024, the average price for a 1/7 scale figure is 150,000-200,000 won. For the same amount, you can buy 30 can badges or 6 acrylic stands. In pure numbers, merch appears overwhelmingly more abundant. But when you think five years ahead, the answer changes.
Figures in glass cases do not change in sculpt or paint over time. If a product has weathered the gap between prototype and production well, it may even appreciate with out-of-print premiums. Meanwhile, ita-bag merch gets classified as "old stock" after just three years, displaced by new art styles, new costumes, and new event visuals. Oshi-katsu is ongoing consumption; figures are long-term assets.
I take a parallel approach to both cultures. Of my 300,000-won monthly budget, 200,000 goes to figure preorders and 100,000 to oshi-katsu merch. The ita-bag is a tool for maximizing emotion on event day, while figures are devices for maintaining small satisfactions in daily life. The two cannot replace each other.
However, I recommend beginners start with figures. The reason is simple. Failed figure purchases remain in your glass case, but failed ita-bag merch goes deep into a drawer never to emerge again. Oshi-katsu is a culture demanding active participation and quick decisions. Confirming "what I truly love" through figure collecting before diving into ita-bags is safer for both your wallet and your shoulder.
Why I No Longer Bring Ita-bags to Events
Since 2023, I no longer bring ita-bags to events. Instead, I go out with a small crossbody bag with just 5 can badges attached. The reason is simple: I need space to hold the things I'll buy at the event.
At large events like Wonder Festival or Comic World, you often purchase event-exclusive merch, dealer booth garage kits, and secondhand figures. If your ita-bag interior is already full of merch, there's no room for newly purchased items. Bringing a separate eco-bag occupies both hands, making movement difficult in crowds. Ultimately, the ita-bag is "a bag for showing," not "a bag for using."
Online communities occasionally post about distinguishing "event ita-bags vs. daily-use ita-bags." The strategy is to decorate event bags as flashily yet lightly as possible, while limiting merch quantity on daily-use bags for practicality. But managing two separately requires double the merch, and budget becomes a problem again.
My current crossbody bag holds 1 Nendoroid-sized acrylic stand, 5 57mm can badges, and 3 hologram stickers. Total weight: 180g. At this level, my shoulder doesn't hurt even after carrying it all day, and there's room to add three garage kits purchased at the event. Compared to my 60-badge ita-bag days, merch has decreased to one-tenth, but my love for my oshi hasn't diminished. In fact, I see it more often because I carry it daily.
バッジ・ピンズ 怪盗キッド ビッグジュエルホロ75mm缶バッジ 「名探偵コナン ちょこかわアクリルスタンド」 キャラアニBOX購入特典 →Is Reducing Weight the Same as Reducing Affection?
I've heard it said that "reducing ita-bag merch makes your fan devotion look weak." Online, merch quantity is sometimes treated as proof of love. But there's no need to endure shoulder pain to attach 60 badges.
If I've learned anything from figure collecting, it's that density comes from selection, not quantity. Rather than cramming 50 Nendoroids tightly into a glass case, spacing out 5 1/7 scales with breathing room better showcases each figure's details. The same applies to ita-bags. Ten badges arranged with layout communicate a character's appeal more effectively than 30 attached haphazardly.
Starting in 2024, a "minimal ita-bag" trend has begun to emerge. This approach limits merch to 15 items or fewer, instead focusing on rare items like premium acrylic stands or limited-edition metal badges. Weight is kept under 500g, but the battle is fought with rarity. Personally, I see this as more sustainable. Your shoulder is comfortable, your wallet hurts less, and post-event cleanup is simple.
Oshi-katsu is not a competition. Attaching more than others doesn't make you a truer fan. What matters is whether the weight is something you can carry daily, and whether you'll still love this character three years from now. What I realized only after filling 60 badges was that reducing weight isn't reducing affection—it's actually a method for maintaining affection longer.
FAQ
How many merch items are appropriate when making your first ita-bag?
15-20 items is appropriate. With 57mm can badges as the standard, 20 can adequately fill the front surface while keeping weight around 400g. Add 2-3 acrylic stands in the center and it's visually flashy enough. Aiming for 60 from the start burdens your budget and makes changing the layout later difficult.
How do you store ita-bag merch?
Store them sorted by theme in A4-sized zipper bags. Label them with tags like "Spring Season," "Birthday Café," or "Collaboration," and they'll be easy to find when composing your next ita-bag. Can badges should be stored with safety pins closed to prevent the pins from bending. Acrylic stands should be individually packaged in OPP bags to prevent scratches.
What's the budget allocation ratio between ita-bags and figure collecting?
If you actively enjoy oshi-katsu, I recommend 7:3 (figures:merch); if event participation is low, 9:1. Figures are long-term assets and merch is consumable. With a monthly budget of 200,000 won, around 140,000 for figure preorders and 60,000 for merch is balanced. If merch exceeds 50% of your budget, losses will be significant when clearing out secondhand items a year later.
My shoulder hurts from ita-bag weight—are there solutions?
You must choose among adding shoulder pads, reducing merch quantity, or switching to a crossbody bag style. Shoulder pads have immediate effect but aren't a fundamental solution. If weight exceeds 1.5kg, I recommend reducing merch by 30% or more. Alternatively, use the ita-bag only for events and switch to a crossbody bag with just 5-10 merch items for daily use.
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May good fortune find your glass cases today as well.
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