The Day the Bag Became a Display Case
In the summer of 2018, I first witnessed a line of women in their twenties walking in front of Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo, carrying transparent PVC bags. The entire front of each bag was an acrylic window, packed densely with can badges of the same character. Some bags appeared to hold over fifty. Their destination that day was Animate in the basement of Sunshine City, and only then did I search for the term "itabag" (痛バッグ). Let me cut to the conclusion: the itabag is not simply a bag, but the most efficient identity declaration tool created by oshikatsu (推し活) culture. While figure collectors prove their tastes through sculptures in glass cabinets, oshikatsu practitioners proclaim their oshi (推し, favorite) with bags as they walk the streets.
Oshikatsu is a term that became widespread in Japanese idol fandoms in the mid-2010s. A portmanteau of "推し (oshi, favorite)" and "活動 (katsudō, activity)," it refers to all acts of actively supporting one's favorite character or idol. The spectrum is broad, from attending performances to purchasing goods, promoting on social media, and hosting birthday cafes, but the most visible practice is goods collecting. And from the question of how to "display" those goods, the itabag was born.
The Economy Where Can Badges Become Currency
The core material of the itabag is the can badge. A small circular badge 57mm or 75mm in diameter with character illustrations printed on it and a safety pin on the back. In Japan, they typically sell for 300-500 yen each, mostly in random blind formats. When ten types are released as a set, you must buy multiple to pull your desired character. What this structure has created is an exchange economy.
Search the "#canbadgeexchange" tag on Twitter and you'll see posts uploading in real time. In the format "Offering: Character A / Looking for: Character B," it operates like trading card games. Impromptu exchange meetings are held right in front of event venues. The sight of fans of the same work spreading out their bags and swapping needed badges with each other is now routinely witnessed in front of Comic Market or Animate stores. Goods have become social currency beyond consumer products.
But can badges alone cannot fill an itabag. Recently, acrylic stands (acrystands) have emerged as the main component of itabags. Printed with characters on 3-5mm thick transparent acrylic and attached to a base, they are released as desktop display items but actually go inside bags. From the 2020s onward, products designed specifically for itabag attachment have appeared. The back is perforated to connect chains, or they're made as thin plates to fit into the bag's interior grid. Manufacturers precisely read the demands of oshikatsu culture and design their products accordingly.
Genealogy of the Itabag: From Itasha to Bag
The etymology of itabag is "itasha" (痛車). This refers to vehicles with anime character wraps covering the entire car body, which appeared in Japan in the early 2000s. A portmanteau of "痛い (itai, painful/embarrassing)" and "車 (sha, car)," it initially carried strong self-deprecating nuances. It meant performing displays difficult to accept socially. Itasha owners would park their cars in Comic Market parking lots, take photos with fellow enthusiasts, and confirm their solidarity.
In the mid-2010s, someone transferred this concept to bags. Not everyone drives a car, but everyone carries a bag. They recreated the visual intensity of itasha by densely pinning badges onto transparent PVC tote bags. The cost is a fraction of a percent of vehicle wrapping, and portability is incomparably higher. Yet the effect of declaring "this is my oshi" remains the same. Itabags spread rapidly, and by around 2017, dedicated bag brands had emerged.
Early itabags had a strong DIY spirit. People pinned badges into transparent pouches bought at 100-yen shops and laid colored paper or lace fabric inside to decorate the background. However, after 2018, when specialized itabag manufacturers entered the market, the landscape changed. They designed double PVC structures to prevent badges from falling out, and inserted grid-type partitions inside to allow acrylic stands to be positioned upright. Products equipped with adjustable shoulder straps, internal pockets, and waterproof zippers sell in the 3,000-8,000 yen range. Itabags have settled from DIY products of subculture into a product category of their own.
Lawson Acrylic Stand Blue Archive x Lawson Saki B →The Aesthetics of Layout Inside the Bag
There are implicit rules for filling an itabag. First, unify with the same character. Mixing multiple characters earns the evaluation "your oshi is unclear." Second, duplicate placement of even the same illustration multiple times. The logic is that greater quantity proves deeper affection. Third, pay attention to layout. It's not simply about densely pinning badges, but considering color arrangement and size contrast to achieve visual balance.
Advanced itabag creators match the background fabric color to the character's image color. For a blue-haired character, navy or sky blue velvet; for pink-toned characters, pastel pink satin. They insert ribbons or lace between badges and acrylic stands to add depth. LED light strips are sometimes attached to bag edges to make them shine even in dark places. All these processes are shared on YouTube or Twitter with the "#itabagcreationlog" tag, establishing itself as a creative genre.
However, the physical limitations of itabags are clear. Weight. Fifty can badges and ten acrylic stands, combined with the bag's own weight, exceed 2kg. Carrying it all day hurts your shoulders. So recently, a tendency has emerged to separate "display itabags" and "portable itabags." Large itabags for event photos, smaller bags with only about ten badges for actual movement. Oshikatsu also compromises within real-world constraints.
The Psychology of Goods Collecting
Why do people collect dozens of badges of the same character? Economically, it's inefficient. Unless they're limited editions, they have no resale value. But oshikatsu cannot be explained by economic rationality. This is an identity confirmation ritual.
There's an expression frequently used by oshikatsu practitioners: "Spending money on your oshi is like voting." They believe that each goods purchase sends a signal to the producer saying "please make more of this character." In reality, goods sales do become indicators that determine whether secondary production happens. Characters whose can badges sell well have higher probability of being produced as scale figures. Consumption is support, and support demands visible form. The itabag is proof of that support shown to others.
Another aspect is community belonging. When you post an itabag photo on social media, people with the same oshi leave comments. Conversations like "We have the same oshi!" and "Where did you get that badge?" continue, creating connections. At offline events, when you encounter someone with an itabag of the same character, you naturally strike up conversation. The bag is both business card and invitation.
Danganronpa Series Oyo Illustration Throne ver. Makoto Naegi Throne ver. Extra-Large Acrylic Stand (Anime Toy) →The Intersection of Figure Collectors and Goods Collectors
Figure collecting and oshikatsu goods collecting have different objectives. For figures, the sculpture itself is the purpose. You evaluate the prototype artist's interpretation, precision of painting, and completeness of posing, then enshrine them in glass cabinets. Goods, on the other hand, center on quantity and display. A single illustration is reproduced in various forms—badges, acrylic stands, postcards, clear files—and collecting all versions signifies completion.
However, the intersection clearly exists. Among Nendoroid collectors, many collect all versions of the same character. The sight of displaying over ten Hatsune Miku Nendoroids in a cabinet—regular edition, limited edition, event bonuses—is the three-dimensional version of an itabag. The logic of collection is the same: "I want to own every form of my oshi."
Recently, figure manufacturers have also become conscious of itabag culture. Good Smile Company began providing can badge sets as bundled bonuses with Nendoroid releases. Alter includes acrylic stands as pre-order bonuses for scale figures. The boundary between figures and goods is blurring. The two cultures are not competing but expanding each other.
The Gazes Surrounding Itabags
Itabags remain controversial. Even within Japan, there's criticism that they're "too ostentatious in public spaces." Carrying an itabag on a train draws gazes from surrounding passengers. Not all reactions are positive. Some feel uncomfortable, others mock. The self-deprecating nuance from the early days of itabag culture hasn't completely disappeared.
However, the atmosphere has changed since the 2020s. K-pop idol fandoms actively embraced itabag culture, gaining mainstream acceptance. On the streets of Myeongdong or Hongdae in Seoul, itabags containing BTS or Seventeen member photocards are commonly seen. It has spread from otaku exclusivity to a tool of fandom culture in general. In the process, the "itai (embarrassing)" nuance has gradually diluted, and the positive context of "proudly showing what I like" has strengthened.
In Korea, the translation "deokjil bag" (fan activity bag) is sometimes used, but in communities, the Japanese expression "itabag" is still more frequently used. This is because the origin of goods culture was the Japanese otaku scene. Maintaining the terminology is also an acknowledgment of cultural lineage.
Danganronpa Series Oyo Illustration Throne ver. Hajime Hinata Throne ver. Extra-Large Acrylic Stand (Anime Toy) →FAQ
How much does it cost to make your first itabag?
Basic transparent bags start from around 10,000 won, and can badges are in the 3,000-5,000 won range each. To equip a basic configuration with about 20 badges and 5 acrylic stands costs around 100,000 won. Using specialized itabag manufacturer products and adding LED lighting can exceed 200,000 won. However, DIY with 100-yen shop materials is possible under 50,000 won.
Where do you obtain goods to put in itabags?
Official goods are purchased from specialized stores like Animate and Toranoana or online mail-order sites. In Korea, direct purchasing through forwarding services is common. Event-limited goods are sometimes distributed at Comic Market or character birthday cafes. Used goods can be found at Japanese secondhand shops or apps like Mercari, but popular characters cost more than retail.
Isn't carrying an itabag burdensome?
Individual differences are significant. In Japan, wearing an itabag at Comic Market or in front of Animate stores is natural, but many people are conscious of gazes on regular streets. Recently, compromise solutions have emerged, such as semi-transparent covers that conceal normally but open when needed. What's important is finding a line where you feel comfortable.
Should figure collectors also understand itabag culture?
Not essential, but the two cultures grew from the same roots. Oshikatsu goods trends influence figure manufacturers' bonus configurations and serve as indicators of character popularity. Additionally, understanding itabag culture allows you to read the context of scenes encountered at Japanese events. Goods and figures tell the same story in different languages.
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Itabags are ultimately about declaration, not possession. While figures in glass cabinets exist quietly for yourself, goods in bags speak aloud to others. Neither can be said to be more correct. Both cultures simply start from the same question: "How will I give form to what I love?" May good encounters reach your display cabinets today as well.
