Moving beyond a simple popularity contest to becoming a driving force for regional growth!
Announcing the “World Local Characters Grand Prix” — a new-era event evaluating the impact of mascot activities.
Transforming daily grassroots efforts into the “Power of Support.” Entry applications open in early April.
The World Local Characters Grand Prix Executive Committee is proud to announce the launch of the “World Local Characters Grand Prix,” a new event designed to visualize the daily grassroots efforts of characters and transform them into a driving force for regional revitalization.
Moving beyond the traditional popularity contest, this competition introduces a “Continuous Evaluation System” that integrates year-round web voting with on-site voting at live events.
Entry applications will open in early April 2026, welcoming local mascots, corporate characters, and international characters from around the globe.
■ Background & Mission
Today, many local characters exist across the country. However, organizations managing these characters—often operating with limited budgets and staff—face significant challenges. These include a lack of platforms to promote themselves nationally, activities becoming repetitive, and the difficulty of justifying the cost-effectiveness of their efforts.
This event has been launched with a new framework to ensure that these local mascots, who carry the pride of their regions, and the organizations supporting them receive the recognition they deserve. Our goal is to provide a spotlight where their hard work and dedication can truly shine.
■ Three Key Features of the “World Local Characters Grand Prix”
1. A “Hybrid Voting System” that values real-world activities.
Beyond online popularity, we visualize “actual contribution”—measured by how much characters interact with people and revitalize their regions on the ground.
The final rankings are determined by combining year-round “Web Support Votes” with “Real Event Support Votes” held at multiple locations nationwide. To honor local efforts, real-world participation is highly weighted with a higher points-per-vote system.
2. A “Fair and Accessible” Voting Environment
We have implemented a fair and accessible voting system through several key features.
To prevent fraudulent voting via mass-created email addresses, we use “LINE ID Integration” to ensure authentic support. At live event venues, visitors can easily vote by scanning each character’s unique QR code with their smartphones. Additionally, we use “Location-Based Authentication” to ensure that on-site votes can only be cast within the venue, maintaining a high level of fairness.
3. Expanding as a “Global Competition” with international characters.
This event will expand as a “Global Competition,” welcoming not only local mascots and community-focused corporate characters from Japan but also international characters from around the world.
By hosting this in Japan, where character culture is deeply rooted, we aim to promote international exchange and provide a platform for global characters to build their branding in the Japanese market. Together, we will connect the local regions of Japan with the world through the power of smiles.
■ Event Schedule & Timeline
- Entry Period: Starting early April
- Web Voting Period: July 7th, 12:00 PM – December 4th, 11:59 PM (JST)
- On-site (Real Event) Voting: September – December (Held multiple times. Voting is open from the first day of each event until one hour before the final day concludes.)
- Overall Ranking Calculation Period: July 7th – December 13th
■ Message from Shinsaku Arakawa, Chairman of the Executive Committee
“We envision this event not as a mere temporary popularity contest, but as the most effective platform for delivering regional charm to the entire nation. By creating a space where hardworking characters and their supporting organizations receive the recognition they truly deserve, I am confident that we are taking a vital new step toward regional revitalization.”
■ Call for Sponsorship Partners and Donations
We are seeking sponsorship partners and individual donors who resonate with our mission and wish to join us in revitalizing local communities.If you are interested in supporting the “World Local Characters Grand Prix,” please feel free to contact the Executive Committee for further details.
【Management Structure】World Local Characters Grand Prix Executive Committee
Chairman:ShinsakuArakawa
Committee Members:Takeshi Moritoki,Takeshi Shirakawa,Makoto Kinomoto,Yoko Oshiro,Yufu Terashima
会長：荒川 深冊
委員：守時 健、白川 剛司、木ノ元 誠、大城 容子、寺嶋 由芙
【Contact Information】
World Local Characters Grand Prix Secretariat
Email：info@charagp-mail.com
OfficialWEBsite：charagp.com
