K-On’s influence is vast. Here are some items that K-On! has sold:
Headphones (English link)
Cell phones
Bass guitars
Pens
Hot plates
That’s in addition to the actual products associated with the series: CDs, figurines, manga, and of course dakimakura.
Given that overall Japanese retail sales fell 2.9 percent in April, will the boost from popular anime be enough to effect a turnaround? Prime Minister Taro “Rozen” Aso, criticized as a “manga brain,” thinks so. His “Japan Cool” campaign, whose stated aim is to leverage the popularity of anime and manga as Japan’s “Soft Power,” continues to be the focus of government efforts under his regime. Ultimately, time will tell if he’s right.