Yo-kai Watch

Lore & Background

The franchise was first conceived as a Doraemon IP, something that could last over a long period of time. Akihiro Hino, CEO of Level-5, researched extensively what makes a franchise long-lasting, and came up with Yo-kai Watch. The basic plot of most media is that the main character, either Nathan 'Nate' Adams or Katie Forester, obtains a Yo-kai Watch through Whisper, a butler Yo-kai. They then befriend Jibanyan, a nekomata Yo-kai who haunts an intersection because he thinks his owner from when he was alive named Amy called him lame for getting hit by a truck. During the series's run, other Yo-kai were introduced.

Yo-kai Watch revolves around befriending Yo-kai that are haunting the city, which are based on traditional yōkai, but often with clever twists. If one befriends a Yo-kai, they get their Yo-kai Medal, an object that allows one to summon Yo-kai. With these, they can summon Yo-kai to either fight other Yo-kai, befriend others, or solve everyday tasks. The first video game in the main series was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013. Three main sequels and several spin-offs, on both Nintendo consoles and mobile platforms, have been released, with Nintendo handling international releases until 2019. In December 2019, the franchise expanded to PlayStation with the release of Yo-kai Watch 4++.

An associated toy line is produced by Bandai for the Japanese market, while Hasbro formerly sold the toys under license in the Americas and Europe. Six manga adaptations have also been produced; one, a series that began serialization in Shogakukan's CoroCoro Comic from December 2012 to April 2023, was an award winner. An anime television series produced by OLM, Inc. aired in Japan from January 8, 2014, to March 30, 2018, and was a ratings success, boosting the franchise in popularity, and began airing in North America from September 2015. An animated film, Yo-kai Watch: The Movie, was released on December 20, 2014, with seven more films being produced since then.

Reader's Guide

Yo-kai Watch is significant as a cross-media franchise that achieved substantial commercial success, generating $2 billion in retail sales and selling over 17 million game copies worldwide by 2022. Its popularity was particularly strong in Japan and Europe, though it failed to meet Level-5's expectations in North America. The franchise's North American launch was initially successful, with the original 3DS game selling 400,000 units, backed by the toys and the broadcast of the English dub on Disney XD in the United States. However, interest in the Yo-kai Watch franchise has since steadily declined. The franchise's legacy includes its innovative blend of traditional Japanese yōkai with modern gameplay mechanics, its expansion into multiple media formats, and its role as one of the highest grossing media franchises of all time. The series introduced a large cast of characters, including Nate, Katie, Whisper, Jibanyan, and later Hailey Anne Thomas, Summer Adams, Cole, and Bruno, each with distinct roles across games, manga, and anime.

Did You Know?

• The franchise was first conceived as a Doraemon IP.
• The anime series aired in Japan from January 8, 2014, to March 30, 2018.
• The original 3DS game sold 400,000 units in North America.
• As of 2022, the game series has sold over 17 million copies worldwide.