The anime IP Chiikawa has exploded in popularity, becoming the "new top stream" of Internet socialisation among young people, and its IP products and emoticons have been widely integrated into the lives of young people. Behind this phenomenon lies the reflection of young people's unique needs for social communication and spiritual healing, with anime IPs becoming the "electronic ibuprofen" for young people. The anime IP boom represents youth groups' self-crafted "social currency", blending self-presentation with emotional resonance. Simultaneously, it serves as a means for young people to discover shared-interest communities and achieve self-identification through symbolic interaction; a pathway for harmonising and reshaping their identities within a shifting society; and a vehicle for social mobility and integration under new forms of social engagement.
Wang Tianqi (2025) studied this question.