Transforming fan activities. What is the creative e-commerce MeeZium aims for?

Fujifilm Business Innovation (hereinafter Fujifilm BI) and Dentsu Inc. are jointly developing " MeSEUM " is a "creative e-commerce" service that allows fans to freely select official images and create their own photo books and merchandise on demand.

In May this year, it held the planned photo exhibition "JISE - The World of Katsu Akai, Flower Artist" by Katsu Akai, selling some of the exhibited works on its content site. On September 25th, at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, Fujifilm BI announced plans for MeSEUM to further expand Akai's worldview. In this article, Aaron Zu, the museum's general producer, discusses the museum's objectives, behind-the-scenes details of the press conference and photo exhibition, and future plans.

Updating the experiential value of fan activities: "Creative E-commerce"

In recent years, " fan activities "—supporting artists, talents, and characters—have become increasingly vibrant, ushering in an era where each fan enjoys their "favorite" in diverse ways.

Mi-Z-A-M is a service that allows fans to select their favorite shots from official photos taken at live events and other occasions, then have them bound and purchased on-demand as their own personal photo book. It also supports the creation of original goods beyond photo books, holding the potential to create a new relationship for both fans and content holders that goes beyond simple goods sales/purchases.

By combining the Fujifilm Group's longstanding expertise in silver halide photography and digital printing with Dentsu Inc.'s content development capabilities, we believe we can update the relationship between fans and artists into a new form. It is with this vision that we are advancing our joint development.

MeSEUM is a coined term combining "Me" and "Museum." It embodies the desire for fans to enjoy the very act of collecting and displaying their favorite artist's photo books and merchandise, much like pieces in a small museum within their own room. Fan activities are not merely consumption; they have already established themselves as a uniquely Japanese culture. A defining feature of Japan's fan culture is its emphasis on physical actions—holding, displaying, and admiring—rather than being confined solely to the digital world of smartphones and beyond.

Yuji Kida, Director and Executive Officer overseeing the Graphic Communications Business at Fujifilm BI, describes the concept of Mee-Museum:

"The Museum is a fan activity platform where fans personally select their favorite photos and, utilizing our AI and digital printing technologies, create one-of-a-kind original items. For content holders, it allows them to visualize dormant content and rediscover its value."

We want Museum to be a partner for both fans who enjoy supporting their idols and content holders. Using official materials, fans freely edit and surround themselves with their own special, treasured items. This experience serves as a catalyst to draw out even deeper, new charms of artists and talents, leading to further branding advancement and business expansion. We call this worldview, where we connect fan activities' behavioral change and social contribution through a next-generation platform, " Creative e-Commerce."

MeSEUM is
is not merely a tool for selling curated photo collections.

MeSEUM deepens your passion for what you love.
Spreading this philosophy and concept.

Ultimately, it's a venture that transforms the current behaviors of people within the fan culture sphere.

This is what I envision as "Creative E-Commerce."

Adding floral arrangements to photographs. Exploring expressive possibilities with floral artist Katsu Akai

As a means to embody the MeSEUM concept, we are challenging ourselves through a collaboration with floral artist Katsu Akai. The planned photo exhibition "JISE - The World of Floral Artist Katsu Akai," held in May 2025, presented an unprecedented world of works. It combined Fujifilm silver halide prints with on-demand printing, intertwining Mr. Akai's act of "flower arrangement" with photography. Mr. Akai's floral art is, in essence, ephemeral art. We wondered: Couldn't we capture these magnificent works, existing only in that moment and space, within photographs to preserve them eternally?

Mr. Akai shared his thoughts behind this exhibition:

"I didn't photograph the flower arrangements; I arranged them within the photographs. And I arranged them within the hearts of the viewers. That was my intention in creating these works."

At the exhibition venue, Akai's works were presented with the overwhelming presence and texture of large-format silver halide prints. During the exhibition period, some works were offered as Museum Select content. Approximately 8,000 people visited this photo exhibition over one week. Mr. Kida from Fujifilm BI also remarked, "It was one of the largest turnouts ever for a solo exhibition," giving us a tangible sense that it resonated deeply with many people.

Taking fan culture to the world. Utilizing FCCJ as the stage to announce the Museum concept

We believe the Museum is both a mechanism to deepen the relationship between fans and artists, and a project to share Japan's fan culture with the world. In that sense, choosing the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ) as the stage to announce the full launch of the concept was a natural choice.

On September 25th, five of us—including Katsumi Akai of Hanabito and Yuji Kida of Fujifilm BI—took the stage at the FCCJ in Yurakucho, Tokyo, for the press conference.

Reflecting on his past work, Mr. Akai expressed gratitude for his life spent with "flowers" and "people." He announced future endeavors, including exploring collaborations between floral design and photography. We introduced the Museum concept as a platform for Mr. Akai's new challenges. Additionally, we announced the launch of the radio program "Sukimoa Museum" on TOKYO FM starting in October, as one means of delivering the appeal of artists and talents through content. The speakers each discussed the importance of expressing their "favorites" and "likes" from their respective perspectives.

Another special aspect of this press conference was the presence of the spouses of ambassadors from various countries, seated prominently in the front row. Akai-san has long hosted gatherings where ambassadors and their spouses enjoy floral arrangements together, earning deep trust and respect among them. Against this backdrop, the venue buzzed with exchanges transcending borders and cultures.

The term "oshi-katsu" is no longer a passing trend; it has become a cultural act that fosters self-expression and connection. Mijium hopes to be a new gateway where everyone can express their "likes" authentically, embracing that feeling of "liking" something. And this gateway is open not just to Japan, but to fans around the world. Reflecting on the FCCJ press conference, which was attended by spouses of ambassadors from various countries, I now realize it provided a crucial opportunity to disseminate information—a first step in spreading the culture of "oshi-katsu" globally.

Preserving Each Individual's "Love"

Creative e-commerce utilizing MeSEUM deepens the relationship between fans and artists while simultaneously drawing out the artist's own appeal from new angles. For example, fans can edit off-shots and unreleased cuts—material not usually made public—into compelling compilations from their own perspective. Other fans then discover these and spread them as new sources of appeal. It is crucial to provide this new content, born from individual passion, within the official framework of the content holder.

Furthermore, we believe that inventory-free operations through on-demand manufacturing and a system that produces only when needed contribute to minimizing waste in the content business, thereby supporting sustainability.

We anticipate increasing collaborations with more diverse genres and artists going forward. The key challenge lies in how to align with each unique worldview and translate that into our service. We feel this aspect requires careful consideration for each IP.

We envision a society where it becomes commonplace for individuals to connect the works created by others with their own emotions, shaping and preserving them with their own hands. Moving forward, we will accelerate our collaboration with stakeholders both domestically and internationally, challenging ourselves to continually update the value of the experience.