While the business model for the character business has been built on the foundation of strong rights protection, growing network externalities in the form of the internet and social media have created a situation in which contradictory needs are emerging. While examples of success have already emerged in the form of Kumamon and Hatsune Miku, for example, Pokémon Illustration Lab has pioneered the development of an environment in which the characters from Pokémon—one of the world’s most influential character franchises—can be used free of charge for non-profit purposes, including in some education, childcare, and medical care contexts. We greatly admired this design for a long-term business strategy giving rise to points of contact with children, along with a superb licensing strategy that is neither too open nor too closed, creating win-win relationships for both the company and users. With the scope of free licensing expanding in response to the corona crisis, we will be keeping an eye out to see how this develops in the future.