Stories
Stories & deep dives
Hot campaigns, record-breakers and the patterns behind them — reported with sources, so your research actually pays off.
Games & hobbyHow to Read Board Game Crowdfunding — Before Backing a Japanese or Localized EditionConclusion: judge board-game campaigns on translation scope, shipping-delay risk and whether it's a real game or just an expansion cash-grab — not the source IP's fame.Social goodJapan's Equity-Crowdfunding Issuance Cap Jumps to ¥500m -- What Changed in 2026Conclusion: a revised law raised Japan's per-company equity-crowdfunding issuance cap from under ¥100m to under ¥500m. FUNDINNO rolled it out in January 2026. The individual investor cap is largely unchanged.Social goodHow to Spot an AI-Generated 'Prototype' Video Before You Back a CampaignConclusion: 2026 is the year AI video generation went mainstream. Check hands, physics, audio-sync and reverse-video-search before trusting a 'working prototype' clip.Social goodHow to Verify a Japanese Crowdfunding Creator Is Legitimate (From Overseas)Conclusion: reverse-image search the photos, check Japan's NTA company registry, and review SNS history -- the same 3 checks, with tools that work from overseas.Social goodCrowdfunding Platform Fees in Japan: A Neutral Comparison (as of July 2026)Conclusion: reward-type fees run roughly 10–20%. CAMPFIRE 12% + 5% payment, Makuake 20% (payment included), MOTION GALLERY/kibidango 10%, For Good 0%. A neutral comparison of major platforms, as of June 2026.Social goodEquity Crowdfunding in Japan: The Real Risks and Downsides Before You InvestBottom line: Japanese equity crowdfunding is investing, not backing — total loss of capital, no way to sell early, dilution and issuer bankruptcy are built into the product, not edge cases.How KAKEHASHI verifies information — Editorial PolicyEvery fact on KAKEHASHI is checked against at least two independent sources before publication, dated ("as of"), and corrected in public when wrong — this page explains exactly how.Gadget & techHow Big Is Makuake, Really? ¥110B Funded, 10M Backings — VerifiedConclusion: Makuake has processed ¥110B+ across 10M backings and 60 projects over ¥100M since 2013 — the numbers behind Japan's biggest product-crowdfunding platform, verified.Gadget & techJapan's crowdfunding in early 2026 — money pours into AI devicesConclusion: in Jan–May 2026 the top five all cleared ¥100M (AI/premium gadgets). Makuake leads by amount, CAMPFIRE by count.Social goodCAMPFIRE's data breach (up to 225k) — what backers should do nowConclusion: up to 225,846 records possibly exposed — no card data, no confirmed exfiltration. Here's the backer takeaway (2026).Gadget & techTenniix AI Tennis Machine, Verified: ¥187M Raised, 5th-Biggest Campaign of 2026Conclusion: the Tenniix AI tennis robot raised ¥187.1M on Makuake — the 5th-largest Japanese crowdfunding campaign by amount in Jan–May 2026, editor-verified.Gadget & techSummer 2026's hit — the “SPEEDER” cooling fan seat, 3,821% funded and liveConclusion: a car cooling fan seat at 38× goal — ¥10M+ from 1,600+ backers on Makuake, closing now (Jun 2026).Gadget & techBacking an AI gadget — how to read AI glasses and AI-companion campaignsConclusion: AI gadgets lead with experiential allure — always verify certification, server continuity, fees and how finished the unit is.Social goodREADYFOR, the cause lane — Japan's first platform, ¥50B funded, home of donation crowdfundingConclusion: Japan's first platform (2011), strong on social and donation, ¥50B cumulative — home of the ¥916M museum drive.Social goodA billion yen — the new record, and the '0% fee' alternativeConclusion: reward crowdfunding passed ¥1B (UGREEN); meanwhile 0%-fee For Good answers differently — funds reach the runner in full.Art & filmBacking film & creative campaigns — reading MOTION GALLERY before you pledgeConclusion: film and art back the *experience* of a work being finished and shown — you support a creation, not a product.Food & drinkBacking food & local-rescue campaigns — old shops, producers, disaster areasConclusion: empathise with the story, but check delivery, storage and deductions — rules differ by reward vs donation vs GCF.MusicBacking music & events — how to read album, festival and live campaignsConclusion: you're backing an *experience*, not a product — read the funding model and whether the event will actually happen.Gadget & techkibidango, the 80%-success lane — the curated home of ViXion01 and DWARF3Conclusion: a curated, low-fee platform citing ~80% success — strong on imports, with ¥400M+ hits.Design & productBacking a design product — how to read wallet, gadget and design campaignsConclusion: judge design products on real units, manufacturability and story — execution beats % funded.