Rising 'baji' mania redefining cultural collections

A favorite character today, a pet tomorrow: small screens are giving China's badge collectors a new way to wear their affections, while testing how much such collections' emotional appeal can now be digitized.

Baji, a term derived from the English word "badge" via Japanese, usually refers to small metal pin badges featuring characters from animation, comics, games and pop culture in general. Often displayed on bags, they form part of the "guzi economy", which covers merchandise derived from anime, games, novels and other intellectual property.

A conventional baji carries a fixed image, while an electronic version replaces the printed surface with a small screen, allowing users to switch images, animations or short videos. Some products also double as camera monitors, remote controls or other smart accessories, while newer models are experimenting with virtual pets and artificial intelligence interaction.

Major consumer electronics brands have joined the rapidly expanding niche market. Oppo's 499-yuan ($74.5) Bubble uses a 1.73-inch screen and supports photos, live images and short videos, while also serving as a rear-camera selfie monitor with wireless preview. Honor's 599-yuan Magic Mini Screen combines customizable displays with photo previews, remote shooting and fill-light functions. Insta360 has taken a different route, putting a color e-ink display on its Mic Pro wireless microphone, which starts at a standard retail price of 698 yuan.

"Manufacturers are shifting from one-off hardware sales toward cultivating customer lifetime value," said Ma Jihua, an independent communications and internet analyst.

Electronic baji are more than just hardware — digital content such as wallpapers, skins and AI characters could be sold on an ongoing basis, helping companies build broader brand ecosystems, Ma said.

Their arrival comes as technology brands look for new ways to connect with younger consumers beyond conventional hardware specifications. According to market consultancy iiMedia Research, China's guzi economy reached 202.1 billion yuan in 2025, up 20 percent year-on-year, and is projected to exceed 300 billion yuan by 2029.

For some users, the appeal lies precisely in replacing a pile of physical collectibles with one changeable screen. One social media user said her badge collection filled three boxes when she moved house. With an electronic badge, she can switch pictures or animations with a tap of a finger, while avoiding the weight and worry of damaging physical badges when attending anime conventions.

Another user loaded a photo of her dog onto the screen, saying it allowed her to "take my little furball everywhere" — an example of how the product can function as a personal digital keepsake rather than conventional fan merchandise.

Yet the flexibility to switch among images, animated effects and short videos does not necessarily replicate the satisfaction that comes with collecting physical badges.

Another commenter argued that paying extra for conventional merchandise buys recognition among fellow fans and a way to support official releases. An interchangeable image, in this regard, delivers neither benefit automatically.

Ma said the appeal of traditional baji lies largely in their scarcity and the sense of ritual that comes with collecting them — something that can be diluted when the format turns digital.

"The product does represent an upgrade and reinvention of traditional badge culture, and it can create some additional value. But it is unrealistic for major consumer electronics brands to expect it to bring in a significant number of new users," Ma said.

Price is another consideration. Branded electronic badges can cost several hundred yuan apiece, while generic versions offering basic image and video display functions can sell for around 100 yuan or fewer.

"If these products cannot continue to deliver emotional value and build a sustainable ecosystem, their high premiums may come to be seen as an attempt to cash in on young consumers, eroding trust in branded accessories," said Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research.