Nintendo Switch Surpasses Pokémon and Disney in Japanese Teen Brand Survey 2026
The latest Brand Japan 2026 evaluation survey underscores Nintendo's enduring influence among the younger generation in Japan.
According to the results, Nintendo continues to be a powerhouse within the entertainment and gaming sectors, with the Nintendo Switch console ranking as the second most popular brand among Japanese teenagers, just behind YouTube.
This data was reported by Automaton Media and based on a comprehensive survey conducted by Nikkei BP Consulting, gathering input from 37,000 teens in December 2025.
The Brand Japan 2026 survey asked participants to select their favorite brands from a pool of over 1,000—from electronics manufacturers to international retailers.
Among this extensive list, YouTube claimed the top position, with the Nintendo Switch following closely in second, ahead of both the Nintendo corporate brand in third place and other iconic names like Pokémon and Disney.
The strong placement of both Nintendo and its flagship console highlights the brand’s unique resonance with the Japanese youth, who continue to embrace Nintendo’s family-friendly hardware and software.
Nintendo titles frequently appear in Japan’s top 100 favorite games with teens, a testament to their consistent popularity, despite hits like Minecraft and Fortnite maintaining a global foothold.
It is particularly noteworthy that Nintendo’s brand and the Switch console surpassed both Pokémon and Disney in the under-20 demographic.
The Pokémon franchise, despite its global prominence, ranked seventh, and Disney dropped to tenth.
Other brands in the top five included popular Japanese retail chains Daiso and Muji, alongside communication app LINE.
The rest of the top ten were Saizeriya, Amazon, Pokémon, and Disney, illustrating the diversity of influential brands among Japanese teens.
The survey also provided insight into brand preferences across all age groups.
Within this broader demographic, Suntory, a leading Japanese brewing and distilling company, took the top honor, pushing YouTube to second place.
Retail giants Daiso and Muji also remained in the upper echelons, while Nintendo’s appeal proved more widespread as it ranked twelfth overall.
The Nintendo Switch, however, saw its standing fall to fifty-ninth with older generations, and Pokémon slipped to two-hundred-first place.
Disney, by comparison, held the fourteenth spot across all age groups.
These results reflect the distinct tastes of Japanese youth and the shifting landscape of brand loyalty in Japan’s dynamic consumer market.
Not only do they reveal YouTube’s dominance as a content platform, but they also reinforce Nintendo’s continued relevance and growth in Japan’s ever-competitive gaming and tech space.
The Nintendo Switch and its anticipated successor, currently referred to as Switch 2, continue to report strong hardware sales.
Recent media analysis notes that almost 100,000 units of the latest Switch hardware were sold last week alone in Japan, with the original model still moving approximately 20,000 units weekly.
For the gaming industry, these findings serve as a benchmark for gauging market influence and youth brand loyalty in Japan.
Nintendo’s sustained popularity is a testament to its successful blend of innovative hardware and a consistently engaging game library.
As the company looks to its next chapter, the legacy of the Switch ensures Nintendo’s position as one of the most beloved brands not only in Japan, but in the global gaming landscape.
The latest Brand Japan 2026 evaluation survey underscores Nintendo's enduring influence among the younger generation in Japan.
According to the results, Nintendo continues to be a powerhouse within the entertainment and gaming sectors, with the Nintendo Switch console ranking as the second most popular brand among Japanese teenagers, just behind YouTube.
This data was reported by Automaton Media and based on a comprehensive survey conducted by Nikkei BP Consulting, gathering input from 37,000 teens in December 2025.
The Brand Japan 2026 survey asked participants to select their favorite brands from a pool of over 1,000—from electronics manufacturers to international retailers.
Among this extensive list, YouTube claimed the top position, with the Nintendo Switch following closely in second, ahead of both the Nintendo corporate brand in third place and other iconic names like Pokémon and Disney.
The strong placement of both Nintendo and its flagship console highlights the brand’s unique resonance with the Japanese youth, who continue to embrace Nintendo’s family-friendly hardware and software.
Nintendo titles frequently appear in Japan’s top 100 favorite games with teens, a testament to their consistent popularity, despite hits like Minecraft and Fortnite maintaining a global foothold.
It is particularly noteworthy that Nintendo’s brand and the Switch console surpassed both Pokémon and Disney in the under-20 demographic.
The Pokémon franchise, despite its global prominence, ranked seventh, and Disney dropped to tenth.
Other brands in the top five included popular Japanese retail chains Daiso and Muji, alongside communication app LINE.
The rest of the top ten were Saizeriya, Amazon, Pokémon, and Disney, illustrating the diversity of influential brands among Japanese teens.
The survey also provided insight into brand preferences across all age groups.
Within this broader demographic, Suntory, a leading Japanese brewing and distilling company, took the top honor, pushing YouTube to second place.
Retail giants Daiso and Muji also remained in the upper echelons, while Nintendo’s appeal proved more widespread as it ranked twelfth overall.
The Nintendo Switch, however, saw its standing fall to fifty-ninth with older generations, and Pokémon slipped to two-hundred-first place.
Disney, by comparison, held the fourteenth spot across all age groups.
These results reflect the distinct tastes of Japanese youth and the shifting landscape of brand loyalty in Japan’s dynamic consumer market.
Not only do they reveal YouTube’s dominance as a content platform, but they also reinforce Nintendo’s continued relevance and growth in Japan’s ever-competitive gaming and tech space.
The Nintendo Switch and its anticipated successor, currently referred to as Switch 2, continue to report strong hardware sales.
Recent media analysis notes that almost 100,000 units of the latest Switch hardware were sold last week alone in Japan, with the original model still moving approximately 20,000 units weekly.
For the gaming industry, these findings serve as a benchmark for gauging market influence and youth brand loyalty in Japan.
Nintendo’s sustained popularity is a testament to its successful blend of innovative hardware and a consistently engaging game library.
As the company looks to its next chapter, the legacy of the Switch ensures Nintendo’s position as one of the most beloved brands not only in Japan, but in the global gaming landscape.