Shuishui, 36, who asked to be identified by the name she uses in online communities, quit her stable office job six years ago to pursue a career in the anime, comics and games (ACG) industry. Today, she works as a freelancer and occasionally serves as a part-time shop assistant at an anime merchandise store in Beijing.

"As a child, I had few friends at school, and I often felt frustrated. But when I was reading a comic book one day, a classmate started talking to me about it," she recalled. "We became friends, and ACG became my escape."

In recent years, anime merchandise stores have sprouted up in major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in Guangdong province. These stores sell everything from badges and keychains to posters and cards, catering to the ever-growing demand for ACG-related goods.

From shop assistants and store owners to passionate collectors, the anime merchandise market is a place where the life stories of different generations converge. For many, it represents both a renaissance of ACG culture and a shared sense of belonging with the ACG community.