LogFAQs > #967061091

ChichiriMuyo posted...

You're right... they are indeed doing a sizeable push on MM merch that I was totally unaware of. It is still through Disney only so I don't know how big it will really be, but there it is. Unfortunately I feel like the same argument that was made about Goku applies here... it's just selling to the existing fans. You would have to be looking for that sort of thing to find it. They aren't doing anything about the fact that MM as a character is fading from the limelight on the broader scale. Maybe it's because they know the IP rights are coming to an end soon. It'll still be awhile before the most iconic imagery becomes public, of course, but once Steam Boat Willie is the property of the people that opens the floodgates.

The big difference between Mickey and Goku is that you either have to know Dragon Ball, or atleast that kind of anime, to know who Goku is. Goku has zero presence outside of that. You absolutely do not have to directly consume Mickey Mouse featured product to know who Mickey Mouse is. He transcends his medium far, far more. You dont have to have the most direct fans or sell the most merchandise to be famous. Its a helpful indicator, but its not the end all, be all. Mickey has been such a pop culture icon for so long that any reference to him would have to vanish off the face of the earth for dozens of years before people stop knowing who he is. I mean, hell, if you own a smart phone, youve probably seen an ad for one of the Disney mobile games, and almost all of them feature him almost front and center in advertising.

Mickey centered media has dropped in number over time, absolutely, but its still pretty much impossible not to see him in some form somewhere, even today.

EDIT: Hell, a Mickey Mouse toy was the top selling toy on Amazon for 2020.