Why approvals take time, and how to plan around them

Approvals from Japanese licensors often take longer than beginners expect, because each submission may pass through several companies and people who care intensely about their characters. The fix isn't to push harder; it's to plan ahead, submit cleanly, and build buffer time into every schedule.

Key terms

Kanshū (監修): The licensor's review and approval of licensed materials (see 5.5).
Approval chain: The sequence of parties who review a submission, such as agent, rights holder, publisher, and creator.
Turnaround time: How long a licensor takes to respond to a submission.
Buffer: Extra time built into a schedule to absorb delays or additional revision rounds.
Golden Week and Obon: Major Japanese holiday periods (late April to early May, and mid-August) when many offices slow down or close.

Why it takes time

Several factors can stretch approval timelines:

Multiple reviewers. A submission may go from a regional agent to the Japanese licensor, then to the publisher, and sometimes to the original creator or their representative. Each hand-off adds time.
High standards. Rights holders often check details such as a character's eye shape, hair color, expressions, and personality. Designs that seem fine to a newcomer may be rejected for being "off-character."
Translation. Feedback and submissions may need to be translated in both directions.
Workload. Popular titles attract many licensees, so the approval team may be handling a large queue, especially around new seasons or films.
Holidays and time zones. Japanese holidays, including the New Year period, can pause reviews, and time differences slow back-and-forth.

How to plan around it

Start by asking your licensor about typical turnaround times and any preferred submission format. Then work backward from your launch date.

A few practical rules:

Assume more than one round at each stage, and add buffer on top.
Submit early in the week and well before Japanese holidays.
Batch related items into a single, well-organized submission when the licensor allows it.
Label everything clearly, include specs and questions, and use approved artwork only.
Track every submission with dates, round numbers, and feedback.
Follow up politely if a turnaround time has passed, without pressuring.

It also helps to build a relationship with the approval team. Licensees who submit clean, respectful work often find reviews become smoother over time.

Example

Moonfox Apparel plans a holiday launch for its Starlight Paladins tees. Hoshizora Licensing says each round usually takes about two weeks, but the committee review adds time. Moonfox schedules three rounds for pre-production instead of one, avoids submitting during Obon, and sets its internal deadline six weeks before the retailer's order cut-off. When a design comes back needing a color correction, Moonfox still has room to fix it and makes its launch on time.

Common mistakes

Promising retailers a launch date before approvals are scheduled.
Assuming one round of approval per stage.
Submitting right before a major Japanese holiday.
Sending incomplete submissions that trigger avoidable extra rounds.