blood donor present

In an effort to raise awareness and attract younger donors, the Japanese Red Cross has been giving animé and manga fans in Hiroshima Prefecture the chance to get their hands on a limited edition poster in exchange for a single blood donation.

Unlike in some western countries, Japanese donors do not ordinarily receive any form of compensation in exchange for giving blood. As we’ve seen before, though, it’s not unknown for groups to offer small incentives to step inside and take one for the team.

Hoping to appeal to animé and manga fans who were attending the AniPrim event at a nearby convention centre last weekend, the Japanese Red Cross displayed signs outside its Hijiyama Honmachi centre asking for donations in return for a special present. 

With a hand-written message taped to one of the stylish posters, the sign reads: “Donors of 400mL of blood will receive this poster as a gift.” (A typical donation is usually between 200 and 550 mL.)

blood donor present title

The poster itself was designed by a genuine manga artist and features a cute girl (of course!) holding a blood donor’s card. It may seem like a cheap ploy to some, but when it comes to manga and animation fans, it’s important not to underestimate the incredible power a few moé designs can have.

The number of donations from people aged 18-30 in the prefecture is reported to have fallen by 40 percent in the last 10 years, so let’s hope that incentives of a similar nature continue to crop up around the country and address what could one day be a very serious problem.

Source: Yahoo! Japan News via はちま起稿