The short attribution
Use this whenever you quote a CEI ranking or figure:
Source: CEI — Character Economy Index (ceiindex.com), CEI Estimate.
Two things to always include
- ・The “CEI Estimate” label. CEI figures are estimates of annual economic scale, not reported sales. Please don’t present them as actual revenue.
- ・An as-of date. Figures are recalculated as the model and its inputs improve, so quote the date you accessed them.
Citation formats
A single figure (inline)
Pikachu leads CEI’s Character Economy Ranking with an Estimated Annual CEI Value of ¥189.1B (CEI Estimate, as of 2026-06-27). Source: CEI — Character Economy Index, ceiindex.com.
A ranking (inline)
According to the Character Economy Index (CEI), the highest-earning characters by estimated annual economic footprint are … (CEI Estimate, as of 2026-06-27, ceiindex.com).
Reference list (APA-style)
Character Economy Index. (2026). Character Economy Rankings [CEI Estimate]. Retrieved 2026-06-27, from https://www.ceiindex.com/en
Replace the example figure, character and date with what you are quoting.
What you are citing
CEI (Character Economy Index) ranks characters by the annual economic scale they drive — the Estimated Annual CEI Value — adding up merchandising, publishing, video, games, trading cards and licensing. It is an independent estimate, with a confidence grade on every figure and an open distinction between measured and estimated data.
See the methodology for how the figures are built.
Permissions
Quoting figures, rankings and short excerpts with attribution and a link is welcome — no permission needed. For data partnerships, bulk use or questions, please reach out through the site. Charts and page designs remain the property of CEI.