The doujinshi market grew steadily via promulgation through the internet and pop culture media.
This resulted in the viability of the doujin as a means of part time and increasingly full time employment.
“Kojin circles” emerged, consisting of a sole creator (kojin) who handled all aspects of production and received all the benefits of income from publications.
Larger circles formed semi-professional units to produce doujin software that would compete with professional releases.
Otaku goods shops expanded their scope as doujin vendors, acting as proxy sellers for hundreds of circles both via brick and mortar outlets and via online mail order.
Online-only doujin shops such as DLsite emerged, selling digital copies of doujinshi via download.
Advances in printing technology and cheap, high quality labor (mostly Chinese) allowed for the proliferation of doujin items to media beyond the traditional books (and less tradtional CD-Rs), including towels, pillowcases, fans, cups, trinkets, and figures.