Yesterday, Chiru Labs, the creators of NFT collections Azuki and Beanz, announced a partnership with acclaimed anime director Gorō Taniguchi to create an anime anthology series. The move will be done to expand Chiru Labs’ IP and bring more people into the Azuki universe.
Taniguchi, known for his work on Code Geass, One Piece Film: Red, and Bloody Escape, said in a statement that he agreed to participate in this project because he believes it will open more doors for Japanese anime creators and spread awareness of anime to new audiences. The project, in his view, is a “unique opportunity” to positively shape the future of Web3 and anime.
With Taniguchi, Chiru Labs will release three complete stories in the anthology series, with each having its own director and character artists. The company has partnered with Dentsu, a Japanese anime production company, to assemble talent for the anthology, which will be released later this year.
The anthology is part of Chiru Labs’ larger plan to release different length content to expand its IP and engage with a global audience of anime lovers. The company is off to a strong start in 2024 after a tumultuous 2023 that saw its NFT collections decrease significantly in value following a gaffe.
Azuki Tries New Things in Bear Market
Chiru Labs, one of the top NFT companies around, is known for its innovation. When it launched its flagship collection Azuki, it created a new standard for the minting of NFTs which lowered gas prices significantly. In the bear market, it has been no slouch either, creating value for collection holders, although it had one big stumble. Here are three stories involving it in the past year.
First, seven months ago, Azuki released a new collection called “Azuki Elementals.” The set, while widely hyped, failed to live up to expectations. A common complaint was that the art was too similar to the original collection, lowering the value of Azuki from above 10 ETH to much lower.
Next, nine months ago, Chiru Labs held an IRL event in Las Vegas called “Follow the Rabbit.” The event, open to all but with preference given to Azuki holders, served as the announcement spot for the new collection. Overall, it was a big deal, with many attendees, and it showed the power of the Azuki community in the bear market.
Lastly, one year ago, Azuki announced the creation of “Hilumia,” a city in the metaverse that was built to represent the community’s past, present, and future. Some of the areas included in the city were Slowpoke’s Toy Haven, Hill Hall, and the 56 Fitness Center.
As these stories show, Azuki has continued its innovation in the bear market, creating value for holders. Given that we’re in the process of going from bear to bull, this could be the perfect time for Azuki to reclaim its status as the coolest, hippest collection in town, a move that could bode well for community members as prices rise.