The NFT project City Pop TOKYO is inspired, fittingly, by City Pop, a music genre from Japan that is immensely popular worldwide, particularly among Gen Z. Now, the project is collaborating with the incredibly popular idol group FRUITS ZIPPER!

Starting at the end of April, Legendary NFTs inspired by the members of FRUITS ZIPPER will be released sequentially as part of the City Pop TOKYO NFT collection. These collaborative NFTs feature rare designs that are unique among the other characters in the City Pop TOKYO NFT collection and were drawn by Natsumi Sato, the illustrator who oversaw character design for the collection.

This collaboration will commemorate the release of City Pop TOKYO’s main collection, which will be available starting at the end of April. City Pop TOKYO will allow both NFT holders and non-holders to participate in new character development through a series of Twitter posts after the main NFT collection is sold. Characters will level up by earning training points when they post on Twitter, which will also be reflected in their NFT properties. The final ranking will be based on level, and a subsequent audition will be held, with winners being invited to join ASOBISYSTEM as new talents.

For this collaboration, the wildly popular FRUITS ZIPPER is sure to bring some new excitement to this incredible project.

SINGAPORE, Dec. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — “City Pop TOKYO,” an NFT project inspired by “City Pop,” a popular music genre from Japan, will hold a talent audition event named ” METAVERSE’S GOT TALENT” along with Entertainment metaverse platform GEMIE (CEO: John Fung). “METAVERSE’S GOT TALENT” is a brand new talent audition project which enables artists to showcase their talents in the metaverse and subsequently win a chance to become a metaverse superstar.

■City Pop TOKYO

As an NFT project, “City Pop TOKYO” is jointly funded by three companies: ASOBISYSTEM (CEO: Yusuke Nakagawa), which has a large number of diverse artists; Kingdom Labs (CEO: Maurice Ng), a venture studio in Hong Kong; and UPBOND (CEO: Gin Takahashi Mizuoka), which is developing a blockchain wallet for Web3 social adoption.

“City Pop TOKYO” plans to release 1984 NFTs based on “City Pop”, a music genre from Japan that is immensely popular worldwide, particularly among Gen Z. The project’s characters are featured in trendy outfits and makeup representing symbolic fashion styles in Japan, such as “GAL,” “SHOWA,” and “REIWA”.

To enter “METAVERSE’S GOT TALENT”, participants will first purchase a “City Pop TOKYO” NFT. NFT holders can then take part in auditions held in the GEMIE metaverse. The winner, represented by their City Pop TOKYO NFT, will be onboarded as a virtual idol under ASOBISYSTEM, and will start appearing in advertisements, releasing songs, etc. Other NFT holders from around the world can enjoy engaging in the project from various perspectives, including appearing and voting in audition events in the METAVERSE.

*These are part of the NFTs for some characters.

*Designs may change without further notice.

■METAVERSE’S GOT TALENT

The METAVERSE is powered by project partner GEMIE, Asia’s leading entertainment metaverse built around fan culture which act as the virtual hub to bridge the gap between celebrities and fans through virtual experiences and utility-focused NFTs. Users worldwide can participate in the decision making process of the show via the GEMIE metavese.

Through this project, we will work to reaffirm the usefulness of Web 3.0 technology and NFT; and further promote Japanese culture to people worldwide.
More details will be available soon, please stay tuned for updates.

The NFT marketplace HINATA will start selling collaborative pieces on November 25, combining classical drafts of Kyoto printed silk images with modern art pieces by up-and-coming creators.

Kyoto Printed Silk Draft x Modern Ukiyo-e Artist Ono Tako

Draft (Left) and Spring Dreamland – Sunshine by Ono Tako

Ono Tako is a modern-day ukiyo-e artist who creates unique paintings combining Eastern and Western elements.

A beautiful woman stands in front of lush spring scenery in this gorgeous piece.

Although this is clearly an ukiyo-e piece, it has a more modern flare, expressing a more universal standard of beauty while also infusing traditional elements.

A total of six works will be available in two variations: the soft and warm Sun and the calm and tranquil Shade. 

Ono Tako: https://twitter.com/ono800

Kyoto Printed Silk Draft x Illustrator Omulettomato

Draft (Left) and Full Moon by Omulettomato

Omulettomato is an illustrator who is rapidly gaining popularity for their feminine portraits.

Three different drafts depicting beautiful Japanese nature have been combined and transformed into a modern lady with moe elements.

A total of eight works will be available in three variations: Daybreak, Sunrise, and Full Moon.

Omulettomato: http://omutoma.tumblr.com

Enjoy this curious collaboration and own a piece of classical and modern Japanese culture.

Headquartered in Los Angeles and Tokyo, 1SEC operates the web3 creative studio 1BLOCK. For a limited time, the shoe brand atmos and the wildly popular manga series Space Brothers, which has sold over 28 million copies, will collaborate with the 3D NFT project MetaSamurai and the AIR SMOKE ZERO (NFT) virtual sneakers.

MetaSamurai will incorporate the sensibility and style of atmos sneakers with the beloved characters from Space Brothers. The collaborative AIR SMOKE ZERO sneakers show off the iconic elephant pattern from atmos along with the moon, the main setting for the Space Brothers story.

Don’t miss out on this unique and one-of-a-kind NFT!

©小山宙哉／講談社

Art collective teamLab will exhibit its first NFT work, Matter is Void – Water, at teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM in Toyosu, Tokyo starting November 1, 2022. This is the collective’s first NFT work to be released through Pace Gallery’s NFT platform Pace Verso, and those interested can purchase one starting October 19 at 11:00 EST. Outside of Japan, the work will be exhibited for the first time in Paris at Paris+ par Art Basel, the world’s largest contemporary art fair, and on a giant billboard in Times Square in New York City. At teamLab Planets in Tokyo, the exhibit will be housed in an incredible immersive space. 

The Matter is Void NFT project includes seven NFT works. One of these, titled Matter is Void – Water, will be on display at teamLab Planets.

“Although only one of the seven NFTs will be for sale, anyone can download and own the overall work itself, whether or not they own the NFT. In other words, the uniqueness of the work is not conferred by the NFT, and nothing can distinguish the downloaded work.  Regardless of whether a person owns the NFT or not, it is all still authentic.

teamLab’s work is titled Matter is Void. However, owners of the NFT can change this title, and this change will be reflected in all works downloaded and owned by people around the world. Even the text on exhibition at teamLab Planets will be rewritten!

The value of the work change depending on the text added by NFT owners. If the words are valuable, more people will want to own it–if the words are nonsense or without value, no one will want it on display. This will keep people from writing something offensive or useless. Everyone will want to write something that will make the value increase. It’s all decided by the owners!

Also, even if the NFT owner reverts back to “Matter is Void” after rewriting it in other words, the words “Matter is Void” will be written with different wording.

Once the NFT is altered, it will never go back to the way it was. That makes this a more novel and exciting experience!”

ASOBISYSTEM is set to launch an NFT Project named “CityPop Tokyo” to revolutionize the entertainment industry. The project is being refined by ASOBISYSTEM, UPBOND, and Kingdom Labs, and is seeking to create a breakthrough in the standard NFT business model. ASOBISYSTEM is a leading Japanese artist management and entertainment production company. The CityPop Tokyo NFTs are “virtual models” that can be used for cultural, fashion, and multimedia projects. This innovative project aims to spread Japanese culture to a global audience through Web 3.0 technology and by reimagining the utility of NFTs.

CityPop is a music genre that was born in Japan during the 1970s and 1980s and subsequently became popular among global millennials and Gen-Z. CityPop is strongly influenced by Western melodies and infuses a wide range of musical styles, including soft rock, R&B, Funk and Boogie. The CityPop Tokyo NFT project will issue a total of 1,984 unique NFT collectibles. Each NFT will be a stylized anime character drawn by Natsumi Sato, and users will be able to generate content, backstories, and help build their NFT characters into virtual models.

As an intersection of art, technology, and entertainment, “CityPop Tokyo” will revolutionize both the business model and utilities for NFTs. Each user will be encouraged to help develop their NFT characters into fashion models and cultural influencers. Through user-generated content and ASOBISYSTEM’s partnerships in both entertainment and media, new “virtual models” and “virtual stars” can be created.

CityPop Tokyo aims to showcase how NFTs can be utilized to create the next generation of “virtual stars” to reshape the global entertainment scene.

〈NFT Sample〉

The digital NFT idol project ‘Project B-idol’ has announced its first collaboration with an artist! As the first release, the song Lumière is now available as an NFT. Produced by INIMI, a team of musical artists attracting worldwide attention, the catchy number was released on September 1, 2022.

A number of unique tracks made by both well-known artists and newcomers to music are available on the NFT Marketplace ‘PlayMining NFT Premier.’ Each member of Azure Melodies sang this new track, and those who purchase the song will be permitted to vote on how the group progresses.

Don’t miss out on this musical NFT, available in limited quantities on PlayMining NFT Premier!

GARNiDELiA has announced the start of the GARNiDELiA 3.0 Project, an NFT art project featuring a number of characters inspired by the duo’s popular stage costumes.

In collaboration with Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO), a Web 3.0 fan-based project, world-renowned illustrator YULIA has created fictional illustrations of characters inspired by GARNiDELiA’s stage costumes.

Those purchasing an NFT will be able to set the illustration as their social media profile picture and will be available for purchase by fans from around the world.

A pop-up store sponsored by the Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO) project will be held at Laforet Harajuku from September 5 until September 16 to celebrate the project’s launch and the group’s 12th anniversary on September 11. The GARNiDELiA booth will feature costumes worn by the duo on stage and live videos. 

The pop-up store will also feature collaborative items by illustrator NAPPY and designer Ankin, so come check it out!

The web3 creative studio 1BLOCK, based in Los Angeles and Tokyo, released a 3D NFT collection on August 12 to massive fan response. The Lupin the Third x MetaSamurai NFT set sold out instantly. The AIR SMOKE ZERO, Japan’s first virtual sneakers, feature a younger Lupin and friends. 

The NFTs sold out immediately after going on sale, and the collection was temporarily ranked 7th in the world based on transaction volume on OpenSea, the largest global NFT marketplace. The price of a single item has also quadrupled since it was first sold.

The collection is based on Takeshi Koike’s long-running Lupin the Third series. Each item is one-of-a-kind. 

To celebrate the release of the collaboration collection, a commemorative NFT will be airdropped to those holding MetaSamurai NFTs on August 19. Check out the 1BLOCK Discord for more details.

In 2018, the film Penguin Highway won the Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation and Best Animated Feature at the 42nd Japan Academy Awards. In 2020, A Whisker Away was released globally on Netflix and ranked in the Top 10 most viewed films in over 30 countries. Understandably, Studio Colorido has been receiving acclaim from international audiences, and the company will release its next film Drifting Home on September 16. The anime movie will be available on Netflix and will be screened in select theaters around Japan on the same day.

To celebrate the film’s release, a project will be held between the film and Otaku Culture Studio, a Web3.0 NFT project.

Otaku Culture Studio, which promotes Japanese anime culture through NFTs, supports talented creators and aims to create a world where fans and creators collaborate to make Japanese anime, manga, and game content together. The project creates opportunities for fans to be involved in the production of things they love. NFT collaborations with numerous Japanese creators have already been decided, and the appeal of the country’s pop culture is being shared with audiences around the world through this ambitious project.

NFTs sold at Otaku Culture Studio will come with an original AR figure that can be displayed on AR applications, an invitation to an NFT-holder-only community, and other benefits. The production and sale of NFT-holder-only merchandise may also be coming in the future. For more details, check out the official project website.

©コロリド・ツインエンジンパートナーズ

Takeshi Koike’s Lupin the Third series has inspired something truly unique. web3 creative studio 1BLOCK, inspired by a younger Lupin and friends, will be offering up some virtual sneakers in summer 2022. These sneakers are part of MetaSamurai, a 3D avatar project. Each of these NFTs will be the only one of their kind in the world.

MetaSamurai was inspired by Lupin III, Daisuke Jigen, and Goemon Ishikawa from the Lupin the Third series. The virtual sneakers were created with designs based on the three series: Lupin the Third: The Gravestone of Daisuke Jigen, Lupin the Third: The Blood Spray of Goemon Ishikawa, and Lupin the Third: Fujiko Mine’s Lie.

Watch out for the world’s first Lupin the Third 3DNFT project!

原作：モンキー・パンチ ©︎TMS

Rakuten NFT, an NFT marketplace and sales platform, will launch the Rakuten NFT Art Gallery featuring original NFT artwork on May 26, 2022 at 17:00.

Rakuten NFT offers a marketplace where users can buy and sell NFTs inspired by sports, music, animation, and other entertainment. It also gives IP holders a place to publish and market NFTs. The first phase of the Rakuten NFT Art Gallery will include works by ORIHARA, the image director for the popular singer Ado; Numata Zombie!?, the artist responsible for creating the cover art for Ado’s song Gira Gira; and yasuna, known for using incredibly detailed sophisticated techniques to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Users can use Rakuten ID for payment, and doing so will earn Rakuten Points. Purchased NFTs can be added to a personal page and can also be listed for sale on the marketplace.

The NFT art packs to be sold include nine total works by all three artists. ORIHARA will release two works based on the theme of ‘Shibuya Kawaii.’ Numata Zombie?! will release three works depicting girls with pigtails and white hair, while yasuna will release four pieces of art with personal meaning. The latest information on the Rakuten NFT Art Gallery will be posted to the official Twitter page.