Arbitrum Partners With NFT Brand Azuki, Weeb3 To Create Anime Web3 Network

Nonprofit Arbitrum Foundation, which is behind the development and adoption of Ethereum Layer 2 protocol Arbitrum, has partnered with non-fungible token (NFT) brand Azuki and web3 anime network developer Weeb3 Foundation to create AnimeChain, a project looking to leverage Web3 technology to enhance the experience of millions of anime fans worldwide.

"AnimeChain's mission is to provide the infrastructure that enables a global, onchain, anime network governed by its creators and participants," according to an announcement by the Arbitrum Foundation. The three-way initiative should provide anime fans with better engagement while also introducing new routes for the next generation of anime culture as it will encompass third-party anime content, NFTs, merch, and games.

"We are excited to collaborate with Weeb3 Foundation and Azuki to introduce AnimeChain. With the most advanced blockchain scaling technology in the industry, Arbitrum will empower AnimeChain to redefine the anime experience for fans and creators worldwide," said Nina Rong, head of ecosystem development at the Arbitrum Foundation.

"We are proud to be the first launch partner on AnimeChain, which will provide an opportunity for a new approach to create and consumer anime IP. We are excited to revolutionize the anime fan experience," said Azuki CEO Zagabond.

The ultimate goal is to bring anime to the forefront of the Web3 revolution by developing a "unified anime ecosystem" not just for creators but also for fans alike.

The three groups noted that anime fans within the Web3 ecosystem have so far suffered a "fragmented experience." Through the initiative, fans should have a much better experience, Azuki's pseudonymous president, Location TBA, told Decrypt of the project.

Location TBA noted that Azuki spoke with various other teams but determined in the end that Arbitrum was the best choice for AnimeChain as it will allow the project to swiftly onboard anime enthusiasts through an intuitive interface that promises simplified interaction even for anime fans who don't have in-depth knowledge of blockchain tech.

Arbitrum Foundation's latest partnership comes just weeks after it announced its intent to expand into blockchain gaming, with the first step being the "Gaming Catalyst Program," which it said was a model to accelerate Arbitrum's support system for game creators.

Arbitrum acknowledged that the "branding of Arbitrum as a home for gamers and game builders is nascent," and it falls behind in competition in terms of the total number of games launched, gamers onboarded, and games migrated.

The foundation proposes that Arbitrum's decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) "earmark" 200 million Arbitrum (ARB) worth some $336.5 million based on current prices, over two years to bolster the protocol's gaming ecosystem. "The GCP is meant to serve as a catalyst, not a comprehensive program, with a focus around onboarding and supporting high quality builders," it noted.