We are now in the new year and it’s amazing to see how technology has changed our lives over the past twelve months. NFTs (aka non-fungible tokens) have disrupted both the investing and art world, making headlines in 2021 for their groundbreaking utility for both creators and investors alike, and they don’t show any signs of slowing down in 2022.
In fact, NFTs just had their best year on record, generating over $23 billion in trading volume—a significant increase from less than $100 million recorded in 2020, according to data from DappRadar.
Anyone who can prove that they are the creator of content has legal rights to sell it as an NFT. All artists, entrepreneurs and Youtubers can take part in the innovative new market for digital art.
NFTs have a unique appeal that is reflected in their market value and desireability. They are non-fungible, meaning they cannot be duplicated. This is because NFTs can’t be replaced like other crypto currencies. While one Ethereum could replace the other Ethereum, it is impossible to replace an original Monet and an NFT.
NFTs are distributed on blockchain and eliminate the need to have middlemen. These digital assets have been rapidly adopted as a new form of investment over the last year or so, but their value lies not only in being an exclusive asset to revere—they also provide a way for independent creators to earn an income.
One such artistic community, in particular, has been flourishing due to the emergence of NFTs and that is Japan’s anime and manga community. The artistic styles have roots in 12th-century Japan and gained popularity during the 20th century. However, NFTs brought the Manga and Anime communities back to prominence.
“One Piece” is a famous manga series that published its 100th volume in September 2021. The series has sold over 490 million copies in the past 20 years, setting the record for most comic books ever published by one author. Shueisha, the publisher of the comic series, has chosen 10 scenes from it to make luxury prints. Each print is priced at almost 500,000 yen (or $4500).
The September lottery to win one of the limited edition prints was opened. There were 3,000 participants in the initial two days. With each print allowing owners to see when the artwork had changed hands via their smartphone, these art prints backed by the blockchain weren’t your traditional manga artwork. NFTs add value to anime communities. This is an excellent example.
While manga artists are known for their illustrations in magazines, many original drawings don’t get preserved or honored as a legacy. This problem can be solved by NFTs, which allow manga and anime artwork to be appreciated, respected, and remembered over the years. Anime is already an internationally-recognized artistic genre that is beloved by many across the world. NFT technology has made it easier for creators to share their works across the world. They can simply log onto NFT marketplaces.
Goku, a company which fosters the manga and anime artistic communities, is an example. Goku was founded to foster a group of anime and manga fans as well as to provide a place for them to come together to discuss their common interests. The platform’s token is the first ever of its type. It allows artists to communicate directly with fans and lets them trade, buy and sell NFTs. OpenSea, Rarible will allow the company to release its limited-edition line of NFTs.
Goku aims to provide a place where communities can connect over their love and passion of anime and manga art and celebrate and uphold the genre’s legacy in a way that it deserves.
Photo by Dex Ezekiel at Unsplash