【NAKED WOLVES-Sumo Wrestlers】 Fuji Sankei Group operates and past broadcast anime are NFTized / NFT project combining anime, IP, and games begins! @nakedwolvesSUMO
Today, I had the opportunity to interview RT-san from the "NAKED WOLVES-Sumo Wrestlers-Naked Wolf" management team. I asked about its overview, establishment background, and future prospects.
Good morning.
I am mitsui, a web3 researcher.
Today, I had the opportunity to interview the RT team of "NAKED WOLVES-Sumo Wrestlers-Naked Wolf". I asked about the project overview, establishment background, and future prospects.
Table of Contents
1. Please tell us about the project overview.
-Please share the thoughts behind "NAKED WOLVES-Sumo Wrestlers-Naked Wolf".
-What kind of NFT is it?
2. Please tell us about the establishment background of the project.
-Were there any challenges at the start?
-Despite the challenges, how do you view the significance of engaging in NFTs as a company at this moment?
3. Please share the future prospects.
-If there are any announcements, please let us know!
Please tell us about the project overview.
"NAKED WOLVES-Sumo Wrestlers-Naked Wolf" is a growth-oriented NFT that breaks through the stagnant world. The public sale will start today (February 13, 2024) at noon.
This project is operated by four companies: Quoras Co., Ltd., Pony Canyon Co., Ltd., Fuji Television Network, Inc. (a subsidiary of Fujisankei Group), and Kyoto Wind Co., Ltd., which is responsible for developing app games.
In addition, we receive support from Al Co., Ltd., led by the well-known entrepreneur Kensuu, for NFT development technology and community building. We requested their cooperation because their gentle philosophy of "making NFT accessible to everyone," which is reflected in Al's operations of marimo and sloth, resonated with our project.
Please tell us about the inspiration behind "NAKED WOLVES-Sumo Wrestlers-Naked Wolf".
The project is based on an anime called "NAKED WOLVES," which was produced and broadcasted about 15 years ago. We wanted to revive the characters and world view from the anime in the context of web3, which led to the creation of this project. The anime consists of 52 episodes, each lasting 5 minutes.
※Character introduction videos and the first episode are available for free on the official website (https://nakedwolves.com/)!
The anime follows the story of the protagonist, sumo wrestler "Mikoshi Arashi," who competes against 48 formidable opponents from around the world. He receives secret techniques, becomes stronger, and fights against rivals, aiming to become a yokozuna (sumo grand champion).
I thought that the story of growing up while interacting with various strong opponents and rivals has a high affinity with the co-creation relationship through web3.
Therefore, we have defined the concept of "a growth-oriented NFT that breaks through a closed world" and also defined the philosophy of mission and values. In an era where there are various anxieties and only those who are doing well benefit, I hope to overlay the context of the purity and passion of the Shinkyo Arashi and the process of striving together to become stronger with the co-creation aspect of web3.
I want to aim for a world where the daily lives of those who purchase NFTs become a little more enjoyable.
What kind of NFT is it?
In addition to the main character, Shinkyo Arashi, and the rival, Tetsunishiki, there will be a total of 50 characters, including 48 characters based on the sumo technique "Shikunishite" and 2 other characters, for a total of 50 characters x 200 types, totaling 10,000 bodies.
After purchasing on the official website, when you connect the website to your wallet, you can perform a nurturing action once a day (gas fee not required) in the My Page that appears. The NFT will grow from an egg to a child, and then into your own Naked Wolves. By applying power water to the egg and feeding chanko to the child, it will eventually grow into one of the 50 characters.
The characters that appear will not only be used for PFP and community participation rights, but also allow you to watch the anime in which those characters appear. So please enjoy raising them and watching the anime.
Please tell me the background of the project's establishment.
I have been in the field of digital marketing for a long time. I have been doing marketing using platforms/media such as GAFAM and other digital services, but I wanted to start initiatives using various web3 services.
In the process of thinking about what to do, I came up with the idea of the "NAKED WOLVES" IP. Normally, IP holders have strict rights restrictions and cannot freely use them for secondary distribution or overseas expansion. However, in the case of "NAKED WOLVES", we own the IP ourselves, so we can expand it freely.
Therefore, I approached the production committee companies that were involved in the production of "NAKED WOLVES" at that time, and we started the NFT project together.
What were the challenges at the beginning?
First, we had to go through internal deliberations and explain to various parties, even though we own the IP ourselves, so it took time to coordinate that. In fact, the discussions started around November 22, but it took time and started in the summer of 23, and we have come to this point.
Also, even though I have been in the field of digital marketing in my main job, I feel that NFT marketing is unique. For example, we distribute AL as marketing and approach founders and influencers of NFT projects to increase awareness, and we have voice interviews in X's space to make fans of each other aware of each other.
We are also taking on initiatives that we have never experienced before, such as activating communities such as X and Discord, so there are many unexpected discoveries and challenges.
How do you think about the significance of working on NFT as a company "now" in the midst of challenges?
Honestly, even within the company, I sometimes hear voices asking, "Are we doing NFT now?" However, I feel that there is a significant difference in knowledge and experience between doing it and not doing it. I believe that blockchain in web3 will become a social infrastructure in the future, so it is too late to start when it becomes popular.
Although it is full of first-time experiences, by starting now, we can learn and understand various things as a company. Of course, I am aware that it is better for a company to have revenue, but it is not just about sales. I feel that it is an asset to build a community together with various people through NFT and to have connections and expand by meeting various people, projects, and services.
Also, I have said various things, but I strongly feel the desire to "just try and challenge for now." We had the asset of owning an IP that we could use freely, so I want to see what happens by using that asset for NFT.
Although it is necessary to generate revenue, we will start and consider while trial and error.
Please tell me about the future prospects.
First of all, we would like people to enjoy and experience NFT through NAKED WOLVES' NFT, such as nurturing and watching anime. Various web3 services, including NFT, have not yet reached mass adoption, and I feel that the distance between users is still not close. It is also part of our vision, but we want to aim for a world where various web3 services, including NFT, can be enjoyed more familiarly in daily life, where we can grow together and make life a little richer.
Also, there are various projects, initiatives, and services in Japan and around the world, so we would like to be an existence that allows more people to know about them through NAKED WOLVES. In order to do that, we would like to work on it while consciously combining efforts to make NAKED WOLVES known to many people.
Finally, please let us know if you have any announcements!
We hope that even those who have never experienced NFT will pick up "NAKED WOLVES". We have also incorporated elements such as nurturing and anime, so we would be happy if you could enjoy them! NFT itself is just digital data, but we will make it a project that makes every day a little more enjoyable through conversations with fans, not just in terms of functionality.
However, since we are also taking on a new challenge, we may need to learn from you, so we would be happy if you could help us liven up NAKED WOLVES together!
"Project Information"
○ NFT Sales Information
・General Sale (Public Sale): February 13, 2024 (Tue) 12:00 PM onwards
・Number of Sales: 10,000 (50 bodies × 200 types) * All 10,000 bodies have different specifications
・Sales Methods: Cryptocurrency ETH (Ethereum), Credit Card Payment
・Sales Price: 0.01 ETH
Other network fees and settlement fees will also be incurred at the time of purchase, such as credit card payments.
・Sales Website: https://nakedwolves.com/○ Utility (Ownership Benefits)
・Secondary usability (※ Not for commercial use)
・Watch anime videos
・Participation rights in exclusive communities
・Priority participation rights for collaboration development
・The right to announce services that holders want to introduce (X-post/space/Discord, etc.)
・Gameplay
・Others
There may be changes in the future.○ Official accounts
・X: https://twitter.com/nakedwolvesSUMO
・Discord: https://discord.com/invite/hZFUaBAMqx
・Website: https://nakedwolves.com/
Disclaimer：I carefully examine and write the information that I research, but since it is personally operated and there are many parts with English sources, there may be some paraphrasing or incorrect information. Please understand. Also, there may be introductions of Dapps, NFTs, and tokens in the articles, but there is absolutely no solicitation purpose. Please purchase and use them at your own risk.
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Author
mitsui
A web3 researcher. Operating the newsletter "web3 Research" delivered in five languages around the world.
Contact
The author is a web3 researcher based in Japan. If you have a project that is interested in expanding to Japan, please contact the following:
Telegram：@mitsui0x
*Please note that this newsletter translates articles that are originally in Japanese. There may be translation mistakes such as mistranslations or paraphrasing, so please understand in advance.