Animoca Brands and the corporate innovation arm of Antler, Ibex Japan, have announced a new partnership aimed at creating an investment fund designed to bring Japanese anime and manga intellectual property on-chain.
Partnership of Animoca Brands and Antler
The partnership was announced during the WebX conference in Tokyo and aims to introduce popular Japanese anime franchises to blockchain. Animoca Brands, known for its portfolio in blockchain gaming and NFT projects, sees this collaboration as a step beyond ordinary regional expansion.
Expansion for Both Companies
Animoca Brands co-founder and chairman Yat Siu views this move as part of a broader mission to enhance Japan's global influence in entertainment. Antler's Ibex Japan brings scale and reach, with a presence in 22 cities and $1.2 billion in assets under management, providing the resources needed to reimagine Japan's IP for a digital audience.
Future of Anime and Manga on Blockchain
Partner Sandeep Casi described the opportunity as significant, noting that much of Japan's existing catalog remains dormant and untapped. The fund plans to license these assets and support startups capable of turning them into blockchain-based products. Unlike Animoca's traditional focus on gaming, this initiative spans multiple industries, reflecting a belief that anime-inspired IP can anchor various Web3 applications.
If the fund is successful, it would represent one of the most ambitious attempts to bridge Japan's creative legacy with decentralized ownership, opening up new perspectives for anime and manga in the digital space.
