Conversation with Azuki founder Zagabond: Encryption journey and ANIME anime universe dream

Author: Shenchao TechFlow

Even if there are thousands of waves, the red beans will bloom toward the sun!

Once, Azuki was a brilliant dream in the hearts of many NFT enthusiasts, a proud display of social identity. Later, the NFT market fell into silence, and Azuki also faced many challenges and doubts.

Now, Azuki founder Zagabond has returned to the stage with Animecoin and its anime universe dream, facing the controversy head-on.

On January 23, ANIME (Animecoin) will be officially launched.

Deep Wave TechFlow conducted an exclusive interview with Zagabond after collecting questions from many Azuki community members.

Zagabond believes that there is a huge discrepancy between what people around him see and the assumptions of those who have never met him, and that a person's character is not defined by the opinions of strangers on the Internet, but by how you consistently Treat those who matter.

Finally, Zagabond gave a shout out to the community, "The power of Azuki comes from our passion and creativity, we've built something very special here, we're on our way."

About Zagabond

Deep Trend TechFlow: Founded ****Azuki ****What was your career like before? What was the opportunity for you to enter? ****Web3/ NFT ****field?

Zagabond:

“My journey started in China and came to Germany when I was six years old. __ That was the first time I experienced what it felt like to be an outsider. As the only Chinese child in kindergarten and not speaking German at the time, I remember speaking to my classmates in Chinese and not understanding why they couldn't understand me.

This early experience of isolation, combined with later attending seven different schools in multiple countries, gave me the ability to quickly adapt to new situations—although it also made me cautious about making deep connections. By the time my family eventually settled in Long Island, New York, I had developed a strong sense of independence and resilience.

My passion for the digital world began with the MMORPG RuneScape, where I discovered my fascination with the digital economy. Rather than focusing on traditional gameplay, I was drawn to the market and became obsessed with collecting rare items like blue party hats—a foreshadowing of my future interest in digital assets and NFTs. Likewise, Pokémon shows me how a strong IP can span multiple mediums while building passionate communities through collectibles and storytelling.

When I discovered Ethereum in 2016, I immediately recognized its potential as an open, programmable blockchain to host the digital economy. This prompted me to join 0x Protocol as a founding team member in 2017, and together we built decentralized trading infrastructure. I was involved in early discussions in which we coined the term 'DeFi', which later became the category name for mainstream crypto protocols.

After working in the DeFi space for four years, I saw an opportunity to combine the decentralized principles of cryptocurrencies with the community-building power of NFTs. This vision, combining digital economy with brand building , has become the cornerstone of Azuki. We are committed to bringing innovation to the animation industry through decentralized IP . "

Shenchao TechFlow: Why did you choose to use the name "Zagabond" to show yourself to others? What's the story behind the name?

Zagabond:

“Zagabond is based on Vagabond, a classic manga by Takehiko Inoue that tells the life story of Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. The manga’s deep philosophical themes of self-discovery and meaning in life resonated strongly with me.

I considered several other pen names at the time, but I remember listening to one of my favorite Nujabes songs, 'Feather', and hearing these lyrics:

'I'm just a Vagabond with Flowers for Algernon An Average Joe who knows what the fuck is going on'

It was at that moment that I decided to choose the name Zagabond. "

Shenzhen TechFlow: Why did you choose to launch Azuki anonymously at first, and then chose to make your identity public? What did you go through in the middle?

Zagabond:

“One of my favorite designers is Margiela, a fashion designer who never shows up. He always stays behind the scenes and lets his designs speak for themselves.

When I started Azuki, I saw it as a way to express myself. I don’t want my appearance or background to impact how viewers feel about the art and brand I create.

I remember walking into Azuki's first event at NFT LA, standing in the middle of the party and looking around at all the holders having a great time. No one knows who I am. But I feel so happy and at peace seeing community members having the best time of their lives.

As Azuki progressed, I felt the need to have a more public presence as we started to make progress in the anime industry. Ultimately, it's time to put a real face to the name, show the community that there's a real person behind Zagabond, and participate in more interviews and live events - so that I can lead the field in an honest and transparent way toward my Anime 2.0 vision . "

Shenchao TechFlow: In your opinion, what is the biggest misunderstanding about you?

Zagabond:

“The biggest misconception people have about me is that I’m primarily driven by personal gain, but that’s the complete opposite of the truth.

What really drives me is the deep belief in building an open anime universe through Azuki and Animecoin. After eight years in crypto, I’m lucky enough to have achieved financial freedom – I don’t have to work at all, let alone in such a demanding field. But I would deeply regret not pursuing that vision during my best years.

Being a founder in crypto isn’t always glamorous. This means constant pressure, malicious messages on social media, and the need to adapt to rapidly changing trends. I made significant personal sacrifices for this role. But I persevered because I love working with great people to create extraordinary things – that’s the essence of Azuki garden.

There is a huge discrepancy between how I am seen by those who know me - my friends, team, and Azuki community - and the assumptions of those who have never met me. I'm in this field because I have a passion for innovation and bringing creative minds together to build revolutionary things. "

Deep Wave TechFlow: In your opinion, what changes have you made compared to you two years ago? When was the last time you completely changed your perspective?

Zagabond: “Watching people spread misinformation about me online over the years has been strangely liberating—it’s taught me what’s truly important.

I know who I am and so do the people closest to me. That's enough. A person’s character isn’t defined by the opinions of strangers on the internet—it’s how you consistently treat those who matter to you. Through every high and low, I have stayed with the community because I truly care about every member. That's what matters most. "

About Elementals Controversy and community sentiment

Deep Trend TechFlow: In 2023, Azuki launched the "Elementals" series, which caused great controversy and pushed the community's dissatisfaction to the climax. Looking back, do you think the Elementals series was a failed attempt that hurt the sentiments of the community? Do you regret it? ?

Zagabond: “Azuki Elementals represents our vision of expanding the Azuki universe, with the aim of creating a more accessible entry point to the garden. We have achieved something unprecedented with Elementals – it remains the most exquisite hand-painted PFP range to date, with The artistic complexity and combination of features is still unmatched.

The core strategy of expanding access to the Azuki ecosystem is sound, and we're already seeing validation of this through the dynamic new community members that Elementals has brought to the table. However, our execution, particularly in marketing and communications, could have been better. We're used to maintaining a sense of mystery and surprise around product launches, but the space has become more mature.

Elementals taught us valuable lessons about transparency and expectation management. While I personally have always felt that the decision to expand the Azuki universe was the right one, we have evolved our approach to better meet the community's need for clear communication and engagement. "

Shenchao TechFlow: After issuing Elementals, a total of 20,000 ETH were obtained. Where was the money mainly spent?

Zagabond:

“All revenue generated by the company is invested in furthering our vision of creating an open anime universe.

We have built a great team of 45 members. We're very rigorous about hiring -we look for people who not only have amazing skills, but are also passionate about web3 and anime.

These funds are critical to developing high-quality products and experiences that demonstrate the possibilities of Web3. We've made tremendous progress in establishing Azuki as the leading anime brand in the space, while making anime.com the true home for anime fans around the world. "

Deep Wave TechFlow: In addition to the Elementals incident, in May 2022, you admitted that you had participated in other failed NFT projects (such as Tendies, CryptoZunks), which shook the trust of many holders in you. Two years on, do you think you 've rebuilt a trusting relationship with the community? What efforts have you made in this regard?

Zagabond:

"Let me respond to this question directly: Before Azuki, I did launch three experimental NFT projects - Phunks, Tendies, and Zunks. While I completed all the features promised by these projects, I recognized that I The way the transition was done could have been more professional and transparent, so all the proceeds from these projects were given back to the respective communities.

Since admitting this in May 2022, I have been completely focused on the development of Azuki. Azuki's growth from a PFP project to a globally recognized anime brand reflects not only my personal commitment, but the strength of our entire team and community. Azuki represents my long-term vision and dedication to building something truly meaningful in this space. "

About ANIME Token

Deep Wave TechFlow: After Pudgy Penguins launched PENGU and its success, Azuki also announced the launch of ANIME token. Is this following market hot spots? How do you ensure that the ANIME token brings substantial value to the ecosystem, rather than simply chasing hot spots?

Zagabond:

“$ANIME is a cultural token in the animation industry, aiming to revolutionize the animation industry into a community-driven creative network. The Animecoin Foundation announced the birth of the Animecoin project as early as March 2024, which has been in preparation for nearly a year time."

Shenchao TechFlow: In the official website, ANIME is defined as a cultural token. How do you understand cultural tokens? What are the long-term goals and vision of ANIME?

Zagabond:

“Anime has grown from a subculture to part of mainstream pop culture. Luxury brands like Chanel and Burberry are collaborating with anime brands, athletes are mentioning anime in post-game interviews, and rappers like Megan Thee Stallion are Use anime soundtracks.

However, despite the global influence that animation has achieved, the animation industry still suffers from some major structural problems. On the fan side, although they have invested heavily in cryptocurrency, there is no proper fan loyalty and consumption attribution mechanism. In terms of creators, due to the special financing structure of Japanese animation, the income of many animators and IP holders is not considerable.

We think there's a unique opportunity here, and we call it Anime 2.0. Crypto can revolutionize the anime fan experience by integrating these decentralized fan components on-chain, allowing IP holders to accurately measure the depth of their fan base, unlocking new revenue opportunities by monetizing a more engaged fan base .

To support Anime 2.0, our strategy involves what we call 'full stack animation':

The strategy is designed to create a flywheel effect, with each component driving the growth of the others. By seamlessly integrating blockchain infrastructure, consumer platforms and IP, Full Stack Animation ensures that as more users and developers join, the network becomes increasingly valuable and self-sustaining. It consists of three parts:

• Blockchain Infrastructure: Animechain is an L3 blockchain utilizing Arbitrum Orbit technology, with Animecoin as a custom fuel token. This setup simplifies the experience for Web2 anime fans; they only need to understand and purchase Animecoin, reducing the complexity of managing multiple tokens while allowing for gas-free (sponsored) transactions for seamless onboarding.

• Anime.com : Introducing web2 users through consumer products is critical to triggering a flywheel effect that adds value. A large user base attracts more teams to build on the network, which in turn brings more users. Anime.com's goal is to be what Discord is to games - becoming the dominant social layer for the entire anime industry.

• Content and IP : IP development creates the foundation for cultural energy that drives the entire technology stack. IP is the layer that ties the pieces together and unifies the community's passion for Animecoin. "

Deep Wave TechFlow: According to the published token economics, 37.5% of the tokens will be allocated to the Azuki community, 13% will be used for AnimeDAO, 24.44% will be allocated to the Animecoin Foundation, 2% will be allocated to the cooperative community, 15.62% will Allocated to the team and advisors, 7.44% will be used for the Azuki company. In other words, 60.5% of the token chips return to Azuki. In the official hands, what are the considerations for allocating such token chips?

Zagabond:

“I’ve seen some misunderstanding/misinformation about token economics that seems to imply that 60.5% of the token distribution is controlled by Azuki – which is false.

The Animecoin Foundation is an independent memberless entity (that is, it does not have any shareholders) and is not affiliated with Azuki. No one on the Azuki team, including myself, is a shareholder (again, the Animecoin Foundation has no shareholders), director, employee, or other controller of the Animecoin Foundation. It has its own board of directors, advisors and service providers. The Animecoin Foundation is the administrator that facilitates the AnimeDAO governance process. It is also a dedicated entity to drive ecosystem growth and will use its allocation to fund start-up and ongoing operations, grant programs, and other initiatives that connect Animecoin to the broader anime ecosystem. The Animecoin Foundation's token distribution will be held in its own multi-signature wallet, which Azuki is not a signatory/has no control over.

The 13% of tokens allocated to AnimeDAO will be used and deployed solely through the decisions of ANIME holders, in accordance with governance procedures. The tokens will be held in an independent DAO treasury multi-signature wallet that the Animecoin Foundation will control and Azuki is not a signatory/has no control over. These tokens can only be used based on governance proposals voted on by AnimeDAO. "

Shenchao TechFlow: When the token is released, 76.94% of the tokens will be fully unlocked, of which 37.44% of the unlocked tokens come from the Animecoin Foundation and AnimeDAO. Will this part flow into the market? Why design such a high TGE unlocking ratio?

Zagabond:

“As mentioned above, the 13% of tokens allocated to AnimeDAO will be used and deployed only through the decisions of ANIME holders according to the governance process. I cannot predict what kind of initiatives AnimeDAO will propose and approve, but usually the governance process takes time , and it often takes time for DAO-spend tokens to actually enter circulation (for example, DAO grant-funded initiatives often need to hit milestones before they can actually be distributed to grantees).

Regarding the Animecoin Foundation, in addition to funding startup operations (i.e. the various service providers and partners that support the launch of any coin), similar to the point above, grants administered by the Foundation to grow the ecosystem may also come with milestones, It takes time before it actually enters circulation. "

Deep Trend TechFlow: In March 2024, Arbitrum Foundation announced that it would jointly create AnimeChain with Azuki. What is the relationship between Azuki NFT , AnimeChain, and Animecoin?

Zagabond:

The first thing to make clear is that Animechain was neither created by the Arbitrum Foundation nor Azuki. The Animecoin Foundation is not only the administrator of Animecoin, but also the entity leading the development of Animechain.

Azuki is a core contributor to the Animecoin Foundation, supporting the Animecoin Foundation in fulfilling its mission of managing the development and growth of the Animecoin ecosystem.

Deep Wave TechFlow: After the token issuance, where will you and the Animecoin Foundation invest your energy and money, and what are the big strategic plans?

Zagabond:

“I cannot speak on behalf of the Animecoin Foundation as to where it will allocate resources specifically, but its sole mission is to support the development of the Animecoin ecosystem, and it has its own team and service providers to help achieve this goal.

As for Azuki, our main focus will be on executing the full-stack animation strategy described above. "

About the future of NFT

Shenchao TechFlow: NFT has experienced highs and lows in the past few years. From pure PFP, social currency, to now NFT has to be attached to a certain public chain or an actual project. A large number of NFTs have issued tokens one after another, and they seem to have become Tokens. Attached, what do you think the future development trend of NFT is?

Zagabond:

"NFTs can be a lot of different things. I'm actually not a big fan of 'NFT' as a single category because the use cases for NFTs can be very different. Regardless, it's clear that NFTs are one of the best tools for building communities, and will always exist.”

Shenzhen TechFlow: As a global project, how do Azuki and Animecoin balance the needs of users in different regions? What is your development strategy, especially in the Asian market?

Zagabond:

“The Asia-Pacific region is an extremely important region for both Azuki and Animecoin. Considering that Azuki’s art style is derived from Japanese animation, we have always maintained a strong connection with the Asia-Pacific market.

We are investing resources in building our presence in the Asia Pacific region, including building a world-class business development team in Japan to penetrate the animation industry. "

Deep Wave TechFlow: Finally, what would you like to say to Azuki community members?

Zagabond:

“Azuki’s strength stems from our passion and creativity, which are key to our success. We also see these values ​​strongly reflected in the community and are grateful for their support. Anyone who joins the Garden can speak to our culture How unique. I think we've built something very special here, and my goal is to lead us to mainstream Web2 adoption and represent Web3 in the right way . "