Full Stack Anime

Animecoin aims to transform the global anime industry into a community-owned creative network. As the Culture Coin of the anime industry, Animecoin will power a digital economy where one billion global fans can shape and own the future of anime. Through the Full Stack Anime approach described below - combining original IP creation, mainstream distribution, and purpose-built infrastructure - Animecoin will underpin an unprecedented creative ecosystem that enables the world's most passionate fandom to be owners of the future of anime.

Foundation: means the Animecoin Foundation, a Cayman Islands Foundation company.

Early Contributor: means Azuki Labs, Inc., a Delaware corporation, creators of the anime-inspired Azuki NFT collection and early contributor to the Project.

Animecoin looks to revolutionize the global anime industry.

Anime is growing fast: Anime as an industry is anticipated to grow 15%+ annually to $60B by 2030, exceeding the size of the global music industry and global box office sales combined, and along with K-dramas, is one of the fastest growing media segments globally. Anime fans numbered ~150M in 2020, then doubled to ~300M in 2022, and then doubled again to 600M globally in 2024, an incredible growth rate rarely seen in any media genre at scale.

It's not just media: Importantly, even though Anime is one of the fastest growing media genres of all time (+118% over the pandemic), it is also rapidly expanding its commercial impact beyond just media and traditional box office sales. Nearly 46% of "Anime revenue" comes from games, merchandising, and collectibles. These are all mediums that Animecoin will plug into.

Web3 embraces Anime: Anime also has an exceptional overlap with web3 culture and interest, as evidenced by Azuki, the leading web3 anime IP. Anime's relative dominance within NFTs, and its prevalence in web3 PFPs, memes, and culture is undeniable.

The Foundation's mission is to democratize anime, creating a more inclusive and participatory industry where fans and creators can own a piece of the success they help build. This vision will be realized via the Full Stack Anime strategy and a targeted growth plan focusing on web2 anime fans.

The strategy is designed to create a flywheel effect, where each component fuels the growth of the others. By seamlessly integrating blockchain infrastructure, consumer platforms, and IP, Full Stack Anime ensures that as more users and developers join, the network becomes increasingly valuable and self-sustaining.

Blockchain Infra: Animechain is an L3 blockchain leveraging Arbitrum Orbit technology, with Animecoin as the custom gas token. This setup simplifies the experience for web2 anime fans: they only need Animecoin (eliminating the complexity of managing multiple tokens), while also allowing for gasless (sponsored) transactions for seamless onboarding.

Consumer Platforms and Products: Onboarding web2 users through consumer products is essential to trigger the flywheel effect. A large user base attracts more teams to build on the network, which in turn brings in even more users. The Foundation understands that achieving the scale needed for optimal flywheel effects requires a strong focus on web2 users. In the early stages of the Animecoin ecosystem, the Early Contributor will have an important role in creating the flagship dapp, Anime.com, aiming to do for anime what Discord did for gaming—becoming the dominant social layer for the entire anime industry (details later in this doc). Additional first & third party apps, with a focus on quality and alignment, will round out the early ecosystem.

Content and IP: IP development creates the foundation for the cultural energy that powers the entire stack. IP is the layer that ties various pieces together, uniting the community's passion for Animecoin.

The anime industry is ripe for innovation, but faces three major challenges. First, user data – the lifeblood of modern entertainment platforms – remains siloed within individual companies, stifling competition and innovation. Second, while Web3 promised to revolutionize consumer experiences, most projects have focused on financial products or infrastructure rather than delivering compelling consumer applications. Lastly, blockchains are not user friendly and require wallets, signing transactions, paying gas, just to name a few pain points.

Animechain changes this paradigm by creating the first purpose-built blockchain for anime culture. By allowing fandom data, IP, and collectibles to be open and accessible onchain, we're lowering barriers to entry and fostering an ecosystem where developers can build genuinely engaging consumer experiences. Powered by Animecoin as its gas token, Animechain creates a virtuous cycle where the AnimeDAO will collect sequencer fees and bolster the DAO treasury to fund initiatives. Animecoin will be the governance token used by the AnimeDAO to vote on proposals to shape the direction of the Animecoin ecosystem.

Animechain will provide dedicated blockspace for advancing anime culture, where every transaction and interaction contributes to a more vibrant, innovative, and accessible anime ecosystem. And by using account abstraction and leveraging Arbitrum's Orbit technology, the UX will be seamless and capable of onboarding the masses.

The Foundation will serve an active role in guiding the expansion of the Animecoin ecosystem by curating and supporting teams building genuine consumer apps on Animechain, along with acting as a legal entity wrapper of the ecosystem to establish partnerships in order to proliferate Animecoin and anime culture.

Anime.com will serve as one of the first flagship platforms within the Animecoin ecosystem, setting a blueprint for other third-party consumer apps to be built on Animechain to expand distribution. Anime.com addresses several challenges in today's anime landscape:

Fragmentation of the Anime ecosystem: The anime industry suffers from significant fragmentation across both consumer and creator levels, leading to inefficient industry operations and suboptimal fan experiences. However, this fragmentation presents a unique opportunity for a comprehensive Full Stack Anime solution.

No incentives or feedback loop between fans and creators: There's a notable disconnect between fans and creators, with no meaningful reward system for fan contributions despite their crucial role in marketing, maintaining IP relevance through discussions, and generating revenue.

Highly underserved markets: While anime's popularity is surging among younger demographics (42% of Gen Z compared to 25% of millennials) and in international markets (118% global growth vs 7.9% in Japan over two years), platforms haven't evolved to meet modern expectations.

Antiquated merchandising options: The traditional merchandising model remains stuck in the past - physical products often arrive too late and are limited to only the most successful IPs, missing peak consumer interest.

Anime.com sees tremendous opportunity in addressing these current gaps in the anime consumer experience. While the platform will evolve through continuous iteration, here are the key focus areas:

Discovery: Reimagining how fans explore anime through advanced visual discovery systems, personalized recommendations, and curated content from the community's top creators.

Social: Creating the ultimate gathering place for anime fans to share their passion, connect with like-minded enthusiasts, and build thriving communities around their favorite series.

Streaming: Pioneering a new social-first approach to anime streaming that prioritizes shared experiences and community engagement over traditional catalog-focused platforms.

Collectibles: Bridging the gap between physical and digital collecting, making digital anime collectibles more accessible and meaningful within an engaged community.

Gamification: Introducing exciting reward systems and competitive elements that make every interaction on the platform more engaging and worthwhile for fans.

The anime industry lacks a single, unifying brand that represents the entire culture. To some degree, this has throttled expansion outside of Japan, with partnerships being slower and more difficult compared to other industries. The Early Contributor views this as a unique opportunity to step in and fill that void. Through building the go-to platform for fans and creators and establishing a strong, recognizable brand within the anime ecosystem, Anime.com will become the interface for anyone looking for anime exposure.

Content is culture. The Animecoin ecosystem will provide a collaborative environment where content creation is democratized and inclusive. The Azuki IP will be the first of many native anime IPs providing the cultural energy that drives engagement across the blockchain-powered network and fuels the Full Stack Anime strategy:

Co-creation ethos: True to its roots, Azuki embodies the ethos of co-creation, empowering its passionate community to actively shape the universe alongside its creators. Inspired by street and skate culture, Azuki will continue to be authentic, relevant, and undeniably dope—a vibe that makes it more than just an IP but a cultural force. Through its alignment with the Full Stack Anime vision, Azuki will bridge the gap between traditional fandom and a decentralized future, bringing fans into a new era of anime that is inclusive, participatory, and revolutionary.

Content pipeline: Azuki is bringing its characters and stories to life through new series, films, webtoons, and manga, captivating lifelong fans. Beyond the screen, Azuki will create short-form, viral content, and leverage AI and social platforms to connect with audiences in a mobile-first, tech-driven world, flowing seamlessly into the broader Full Stack Anime ecosystem.

Beyond content: Azuki's universe will enter everyday life through physical and digital merchandise—collectibles, immersive experiences, and cultural touchpoints that deepen fans' connection to its world.

As a blueprint for the content pillar of the Full Stack Anime strategy, Azuki will redefine what is possible in the anime industry, forging a legacy of innovation, authenticity, and collaboration. For Azuki, its creators, and its fans, the journey is only just beginning—and it's a journey that we believe will reshape the world of anime forever.

Animecoin symbolizes the fusion of anime's boundless cultural power with web3's transformative potential, creating a future where both industries stand ready to achieve mass adoption on a global scale. Through the Full Stack Anime approach, Animecoin will underpin a groundbreaking ecosystem where one billion fans can not only engage but actively participate in shaping and sharing the value they help create. This is more than innovation—it's a new paradigm for a new generation.

The path forward is as bold as it is clear: content that drives cultural energy (starting with Azuki's proven IP and vibrant community), redefining mainstream distribution (starting with Anime.com), and Animechain's purpose-built infrastructure will converge to unlock the next chapter in anime's evolution. Together, these elements will transform the industry into an inclusive, participatory, and self-sustaining network, driven by the creativity and passion of fans and creators alike.

The Animecoin ecosystem is on the cusp of something extraordinary—a future where anime is not just consumed but co-created, a movement that empowers fans to own a part of the story. The Foundation invites creators, fans, and partners to be part of this bold new chapter. Together, the Animecoin ecosystem will redefine the possibilities of anime and build a legacy that inspires generations to come. The future starts now.