ASOBISYSTEM, Activ8 and KDDI Enter Into a Basic Agreement to Develop and Produce Next-generation Artists for Real and Virtual Worlds and Introduce Them Globally

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March 7,2023

ASOBISYSTEM Holdings
Activ8 Inc.
KDDI Corporation

ASOBISYSTEM Holdings (headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yusuke Nakagawa; "Asobisystem"), Activ8 Inc. (headquartered in Shibiya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Takeshi Osaka) and KDDI Corporation (headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Makoto Takahashi) entered into a basic agreement on March 7, 2023, to form a strategic partnership for developing and producing next-generation artists in the real and virtual worlds [Jump to the applicable section1], developing optimal content that are relevant in the metaverse era, and introducing them globally.
The three companies will work together to achieve the objective of the agreement through ANNIN Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Directors: Yusuke Nakagawa and Takeshi Osaka), a joint venture established by Asobisystem and Activ8.

  • ASOBISYSTEM Holdings
  • Activ8 Inc.
  • KDDI Corporation

ANNIN is a production company founded in February 2023 by Asobisystem, the agency that has successfully produced real-world artists such as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and Activ8, the creator of "Kizuna AI," a virtual celebrity with over 10 million fans around the world. ANNIN aims to produce next-generation artists utilizing virtual humans and avatars.
Through αU, the metaverse and Web3 service to be launched on March 7, 2023, KDDI will provide a variety of entertainment services including αU live, which provides high-definition free viewpoint video, αU market, which offers NFTs for sale, and αU metaverse.

■Details of the agreement

The three companies will work to create new next-generation artists who will be active in both the real and virtual worlds (using virtual humans, avatars, and other representations), drawing on the insight that Asobisystem and Activ8 have acquired to date.
KDDI will help next-generation artists as well as artists currently represented by Asobisystem and Activ8 by providing opportunities to interact with fans through live performance events and other activities, while also hosting promotional campaigns utilizing αU and developing content utilizing other cutting-edge technologies such as XR.
By cooperating in these initiatives, the three companies will nurture Japanese artists who will be loved by many fans across borders, and provide these fans an innovative value-added experience.

■Role of each company

  • Asobisystem:
    Discover, produce, and manage artists
  • Activ8:
    Produce next-generation artists, and create and develop virtual content
  • KDDI:
    Provide metaverse and Web3 services such as αU and run promotional campaigns

(Reference)

■Asobisystem

"Creating culture rather than just creating another trend. Bringing more "Asobi" that deserves attention in the modern age."
This cultural production company represents artists who lead Japanese pop culture, including Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Yasutaka Nakata, Sebastian Masuda, and many more. Based in Harajuku, the company is engaged in a wide range of business areas in Japan and overseas, including the management of artists, models, actors, and creators, the planning and production of a variety of events such as music festivals and fashion events, media management, store operation, regional development, and international tourism and travel businesses.

  • Representative
    : Yusuke Nakagawa, Representative Director
  • Headquarters
    : ASOBIFACTORY, 3-21-8 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
  • URL
    : Open link in a new windowhttps://asobisystem.com/en/

■Activ8

Activ8 is a startup founded in 2016 that operates a metaverse entertainment business with the philosophy "choose your world." Its goal is to implement the world of science fiction into modern society, and to become a company that fascinates the world from Japan by combining metaverse and entertainment.
Ever since it created Kizuna AI, the origin of VTubers, in its early days, the company has been producing virtual artists that are active around the world, as well as planning and producing hybrid events optimized for the metaverse and real world while engaging in regional development.

  • Representative
    : Takeshi Osaka, Representative Director
  • Address
    : Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
  • URL
    : Open link in a new windowhttps://activ8.co.jp/

■ANNIN

ANNIN is a production company founded in February 2023 by Asobisystem, the agency that has successfully produced real-world artists such as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and Activ8, the creator of "Kizuna AI," a virtual celebrity with over 10 million fans around the world. The company aims to produce next-generation artists utilizing virtual humans and avatars.

  • Representatives
    : Yusuke Nakagawa and Takeshi Osaka
  • URL
    : Open link in a new windowhttps://annin.inc/ (in Japanese only)
  • [1]
    Artists who are active in both the real world and the virtual world through virtual human avatars, etc.
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