Introduction

Are you a web3 startup looking to harness the power of Japanese anime IPs for your innovation? You're not alone. But don't be deceived by the appeal of these iconic characters. Obtaining Japanese anime IPs is a challenging feat that requires trust, commitment, and insider knowledge of the industry. In this article, we reveal the secrets to securing major and minor IPs and provide insights into the characteristics of manga artists, IP holders and manga induscry.

Manga artist's characteristics

Most manga artists are interested in drawing manga and not in business.
The major manga artists become famous by publishing their work in major manga magazines, such as SHONEN JUMP.
To become famous, manga artists need the support of publishers.
Manga artists are grateful to publishers for making them major.
When they are not famous, publishers have a stronger position and tend to make contracts with more advantages for publishers.
Even if manga artists have the rights to IPs, they usually tell companies to talk with publishers or production committees to use their IPs.
Some famous manga artists are interested in exploring new ways, and publishers generally do not object to making a deal with new players if the manga artist shows the will to do so.
The web3 game using the IP of "Captain TSUBASA", which was released by ThirdVerse, got the license with the basis of the will of the manga artist (Yoichi Takahashi) and the strong connection with the game provider built over many years.

IP holders’ characteristics

In general:
- Many foreign companies, especially Chinese web3 companies, have approached Japanese anime IP holders in recent years to get the rights to use famous IPs for games, anime, etc. They offered a lot of money but in almost all cases, they failed to follow through on agreements and could not be contacted just before the first payment, even though they signed contracts and had good communications.
- As a result, many Japanese IP holders may have hesitation about working with overseas partners due to past experiences.
- They find it hard to trust them. Even if web3 startups offer to pay by revenue share or a significant amount of money after getting capital through token issue, Japanese IP holders still do not trust these offers.
- To overcome this situation, it is necessary to prepay an initial fee to make a deal happen or to involve a trustworthy Japanese company or Japanese people in the business. Hiring and using foreign people who can speak Japanese language but not at a native level is not at all a good idea, as there is a lack of trust due to past experiences.