Animoca Brands Japan, alongside its KLKTN subsidiary, has announced a strategic partnership with Cool Cats Group. The recent announcement outlines Animoca Brands Japan's acquisition of equity shares in Cool Cats Group, marking a significant foray into the realms of NFTs and web3 gaming.

Cool Cats is a global storytelling brand centered around the beloved character, Blue Cat, who was created in 2013 by founding artist, Colin Egan. Today, Cool Cats is a rich ecosystem of captivating characters and comics, innovative games, unique merchandise, and fun animations. The company has forged strategic partnerships with three prominent gaming publishers—nWay, iCandy Interactive, and Sync Studios—to create three web3 games scheduled for release in late 2023 and early 2024.

KLKTN, the digital experience label under Animoca, has purchased NFTs from all three collections of Cool Cats from the secondary market. This transaction took place within San FranTokyo, KLKTN's virtual decentralized city with a strong emphasis on licensed anime and web3 intellectual property.

The strategic collaboration aims to enhance the Cool Cats brand presence within the Japanese market. A noteworthy initiative outlined in the announcement is the development of a "Cool Cats Manga," which will intertwine the unique world of Cool Cats with Japan's well-established manga tradition. The manga will be authored and illustrated by a distinguished Japanese manga artist.

“The partnership is about building IP in web3, and we’re very excited to be working with an iconic web3 IP like Cool Cats to see how we can leverage not only web3 products but traditional Japanese media products, such as manga, to behold community there."

Robby Yung, CEO of Animoca Brands.

Collaborative efforts by Animoca Brands Japan and San FranTokyo extend beyond intellectual property growth, seeking to establish new partnerships with key entities in Japan's entertainment and gaming sectors. The integration of the Cool Cats narrative into the virtual cityscape of San FranTokyo includes interactive figurine drops, aligning with established marketing strategies used by other prominent Japanese intellectual properties. Animoca Brands aims to seamlessly embed Cool Cats into Japanese pop culture, fostering a harmonious blend of web3 technology, anime, and gaming.

"This partnership is more than just about business growth. It's about cultural exchange, understanding, and tapping into the essence of what makes Japan's digital and artistic realm so globally appealing. Animoca Brands Japan together with San FranTokyo are excited to create more opportunities for the Cool Cats IP to grow.”

Daisuke Iwase, CEO of Animoca Brands Japan.

As the partnership progresses, industry observers are keenly anticipating the implications of this collaborative venture on the Japanese anime and web3 gaming scenes. With Animoca Brands Japan and Cool Cats Group uniting forces, an intriguing chapter in the convergence of entertainment and technology unfolds, presenting noteworthy developments for enthusiasts and stakeholders alike.