Today, Japanese blockchain platform company SmartApp, Inc. launched the beta version of nanakusa, Japan's first NFT marketplace for registered crypto artists. In the beta version, NFTs issued by blockchain games and content holders partnering with nanakusa can be listed and purchased with Ethereum and Polygon.

In recent years, the NFT market has been expanding rapidly, especially in various fields such as art, music, and illustration. SmartApp wants to enable crypto artists in this field so they can issue and sell their works as NFTs.

Here are the titles that can be distributed and purchased on nanakusa as of the beta launch:

Ethereum payment:

• NFT Toreka (trading card)
• MyCryptoHeroes
• CryptoSpells
• Brave Frontier Heroes
• CHOJO -CryptoGirlsArena

Polygon payment:

• VtuberNFT
• MyCryptoSaga

Going forward, nanakusa will continue to team up with new partners, each of which will have their own page on the platform.

Examples

As you can see, two Vtubers have launched their own content on nanakusa:

The first one is バーチャルエコノミスト千莉 (Virtual Economist Senri), who provides a variety of economics related information and runs an online community called the Virtual Economic Think Tank. He also runs a YouTube channel and provides consulting services for Vtubers. Virtual Economist Senri has two NFTs for the beta launch, one original illustration commemoratign 200,000 subscribers, and one of the Vtuber going shopping with an eco-bag on his shoulder.

The other one is Virtual Bishōjo Nem バーチャル美少女ねむ, the self-professed world’s first independent Vtuber, whom we had the pleasure of interviewing at length last year. Spearheading the "World Bishōjo Project" (人類美少女計画), she uses cryptocurrency and VR technology to accelerate fundamental changes which can potentially "update" not only individual identity but human society and economy, with the ultimate goal of realizing an ideal world without discrimination or war.

Virtual Bishōjo Nem has two NFTs for the beta launch, and she graciously granted us permission to reproduce the two images here below:

「バーチャル美少女ねむ限定ビジュアルNFT ~浴衣でバーチャル祇園にて~」Virtual Bishōjo Nem limited-edition visual art NFT: wearing a yukata in virtual Gion

「バーチャル美少女ねむ限定ビジュアルNFT ~ココロコスプレステージ衣装で発売記念ショット~」Virtual Bishōjo Nem limited-edition visual art NFT: Photo commemorating the launch of "Kokoro Cosplay" while wearing her stage outfit

ココロコスプレ ("Kokoro Cosplay") is Virtual Bishōjo Nem's original song, and this is outfit she wore for the music video.

All four NFTs went on sale today at 5 PM (JST) on nanakusa, are published in a series of 10 and are available for 125 matic.

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Call for Certified Crypto Artist and Review Status

nanakusa is still recruiting certified crypto artists for the full release on April 21.

Recruitment period

Until 23:59 on March 28, 2021

Qualifications

Artists (analog/digital), photographers, illustrators, writers, musicians, voice actors, video creators, etc. who are working as crypto artists, or who aim to work as crypto artists in the future.

How to apply

Please fill out the form.

nanakusa has already received more than 150 applications from individual creators, teams, and organizations in Japan and overseas.

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Updated on 3/23/21: According to Crytogames Inc., all four of the abovementioned Vtuber art image NFTs sold out within the same day, a fact which surely attests to their popularity as well as the popularity of crypto art in general.