Isekai Meta, a 7,777-piece anime-style NFT avatar collection on Ethereum, has been listed for sale, as confirmed by new CEO @lliGENFT.
This follows the stepping down of founder and long-time CEO @CyrisRigor in August 2024, amidst a “sense of dissatisfaction in my work”, and “a level of shame that I wasn’t able to fully realize the vision I had for this project.”
Minted in July 2022, Izekai Meta followed in the footsteps of other anime-focused collections such as Azuki. Shortly after mint, the collection hit a floor price of 0.5 ETH, though faced a decline that sees it at 0.01 ETH today.
What have Isekai Meta achieved?
Isekai Meta was initially created through a partnership with Studio 9 Lives, who assisted with initial advice and planning for the project.
The success of the inaugural mint led to the creation of Studio Sekai, an in-house animation studio that – for the most part – has spent the majority of the past two years taking on external commission work, whilst looking to grow the Isekai Meta brand.
In July 2024, Isekai Meta revealed Ascend – a 5-minute long animation that looked to establish the story of the Isekai universe, and showcase their unique Ghibli-inspired style. This was to be Act I of a planned multi-act series, though news of the sale appears to have put this on hold.
What now for Isekai Meta?
News of this sale comes as anime-style NFT collections have undergone a renaissance in the past 12 months, with the likes of Azuki and San FranTokyo each finding success.
Although the past few months have been rough for Isekai Meta – the stepping down of @CyrisRigor not being received well, and the new CEO choosing a sale as his “first and final executive action” – many believe the brand, art style and NFT collection have potential, and could succeed under the right owners.
Azuki is likely the prime buyer candidate for the outgoing Isekai team. Though there are no rumours to suggest such an acquisition, Azuki have expressed their admiration for Isekai Meta in the past, including in the comments to their 5-minute Ascend animation.
Time will tell if Isekai Meta can rise from the ashes.
Bullish on web3. Competitive soul.