It feels a bit like the end of an era. This evening I received an email from the Tokyo-based Otaku Coin Association (OCA) notifying me that the association, having fulfilled its purpose, is being dissolved at the end of 2024.
One of many strange chapters in my life, I got involved with the OCA in 2017 via my involvement with Tokyo Otaku Mode, which was the umbrella company for the startup and would become one of the principals on the association board.
The goal was one I supported and the general concept, at the time, was fairly unique and novel:
To foster innovation to efficiently support manga and anime artists through direct interaction with creators.
Otaku Coin was presented in white papers as a community currency that could be exchanged for services and products. This would allow fans a way to directly support artists, writers, and content creators that both bypassed and supported existing marketing channels.
It was very much a win-win scenario allowing fans to connect and interact directly with creators and studios as well as providing incentive via traditional product marketing. After taking part in the first pre-launch release, as my interest and involvement grew.
I would work for the OCA doing translations and localization for western-facing marketing, and would become selected as the ambassador of the Otaku Coin Association for the United States.
The opportunity led me to meet many really great friends in Japan as well as several lucrative unrelated business opportunities overseas through the years.
I was pleased to do work for the OCA and Otaku Coin community on projects for many studios in Japan including Madhouse, Orange, Bones, WIT STUDIO, Trigger!, Polygon Pictures, Graphinica, Tatsunoko Production, P.A. Works, Crafter Studios (since acquired by LDH JAPAN), Studio Pierrot, Production I.G, Nippon Animation, Eight Bit, Kinema Citrus, and Yaoyorozu (since acquired by 8million).
Also, several projects with the Tokyo Tourism Board including the Kizuna AI VT collaboration, Tokyo Honyaku Quest, Hakuhodo! Hackathon, Honeyfeed, the seasonal AnimeJapan Tudukimi new anime release panel, and Irekae game exchange in Tokyo.
I was proud to be involved with the OCA’s outreach and show support to Kyoto Animation in the wake of the 2019 tragedy, and to join in supporting upcoming artists via the Wakate Animētā Ikusei Purojekuto and the non-profit Animator Dormitory.
For many years I fully supported the OCA’s focus towards creating a community currency concept and I do fully agree with their assessment that the association fulfilled its role in that regard.
In 2021, I began distancing myself from Otaku Coin when additional newer board members began pushing heavily into the NFT market and focusing substantial efforts on NFT-based gacha mobile games (a practice that I personally believe to be predatory).
I have no regrets though, and remember my years being involved and supporting Otaku Coin fondly. I am glad to see many of the initiatives that started with support from OCA continue to thrive in fostering the same sort of support for artists, animators, writers, and creators.
Getting word that near-decade-long venture is coming to an end felt impactful even if it has been a few years since my involvement. It played a huge role in some of the directions my life would take in those years.
Thanks to Otaku Coin for all the new friends, peers, and doors it opened for me. It was a worthwhile and memorable experience that I take pride in.