Beyond Illustration. 10 Questions for the Manager of the Mysterious "I am xAlice" Project
"I am xAlice" is an IP production project originating from Web3. In this issue, we decided to ask Mr. pnizo, the project manager of "xAlice," about the project, which still remains a mystery to us.
ーーPlease introduce yourself.
My name is pnizo.
I have worked as a moderator/community manager/collaboration manager for many anime illustration NFT projects such as Tsubasa by TabinekoKIKI, IROIRO, DenDekaDen, Project A-Heart, World of Lunars, and many others. I have worked as a moderator/community manager/collaboration manager for many anime-illustration NFT projects.
In this case, I am managing the entire project as a staff member of Lead Edge Consulting, Inc.
ーーCan you briefly explain what this project is about?
As mentioned in the previous interview with Fao-san and the previous interview with Chon*-san, I had been working on an illustration for a long time, and I was determined to bring this wonderful illustration to the world!
However, the current NFT market is no longer in a situation where anything that is released as an NFT collection will sell, as the bubble has burst. To be honest, I feel that the public's image of NFT itself is also deteriorating.
Because of this, we have redefined the project as one that creates new content and IP, rather than just selling illustrations to raise funds, and we have created a background worldview and story setting.
We are also able to form cooperative relationships with web2 companies.
We would like to involve holders and creators in the process of xAlice's expansion, and issue membership cards in the form of NFTs as tickets for paid spectator seats to enjoy the process.
ーーWhat are the main goals that this project aims to achieve?
We plan to increase the number of fans not only by staying with illustration NFT, but also by creating voice dramas and novel games. Our mid-term goal is to make an animated series on terrestrial TV.
ーーAs a project manager, what are the main tasks you perform on a daily basis?
I am also responsible for NFT production (image generation, metadata creation), meetings with external companies and internal staff (BizDev team, engineers, designers, etc.), operation of social networking services such as X (formerly Twitter) and Discord, etc.
ーーWhat makes this NFT project different from other similar projects?
In terms of illustrations, the point of differentiation is that the full body is drawn instead of a bust-up. The full-body coordination drawn by Chon＊-san is really elaborate and cute, so I want to show that.
I would like to reiterate that this project is not about producing NFTs. Our goal is to establish the "I am xAlice" worldview that we will create together with you, and to create a variety of content based on that worldview.
Games, I want to create...(sighs)
ーーHow do you communicate with community members?
We communicate mainly on Discord, in a server dedicated to xAlice.
In this way, we all have serious and heated discussions about the future of the project and the direction in which it should go on a daily basis.
ーーWhat is the biggest challenge facing the project?
X's algorithm has changed, and the spread of "Like + RT" as before doesn't increase impressions or followers at all...
I also feel that there is a decline in expectations and headwinds for NFT, so I want to make sure to communicate that we are not an NFT project, but rather an effort to create a new animated IP.
ーーWhat role do you see the community playing in the success of the NFT project?
We believe that the advantage of community participation in project management is that it brings the creators of the content and the recipients much closer together.
We want to create an exciting and fun atmosphere like the day before a cultural festival, and continuously disseminate information so that we can keep it going.
ーーWhat project milestones are planned for the coming months?
We are coordinating with the relevant parties to make an announcement regarding the official website, the blockchain to be used, and the means of payment in the near future.
We will then work with various web3 projects/communities to raise awareness of the NFT Collection, the first phase of the project, through collaborations such as distributing the Allowlist, etc. In parallel with this, we will work on the creation of the content, for example In parallel with this, we will work with community members to flesh out the content, for example, naming the characters, defining their personalities, defining their relationships with the main characters, and what kind of drama will unfold...etc.
As soon as the NFT collection is released, I will be ready to show you my next goal. Hopefully we can get something like an animation or a screenshot of the game~!
ーーCan you give some specific examples of how community members can contribute to the project?
We would like to invite you to join us on Discord! We still have a limited number of members, so the hurdle to join the chat is low. We would love to have you as an initial member. Of course, we would love to have your help in spreading the word on X.
And xAlice has a policy that allows you to create illustrations and short stories quite freely, regardless of whether you own NFT or not. You are welcome to use them for derivative work!
We are planning to hold a fan art contest in the near future, and we would appreciate your participation in that contest.
ーーFinally, do you have any message for people who might be interested in participating in this project?
Cute is right.
Since we are starting from a place where Chon＊san's cute illustrations are already available, we are under a lot of pressure to produce and sell the product, and it is quite a pain in the stomach, but we will do our best to spread this cuteness around the world, and we would appreciate your support.
