Ultraman Meets WAX Blockchain: A Phygital Revolution in Collectibles
With just days to go until Ultraman collectibles hit the WAX blockchain, we catch up with Beast Kingdom to discover how it all came together!
We’re mere days away from another major collectibles brand hitting the WAX blockchain!
Over the past 55 years, Ultraman, created by Tsuburaya Productions, has dominated Japanese TV, film, manga and games – and thanks to collectibles giants Beast Kingdom, he’s hitting the blockchain for the first time on March 1st.
Ahead of this landmark drop, I sat down with the Beast Kingdom team to discuss their partnership with Tsuburaya Productions, their inaugural NFT drop, and how collectors can get their hands on exclusive physical collectibles come March 1st.
John: Ultraman is an iconic superhero in Japanese pop culture. How has Ultraman grown to become a legendary figure over the past half-century, and why is it such a revered character?
BK: Tsuburaya Productions have never changed their main concepts of love, justice, and peace in their storytelling with Ultraman. They continuously bring new content to fans, from TV series and movies to more unorthodox content such as talent shows.
Even when Tsuburaya Productions have created new Ultraman characters, often with brand-new personalities, they’ve crafted their characters carefully, and fans have always understood the how and why of any new creations.
The Ultraman Phygital Series 001 drop takes place on March 1 at 12 UTC.
The Ultraman Phygital Series 001 NFT drop, taking place on March 1st, is in celebration of the 55th anniversary of Ultraman. Why did you decide to celebrate this milestone with your very first NFT drop?
Actually, there’s a lot of anniversaries happening at once – the 55th anniversary of Ultraman being the biggest.?This drop also marks also the 25th anniversary of Ultraman Tiga, the 10th anniversary of Ultraman Zero, and the 15th anniversary of Ultraman Mebius.
Fans always expect Ultraman to continue pushing the boundaries – they expect nothing less. This NFT drop is part of that.
You?ve partnered with AtomicHub and RE:DREAMER to bring these Ultraman NFTs to life. What has the experience been like working with both companies, and what part have they played in bringing this together?
AtomicHub and RE:DREAMER are both extremely professional companies who have provided so much help to us. We started this project from a single page of 2D concepts, to a launch now just days away. As you know, this is the first phygital project for Beast Kingdom, and we benefitted from their suggestions and experience at every stage.
Working with AtomicHub, each of these NFTs will be created on the carbon-neutral WAX blockchain, so there is no harm to the planet too.
The drop features an exclusive line of physical Ultraman collectibles from Beast Kingdom.
These NFTs are beautifully designed, featuring Ultraman and his many brethren in a range of striking poses on digital trading cards. Who designed these NFTs, and has the medium of NFTs given you a new way to capture the spirit of Ultraman?
We at Beast Kingdom brainstormed and produced all of the NFT designs, combining the well-known medium of trading cards with the unique special moves of each Ultraman hero.
Each NFT progressed from a 2D to a 3D model, then onto a 3D rigging stage, then a storyboard animation before the final render. We’ve enjoy the whole process, working with Tsuburaya style guides and assets, researching their TV series, movies and more.
We definitely weren’t restricted – we had the freedom from Tsuburaya to really use all our creativity, and I think the final product looks fantastic.
The Ultraman drop is the first to take place on the AtomicHub Launchpad.
Purchasers of the Ultraman Phygital Series 001 drop will be in with a chance of obtaining exclusive, limited-edition physical Ultraman collectibles. Could you tell us more about these? Why are they so special?
Yes! To acquire digital Ultraman trading cards, and the chance to collect exclusive physical Ultraman Collectibles, you’ll need to take part in our Ultraman Phygital Series 001 pack drop on March 1st at 12 UTC.
Collectors who are lucky enough to unpack an Exotic or Grail-rarity NFT, or who complete a full NFT set, can exchange these NFTs for a physical Ultraman collectible from our popular Mini Egg Attack series. Full details of the physical collectibles available can be found on the Catalog page of the AtomicHub Launchpad.
Once physical redemptions close on April 29, we will produce exactly the number of each physical collectible that has been redeemed – no more, no less. Every physical Ultraman collectible that is part of this release is exclusive to this drop and will never be offered again.
Grail and Exotic rarity NFTs, plus full character sets, are eligible for physical redemptions.
On top of the redeemable physical collectibles, will NFTs from the Ultraman drop have any further utility?
Yes! We have a few ideas, but we’ll certainly grant some benefits for holders that will apply to future drops. We’ll share more details in future!
Will we see more phygital NFT drops from Beast Kingdom in future?
Yes! We’ve already discussed some very interesting concepts for future phygital drops, and we look forward to sharing those with you in the near future.
In short; why should Ultraman fans and NFT fans alike get involved in the Ultraman Phygital Series 001 drop?
The Ultraman Phygital Series continues fans’ expectations of next-generation products; a brand-new purchase experience, exclusive value and benefits, and the collaboration of three expert companies in Beast Kingdom, AtomicHub, and RE:DREAMER.
This is just the start. We can’t wait to take you on our journey into the future!
Ultraman NFTs will come with utility for future phygital drops from Beast Kingdom.
Final Thoughts
I’ll echo the comments I made on the announcement of the Ultraman x Beast Kingdom drop several weeks ago – the arrival of this drop feels like a return to the glory days of WAX, when big-name IPs were arriving thick and fast, and the community rapidly grew with tangible excitement.
AtomicHub, Beast Kingdom, Tsuburaya Productions and RE:DREAMER have done (and continue) to work closely together in bringing this brand-new physical collectibles experience to the WAX blockchain – the first of many for the brand-new AtomicHub Launchpad.
Keep an eye on NFT Insider over the coming days for a Drop Alert! article, containing everything you need to know about this landmark release, coming March 1st!
To learn more about the Ultraman x Beast Kingdom drop on March 1st, visit the AtomicHub Launchpad.
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COO & founder of NFT Insider. Bullish on web3. Competitive soul.
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