Azuki Announces Anime Series With Director Gorō Taniguchi

Today (Jan. 10), Chiru Labs, the company behind Azuki and Beanz, has announced that it will partner with acclaimed director Gorō Taniguchi to create an anime anthology series.

Taniguchi, creator of a number of iconic anime projects including “Code Geass,” “One Piece Film: Red” and “Bloody Escape,” believes the partnership will bring an appreciation of anime to new audiences.

“I participated because I felt this project has potential to contribute to Japan’s animation industry in two ways. One is to open up new opportunities for talented Japanese anime creators through this project. The second is to spread awareness of Japanese animation to new audiences. Together, I am confident that this project presents a unique opportunity to positively shape the future for both the web3 global industry and Japanese animation,” he said in a statement.

Azuki has also partnered with Dentsu, a leading Japanese advertising agency and anime production company, to assemble leading talent for the series.

Azuki will release three complete stories with Taniguchi, each with its own director and set of character artists. The goal is to broaden the reach of Azuki IP, connecting with the global audience of anime fans.

The anthology series, planned for release later this year, is part of Azuki’s broader plan to offer a range of short and longer-form content to diverse audiences.

“Working alongside Goro Taniguchi is a dream come true for us at Azuki. Together, we aim to deliver a series that not only expands the Azuki universe but also pushes the boundaries of web3-driven storytelling,” said Arnold Tsang, art director and co-creator of Azuki.

Learn more about the Azuki and Beanz projects in our ultimate guides.