Azuki Founder Zagabond Returns to the Stage with Animecoin and His Dream of an Anime Universe

Though there are countless waves, the red beans bloom towards the sun! Once, Azuki was a brilliant dream in the hearts of many NFT enthusiasts

Once, Azuki was a brilliant dream in the hearts of many NFT enthusiasts, a proud display of social identity. Then the NFT market fell into silence, and Azuki faced numerous challenges and doubts.

Now, Azuki founder Zagabond returns to the stage with Animecoin and his dream of an anime universe, confronting the controversies head-on.

On January 23, ANIME (Animecoin) will officially launch.

Deep Tide TechFlow conducted an exclusive interview with Zagabond after gathering questions from several Azuki community members.

Zagabond believes there is a significant discrepancy between how people around him perceive him and the assumptions of those who have never met him. A person's character is not defined by the opinions of strangers on the internet, but is reflected in how consistently one treats those who are important to them.

Finally, Zagabond addressed the community, saying, "The power of Azuki comes from our passion and creativity. We have built something very special here, We're on our way."

About Zagabond

Deep Tide TechFlow: What was your career like before founding Azuki? What prompted you to enter the Web3/NFT space?

Zagabond:

"My journey began in China, and I moved to Germany at the age of six, which was my first experience of feeling like an outsider. As the only Chinese child in kindergarten, I couldn't speak German at the time. I remember speaking to my classmates in Chinese but not understanding why they couldn't understand me.

This early experience of isolation, combined with later attending seven different schools in multiple countries, cultivated my ability to adapt quickly to new environments—though it also made me cautious in forming deep connections. By the time my family finally settled in Long Island, New York, I had developed a strong sense of independence and resilience.

My passion for the digital world began with the MMORPG RuneScape, where I discovered my fascination with the digital economy. Rather than focusing on traditional gameplay, I was drawn to the market, obsessed with collecting rare items like the blue party hat—this foreshadowed my future interest in digital assets and NFTs. Similarly, Pokémon showed me how powerful IP can transcend multiple mediums while building passionate communities through collectibles and storytelling.

When I discovered Ethereum in 2016, I immediately recognized its potential as an open, programmable blockchain to support the digital economy. This led me to join 0x Protocol in 2017 as a founding team member, where we built decentralized trading infrastructure together. I participated in early discussions where we coined the term 'DeFi,' which later became the category name for mainstream crypto protocols.

After working in the DeFi space for four years, I saw the opportunity to combine the decentralized principles of cryptocurrency with the community-building power of NFTs. This vision, combining the digital economy with brand building, became the cornerstone of Azuki, as we strive to innovate the anime industry through decentralized IP."

Deep Tide TechFlow: Why did you choose to go by the name "Zagabond"? What’s the story behind this name?

Zagabond:

"Zagabond is derived from Vagabond, a classic manga by Takehiko Inoue that tells the life story of the Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. The profound philosophical themes of self-discovery and the meaning of life in the manga resonated strongly with me.

At the time, I considered several other pen names, but I remember hearing my favorite song 'Feather' by Nujabes, which has the lyrics:

'I'm just a Vagabond with Flowers for Algernon An Average Joe who knows what the fuck is going on'

At that moment, I decided to choose the name Zagabond."

Deep Tide TechFlow: Why did you initially choose to remain anonymous when launching Azuki, and what led you to reveal your identity later?

Zagabond:

"One of my favorite designers is Margiela, who is a fashion designer that never shows his face. He always stays behind the scenes, letting his designs speak for themselves.

When I founded Azuki, I saw it as a way to express myself. I didn't want my appearance or background to influence how the audience felt about the art and brand I created.

I remember walking into Azuki's first event at NFT LA, standing in the middle of the party and looking around at all the holders having a great time. No one knew who I was. But seeing community members having the time of their lives made me feel incredibly happy and at peace.

As Azuki grew and we began making strides in the anime industry, I felt it was necessary to make my image more public. Ultimately, it was time to put a real face to the name and show the community that there is a real person behind Zagabond, participating in more interviews and live events—so I could lead this space towards my Anime 2.0 vision with honesty and transparency."

Deep Tide TechFlow: In your view, what is the biggest misconception