Chiru Labs, the Web3 startup known for the popular Ethereum NFT collection Azuki, has revealed plans to enhance the project by launching 20,000 new NFTs on Tuesday. The upcoming collection, named Azuki Elementals, aims to expand the anime-themed universe of the original project by introducing additional profile pictures (PFPs).
As part of the announcement, Chiru Labs shared that the 10,000 existing Azuki NFT owners have already received an airdropped token for one of the Elementals, leaving the remaining half of the supply for public sale. Attendees of the “Follow the Rabbit” community event in Las Vegas were pleasantly surprised when they were airdropped the Elementals, although the artwork associated with these tokens is yet to be unveiled.
The remaining Elementals will be available for purchase on Tuesday at 9:20 am PST through a Dutch auction. The auction will start with a price of 2 ETH (approximately $3,750) per NFT, and the price will decrease every 5 minutes until the entire supply is sold out. The final price at the end of the auction will be the price paid by all buyers, and those who purchased earlier will receive a refund for the price difference.
In a special presale, existing holders of Azuki NFTs will have a brief 10-minute opportunity before the start of the auction to acquire additional Elementals. Following that, owners of Beanz NFTs, a collection derived from Azuki, will also have a 10-minute window (just before the public sale) to secure their Elementals NFTs.
Although specific details about the Elementals collection are still undisclosed, its slogan, “Four Domains, One Garden,” suggests a mythical realm divided into four distinct kingdoms, each representing a classical element: fire, water, earth, and lightning. The term “The Garden” refers to the wider Azuki community, which encompasses both the metaverse and real-life collaborations and events.
Seizing the opportunity presented by their tremendous success, the team behind these projects has wasted no time in expanding their intellectual property (IP) into new territories. In April, Chiru Labs announced a strategic partnership with Line Friends, a prominent media and merchandise brand that holds significant cultural influence in Japan, South Korea, and beyond. The collaboration is set to result in a multitude of exciting ventures centered around Beanz, including joint content initiatives, merchandise collaborations, and other event crossovers.
