What made you two decide to do what you're doing now?
Sanamaru: I was originally a YouTuber for UUUM and was the MC for an investment channel. At that time, we started talking about what was next and we decided it would be the metaverse. That's when I found out about Sandbox LAND, and I started to wonder what NFTs were, so I researched them and made a wallet. By the way, the first NFT I bought was the "KawaiiGirlNFT."
Noroichan: Did you post about Web 3.0 on your original account?
Sanamaru: I was posting on my original account that had nothing to do with Web 3.0, but one time there was a transfer jam and the tokens I thought I'd sent didn't arrive. I panicked at that time, and when I posted about it on my current account, I got responses like, "What's a wallet?" and "What's Ethereum?" So I thought it would be difficult to deliver information about Web 3.0 to my viewers at this stage, so I decided to separate my accounts. So, what prompted you to start your current activities?
Noroichan: I've been working with crypto for about five years, but I only found out about Web 3.0 about two years ago. I first learned about Web 3.0 when I started working at CryptoBar P2P two years ago. At the time, a customer who was involved with Web 3.0 games taught me what Web 3.0 games were.
From there, I started researching it myself, and when I saw the news that "a Filipino person built a house using the game Axie Infinity," I thought, "This is it!" Since my roots are in the Philippines, it was a revolutionary encounter for me, who had been thinking about how to do something about poverty.
How do you perceive Web 3.0 itself?
Sanamaru: Personally, I think Web 3.0 is like a school. For example, let's say there is a "Web 3.0 school" and there are NFT groups and cryptocurrency groups. Then, when a big event is held, various people from the school gather together through horizontal connections, and it feels like a school festival and is fun.
Noroichan: Web 3.0 itself is now content-based, and people talk about which games are profitable and airdrops, but essentially, I think it is infrastructure. Just as the age of the Internet has come and become commonplace, I think the "decentralized philosophy" and blockchain of Web 3.0 will become commonplace.
So, please tell us what you think are your roles and difficulties in conveying the good points and current state of Web 3.0.
Noroichan: I think the biggest thing is the language of this industry itself. The language of this industry is difficult, isn't it? People in the industry use it as a matter of course, but it seems that it doesn't get through to the general public. It feels like the people in the industry themselves are raising the bar for those who are trying to enter the Web 3.0 field.
My role is to break it down and make it understandable to the general public, and I think that is my job. For example, people in the industry understand "Freemint," but the general public doesn't. I think we need to make it understandable to everyone, like "you can get NFTs for free."
Sanamaru: I feel the same way, and I think the process of getting into this industry is difficult. It's complicated to make a wallet and make it compatible with this chain. I started with Web 2.0, but I think my role is to explain things in a way that even a first-grader can understand.
I also work as an MC, but sometimes when people who know each other talk, the level is too high and I feel like the listeners can't keep up. So I try to put myself in the listener's shoes while watching the reactions of those around me, and ask questions or use analogies.
Noroichan: It's fine in real life, but when it's an AMA* or something, I can't get a sense of the atmosphere. I think that's a difficult part of being an MC.
It's difficult to empathize with users, isn't it?
Noroichan: I have the stance that if I don't know something, other people don't know it either. This may be just me, but when I do an AMA, I deliberately try to go in without knowing anything about the project. By doing so, I can face the project from the same perspective as users who don't know anything, so I can empathize with the things that users are concerned about and questions.
On the other hand, not doing research was a blind spot. By the way, is there anything that you feel is different about influencers in the Web 3.0 field?
Sanamaru: I feel that in Web 3.0 in particular, it's necessary to catch up on information. It's an industry where what happened today is different tomorrow, so I think that having to go out and get information yourself is a clear difference. For example, even if you make a video, the situation may change a week later and you may not be able to release it (laughs).
Earlier, Noroi-chan said, "Don't research too much," but based on that, it seems like it's difficult to strike a balance between how much information you should catch up on.
Sanamaru: It's difficult to strike a balance. Of course, I research the minimum amount of information I need to know, but depending on the nature of the information, I don't delve too deeply into it.
Noroichan: In that sense, I try not to get information in advance, but only in limited cases such as AMAs, and generally spend a lot of time researching. However, I still can't keep up with the research on my own, so I refer to the research of many people both in Japan and abroad. I think my job is to break down that information and convey it in an easy-to-understand and fun way.
Related to the point of researching, I imagine that you two receive a variety of jobs every day, but what is it that makes you decide to take on a job and trust them in this industry, which still has a lot of uncertainty?
Noroichan: I have several filters in place, and first I look at whether the people I trust know about it or have connections with it. Web 3.0 has the nature of a financial product no matter what, so I build up a wide range of trust within myself, such as what companies are involved.
Sanamaru: I'm in a similar way, and I try to filter things by consulting people I trust and experts.
Noroichan: In a way, this is the topic I'm most worried about, and if I make a mistake, I could cause great damage to the users who trust me. There are still many scam-like projects in this industry, and even legitimate projects can go bankrupt. It's really difficult to avoid that and continue to inform all of your followers.
Sanamaru: Even for solid companies and projects, service termination is inevitable. When that happens, I think there will be people who end up losing money. Even if I'm told harsh words at that time, I still feel a sense of responsibility as the person who disseminated the information and have to accept them.
By the way, I was wondering, are you often paid for your work in tokens?
Noroichan: It depends on the case, but yes. Sometimes you are paid in project tokens.
Sanamaru: Of course, there are Japanese yen and US dollars. But when I receive cryptocurrency, I feel a sense of gratitude and reality of being active in the Web 3.0 field. Because I support crypto assets, I also want to see them circulate on a daily basis.
Noroichan: However, if I receive compensation in the form of a project's tokens, my very existence would put me under pressure to sell, so I have mixed feelings about that. I'm sure it's also because, as a project, it's possible to keep marketing costs down with tokens that we've created ourselves compared to traditional methods.
Currently, Noroi-chan is working individually, while Sanamaru is also working as part of an organization called "CloneGirls". What are the advantages and differences between each?
Sanamaru: I think it's good that an organization allows you to divide up roles. Everyone has their own area of expertise, and there are also aspects that allow you to work efficiently. Personally, I feel comfortable working as a member of the metaverse project CloneGirls.
Noroichan: Working individually is lonely, but it's still easy. Decisions are made smoothly, and work progresses well. It would probably be better to outsource video production, but I do it myself because it's faster.
Sanamaru: Sometimes I shoot videos early and release them on the same day. When a game is released on the day, I want to be the first in the world to release a video. To aim for the best in the world, I have to start editing within a few minutes of the release, so it's very motivating. By the way, Noroi recently started a corporation, I think. How is the current situation?
Noroichan: Of course, individuals are faster at making decisions, but I think it's a good thing about an organization that a team can come up with things that I haven't thought of. I feel like my options for thinking have expanded.
Sanamaru: This might be a bit boastful, but I think the teamwork in CloneGirls is very good, and I think the fact that everyone is considerate of each other is what makes it attractive even from the outside. We are working to spread Web 3.0 and crypto around the world, and I think the team has lasted so long because all of our members share that same passion.
I'll ask you straight out: what do clients who hire you for work want, and where do you think the demand is that they hire you?
Sanamaru: I have a feeling that people appreciate the uniqueness of being able to explain this industry, which can be a little difficult, in an entertaining way. On top of that, I think people want the ability to break down difficult things and communicate them.
Noroichan: I feel the same way. In this industry where money is always an issue, I think there is a need to convey the "fun of gaming" aspect, not the financial aspect, and that "there is something fun like this too!".
In that sense, I think Sanamaru-chan and CloneGirls are a presence that adds a touch of glamour to an industry that has a difficult and stiff image. I think they are like symbols that can convey to more people that "cryptocurrency has this side too!"
Sanamaru: Thank you. That's why I think Noroichan has a strong image of gaming, but there are really very few female gamers who show their faces and stream, regardless of the Web 3.0 field. Even in the Web 3.0 field, I think many people immediately think of Noroichan when they hear about influencers who specialize in games.
Finally, as two people who are active at the forefront of the industry, what are your thoughts or comments on the current Web 3.0 field?
Noroichan: This is close to raising the issue, but I think there are very few influencers and information providers in this field, and they haven't changed for several years. I'm concerned about this situation, and if the providers and influencers are the same, then their followers are also the same. There are only the same players in this industry. In other words, I think the money currently circulating in the industry is just being fought over by the same players for the past few years.
When I thought about doing something about this, I thought we should increase the number of influencers, providers, creators, etc., and currently, my company is a Web 3.0 game marketing company that plans events and PR measures, while also working to develop Web 3.0 influencers and creators. I would like to involve more people in Web 3.0 through these efforts.
Sanamaru: There is some overlap with Noroi-chan, but I feel that while the number of Web 3.0-related companies is increasing, the number of people who are the key to communicating and the users who receive it is not increasing at all, which is an issue. Even if users are interested, there is little to refer to, so it's hard to move on to the next step in the Web 3.0 industry.
Noroichan: It feels like the industry as a whole is not effectively conveying the ideas and benefits of Web 3.0.
Sanamaru: I feel like there is an atmosphere that repels people who are interested. That's why I would like to become a conduit for people to learn about Web 3.0, and I think we need to get more people who are interested involved.
Noroichan: Personally, I would like to see more people like Sanamaruchan. I think this industry will move in a better direction if there are more people who can act as a bridge between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0.
*AMA is an abbreviation for "Ask Me Anything." It is a question and answer session held on social media.
Noroichan
A leading Japanese Web3 game influencer who mainly broadcasts on YouTube and X. She entered the industry after hearing the news that the Web3 game "Axie Infinity" brought a lot of jobs to the Philippines. In 2024, she also founded GAMIES Inc., a marketing company that mass-adopts Web3 games. She aims to lead more people into the world of Web3 games and is contributing to the development of the industry.
Sanamaru
She was an idol during her high school and college years. She was also selected as a finalist in the Miss Chuo University contest. After graduating from college, she joined UUUM Co., Ltd. as a new graduate and performed on and managed two corporate channels. After graduating from UUUM, she worked as a freelance influencer, with a total of over 200,000 followers on social media.
She is currently a member of the metaverse project CloneGirls, which aims to spread Japanese pop culture to the world through music and web3. She has been invited as a guest performer to many events, including overseas conferences, and is attracting attention from around the world.
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