The First Naruto Mobile Apps by a Western Studio Are in Official Development | Laptop News

Startup company SEKAI has announced new funding to develop official Naruto mobile consumer apps and events, following its license from TV Tokyo. The latest investment includes major figures including sports stars, venture capitalists and the founder of Crunchyroll.

Via its recent blog release, tech startup SEKAI announced its acquisition of a license from Naruto anime licensor TV Tokyo to develop user experiences on top of the series. These experiences will include mobile apps, digital collectibles and stadium shows. Following the latest funding round, the company has also reached $10.7m in capital investment. While specifics on the app weren’t released, an interview with TechCrunch revealed that one of the earliest inspirations was a ninja version of the popular Pokémon GO.

Related: Naruto Swaps Frog Kata for Turtle Power in Official TMNT Crossover Series

Naruto joins forces with America’s best crime-fighting, pizza-munching turtles in a new series, with first-look artwork and a release date revealed.

SEKAI Marks the First Western Studio to Secure a Similar Naruto License

Following SEKAI’s acquisition of a Naruto license, CEO Samy Therain said, “‍We’re testing a lot of social experiences right now. That’s why I can’t tell you exactly what’s coming out right away, because we’re still in the experimentation phase. But the goal is to make people feel like ninjas, essentially.” Many inside and outside the anime industry are bullish on SEKAI’s aspirations. According to the company, SEKAI marks the first Western studio to secure such a license.

New Naruto App Investors Include Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda and NBA’s Rudy Gobert

These investors include Crunchyroll founder Kun Gao, as well as Alexis Ohanian, the founder of venture…

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