RENGA, Hello Kitty World, Grails and more
Traversing the world of non-fungible substances is a daunting task. With so many new NFT projects, artists and large collections popping up weekly, it has become almost impossible to keep up with each successive development.
In the past, a simple review of OpenSea was enough to find the latest NFT craze. But things have changed drastically since the NFT boom of 2021. Now, NFT enthusiasts have to be very careful about what and where they collect.
To help uncover awe-inspiring NFT work both new and old, nft now presents Undervalued: a weekly column highlighting innovative projects, collections and artists pushing the NFT space forward.
RENGA, launched 2 September 2022is a large-scale PFP project created by independent illustrator and cartoonist Dirty robot. Capped at 10,000 NFTs, the collection is steadily growing as holders of RENGA Black Box NFTs burn their tokens in exchange for a RENGA PFP, crafted in the unique style of Dirty Robot.
Although the burn/claim mechanics of RENGA is something we have definitely seen before in the NFT space, RENGA itself presents a unique new form of community building through storytelling. Each time a Black Box is burned, a generative avatar is revealed, billed as a building block of the “eternal storyteller and creator through all relevant mediums, and those yet to be defined,” which is RENGA.
Hello Kitty and Friends World, launched on 25 August 2022, is the first major NFT collection from the iconic Japanese brand Hello Kitty. Created in partnership with RECUR, a technology company that designs and develops dedicated brand experiences on the blockchain, Hello Kitty and Friends World is both a collectible campaign and an interactive Web3 experience.
Collectors of Hello Kitty and Friends World NFTs have a lot to love: First, they get the chance to own a piece of Hello Kitty history. But they also get to take part in challenges and get rewards. With the Hello Kitty World Marketplace, users can send their NFT characters on adventures to collect stamps from different virtual cities that can be exchanged for limited-edition prizes. Interested? Learn more from the Hello Kitty and Friends World website.
Grailer, launched on 25 February 2022, is a collection of 45 editions of artwork from 45 different artists divided into two separate seasons, each curated by and for the PROOF Collective. Initially, the identities of the artists featured in the collection were concealed, only to be revealed after the minting window had closed.
While Grails NFTs were originally collectibles only by those who owned a PROOF Collective membership pass, holders could immediately trade their Grails on the secondary market, of course, at the risk of accidentally trading away a rare piece from a sought-after crypto artist. The collection, consisting of 2,214 NFTs (1,036 from season one and 1,178 from season two), was quickly overshadowed by MoonBirds, but has remained a robust part of the PROOF ecosystem.
Lil Pudgys, launched on 19 December 2021, is the companion NFT series to the coveted Pudgy Penguins collection. With 22,222 possible NFTs, Lil Pudgys initially ushered in an expansion to the Pudgy Penguins universe while creating an economical way for NFT enthusiasts to join the Pudgy community.
Although Lil Pudgy’s trading saw a bit of a dry spell when the Pudgy Penguins project was reformed in 2022, the companion series has started to see a bit of an uptick in price alongside its predecessors. There’s still a lot left to the imagination regarding the companion collection, but as things progress with the Penguin universe, Lil Pudgys will likely remain an underrated way to join the community.
Abracadabra, commonly known as ABC, is a large-scale Solana PFP collection designed to remind NFT collectors of how fun childhood is. With 10,000 NFTs, the collection was launched on 22 August 2022of the infamous NFT collector/investor 9x9x9 via his SOL moniker HGE.
Over the years, the meaning of NFTs has changed and evolved. Although it is often perceived to be about money and art, the NFT space has much more to offer than profit and prosperity. With ABC, 9x9x9 seems to provide a callback to the very basics of collectibles and how they are primarily about fun. The images that make up the ABC collection are reminiscent of the scribbles of school-aged children, and they give ABC a unique and carefree aesthetic.
