A:\About Aiko Virtual
Discover the Aiko story, from the early days to the future beyond.
Refer to the guide below to explore the project by topic:
A:\Origin: The Aiko Story
A:\Team: Meet Aiko’s Creators
A:\Structure: Delivering the Aiko Experience Step by Step
A:\VirtualMap: Building Out the Future of Aiko
A:\Cybercute: Visualizing Aiko’s Unique Aesthetic
A:\Prixie: The Face of Aiko
A:\Aikommunity: Our Community and Culture
A:\Beyond: Finding Out More About Aiko
<Story>
Aiko’s raw concept eventually became more refined after Vinne and Kyo crossed paths. Their friendship as artists and obsession with fashion merged into the universe we know today as Aiko Virtual. As of today, the Aikommunity boasts over 30,000 followers interested in Aiko’s vision. Our goal is to deliver a next generation experience through visuals and utility benefits to our holders.
<Team>
Aiko is built by an S rank team with established backgrounds in creative development, software engineering, and community management.
Vinne > Lead artist and co-founder of Aiko. Vinne is an established digital artist with a unique art style that combines anime with cyberpunk references, fashion, and eye-catching colors. Over the past decade, Vinne started a meteoric career in illustration and quickly made his mark as a creative tour de force, capturing the hearts and minds of over half a million people around the world. Vinne is the creative mastermind behind the Aiko universe and continually pushes the creative envelope with his unique and iconic style.
Kyo > Principal Designer and Co-Founder of Aiko. Kyo started his design career nine years ago, working on a wide variety of project spanning traditional painting to fashion. However, Kyo’s is best know for his “neo-y2k” style, which has landed him multiple accolades and publications including Hypebeast and Lyrical Lemonade. Titled as one of the greatest modern proponents of the design movement, Kyo has worked with titans including Shane Gonzales (Midnight Studios), Faze Banks, and Mowalola. He is the creator of Aiko’s brand identity and will be the main designer behind Aiko’s couture.
Garrid > Aiko’s Project Manager. Decisive yet open minded, Garrid is output-driven and commands Aiko’s internal processes. He is recognized across various communities in the Web3 space, thereby providing Aiko with a vast array of connections and collaborators. Garrid is also a passionate artist focused on the intricacies of anatomy and color. He is the lighthouse guiding Aiko’s ship across the deep waters of Web3.
Chase > Aiko’s lead full stack developer. Chase has experience in the Web3 space across projects including uwucrew, Killer Girlfriend, and companies in the broader crypto space including AAVE and Curve. Chase boasts over 15,000 contributions on GitHub and is primarily responsible for the development of the Aiko website and smart contract.
Crystal > Aiko’s social media manager. Crystal is an independent artist and an accomplished public speaker. You’ve probably seen her work spread across social media through her commissions. Crystal’s style is unique and is defined by isometric drawing techniques. She is Aiko’s voice and is responsible for developing the project’s public relations.
Matarelli > Public Relations at Aiko. Matarelli has previously worked in the traditional marketing and branding space. Matarelli prioritizes equitability and maintaining a healthy Aikommunity. He is responsible for curating culture in the Aikommunity, which includes facilitating Aiko’s events, community creation events, contests, and Medium posts. Matarelli is also the creator and lead manager for Aiko’s Discord server.
Shvrkboy > Aiko’s Community manager. A developer, collector, trader and builder within the NFT space. A natural leader and hard worker who blends a sense of family and organization when developing the community. He is responsible for leading the moderation team and ensuring that community members feel safe and at home.
<System Structuring>
100% of Aiko Virtual’s mint is allocated to loyal supporters in the Aikommunity. We have pioneered a unique mint distribution method in the NFT space, which is detailed below.
Our distribution method involves a 100% allowlist. Therefore, only Aikommunity members with Cyber Orbs will be able to mint an Aiko. read this article to understand what orbs are and how to get them
Amount
Aiko Virtual is a collection of 8,888 randomly generated NFTs. Our generation process is highly sophisticated with multiple probability maps and exclusion criteria. However, the output is simple: a set of high quality NFTs boasting a diverse and fun visual aesthetic. Each Aiko is different and no two Aikos are identical. However, each Aiko is extraordinary.
The collection is divided into 3 races: Humans, Ronins and Droids. The rarity of any given Aiko depends on the unique combination of traits and races. The collection will also include rare 1/1 Aikos with unique traits.
Minting Event
Our launch method rewards Aikommunity members with effective minting discounts and a longer time window for minting. More detail will be revealed several days before mint.
After Mint
After launch, a 120 hour countdown will begin. All 8,888 Aikos will be revealed after the countdown reaches zero.
<VirtualMap>
The VirtualMap is Aiko’s strategic plan that includes longer term goals and utility to our holders. Our deliverables are organized by several distinct seasons:
1 — Temporis
2 — Solutum
3 — Exodus
Each season contains 3 main deliverables.
A:\Temporis
Temporis is Aiko’s first season and includes the set of immediate deliverables we plan to deploy to our community.
Charity
Our holders will vote among three charities for us to donate to every month. Our goal is to help a diverse set of causes and fold in the community to this effort.
AirDrop
We will randomly reward Aiko Virtual holders with a 1/1 Aiko piece minted on Aiko Virtual’s Foundation account. Aside from the 1/1 work, the lucky winner will receive an exclusive piece of merchandise, which will hint at future merch plans for Season 2. But that’s not all, every season new surprise airdrops will be implemented in the collection.
Headquarters
We will create a physical space to organize and focus the Aiko team in order to focus on project deliverables. Our community will be involved in designing and building out the physical space.
A:\Solutum
Solutum is Aiko’s second season and represents the main deliverables of Aiko. Solutum focuses on ready-to-wear garments and community events.
Official Merch
We will launch our first collection of high-quality garments, which include physical versions of Aiko’s accessories and apparel exclusive to holders. These items will be prêt-à-porter and will have a limited distribution. All pieces will be processed by our manufacturer, starting from the fabric and cut, to the design and print of each garment. Each piece will be curated with the highest possible quality, with an emphasis on functional and cultural design.
Supporting Artist
We sincerely believe in the untapped potential of our art community. Artists tend to suffer from financial issues or inability to market themselves despite the amazing quality of their art. We are here to help mediate these issues by integrating these artists into our community, purchasing several of their pieces, and gifting one to a community member to show our support. Additionally, we will onboard rising artists onto the NFT space by providing the necessary resources to start on NFT marketplaces like Opensea or Foundation.
Events
We plan to host physical events to connect with our IRL audience, including parties and governance meetings. Furthermore, we will host art-focused events around the world as a way to connect with international artists and Aikommunity members from Aiko.
A:\Exodus
A:\?????
Exodus will be revealed at the end of the Solutum season.
<Art Style>
Aiko’s unique art style is Cyber Cute, an aesthetic that is the result of Vinne’s hard work and dedication to his craft over many years. Cyber Cute combines future tech with anime vibes to create a unique look with broad appeal and an even broader vision. Vinne is the artistic mastermind behind our visual direction while Kyo is our resident fashion and design ronin.
Aiko’s goal is simple: create a premium concept straddling the line between art and fashion, the digital and physical, and East and West. Aikos represents a never-before-seen concept rich in lore and personalization. Vinne has created over 330 original traits for the Aiko Virtual collection that defines the feeling behind Cyber Cute.
The Draft
Aiko’s image sat in incubation mode for over a year. Back in November 2021, Vinne and Kyo launched the first Aiko genesis collection on Aiko Virtual’s official Foundation account. These Foundation pieces were different from the standardized PFP format, with each Aiko sporting a full body with slimmer lineart (see below for these original Aikos).
Afterwards, Vinne started experimenting with different Aiko versions during team brainstorming sessions, culminating in the fresh style you are familiar with. An Aiko of style, prestige, appearance, and most of all, personality. We are proud to present an original style that is unlike anything seen to date in the generative NFT PFP space.
We aim to deliver an experience with Aiko’s art that goes beyond just visuals. An experience that Aikommunity members can identify with and admire. A PFP that is unique to each individual and can be integrated into the Aiko Virtual brand and Aikommunity.
<Prixie>
Meet Aiko’s heart and soul: Prixie. Prixie was originally conceptualized and created as part of Aiko Virtual’s Foundation collection, but she has now been reinvented for Aiko’s new universe. Who is she? A bubbly blue haired girl who narrates her own story as an extension of Aiko’s lore. Pixie has her own personality, musical taste, style, and even voice. One of our goals is to expand the Prixie universe as we build out Aiko Virtual.
<Aikommunity>
Community is an integral part of all successful projects in the Web3 space. An NFT project’s community defines what it means to be a holder of that NFT. The Aikommunity is a collaborative space that brings people of similar interests and diverse worldviews together into one big family.
The Aikommunity is defined by a clear set of values and interests. We are a collective of like-minded people who are deeply passionate about the intersection between art and fashion. Interestingly, this community has developed over time as a group bound by mutual interest and aesthetic sense. The Aikommunity is composed of designers, artists, creative directors, entrepreneurs, programmers, writers, and a whole host of other creative titles. Aiko is the proverbial tree rooted by an ever-expanding network of creatives and builders. Our tree grows day by day as we integrate feedback from the community, collaborate to create new events, and eventually cultivate a culture that defines Aiko Virtual.
Events
The Aikommunity’s weekly events are designed to build bonds with others, learn more about our community’s strengths, and solicit genuine feedback. Our events range from trivia, games, movie nights, and more in order to increase engagement and bring us closer to each Aikommunity member. As an example, we periodically reward community members that support Aiko Virtual through art submissions in our contests. Art is a core focus at Aiko and we encourage all members to showcase creative expression.
Connections
At its heart, the Aikommunity is simply one big virtual family. We recognize the important of network effects in not only strengthening bonds between current members, but opening up new opportunities for Aiko in the future. Connections built at Aiko are based on the fundamental understanding that human relationships are the ultimate non-fungible experience. Whether it’s internal or external to the Web3 space, we encourage Aikommunity members to create lifelong connections and friendships. Our primary language is English, yet we are inclusive to all geographies and languages. We are currently branching out to foreign communities such that Aiko Virtual can be appreciated by all.
<Link-in>
Follow our next steps! Stay tuned for additional guides so you can stay updated on all information related to Aiko Virtual.
Thanks for reading and as always, stay virtual ! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)☆
