Japanese entrepreneur Hiroyuki Nishimura, known as the founder of the 2channel message board and current owner of 4chan, announced that he will be participating in launching a brand-new social networking service called POPOPO on March 11.
Dubbed the “last human-made social media in the dawn of the AI era,” the mysterious app will have its first showcase livestream on March 18 on YouTube, presumably unveiling much of the details behind the service. Interestingly, alongside Hiroyuki, the livestream will feature other notable media figures such as Evangelion director Hideaki Anno, Dwango founder Nobuo Kawakami and musician GACKT.
While specifics about the app are still being kept under wraps, what we know so far, according to the promotional trailer, is that POPOPO is going to be “a video calling application that doesn’t require a camera.” Designer Tomoyuki Arima, who was also involved in the project, describes the app as “something between a video call and a phone call,” while also hinting that the service will feature a strong “virtual” element.
The project’s Chief Technology Officer Shinnosuke Iwaki’s comment doubles down on this, calling POPOPO a “brand-new VR service” and a “smartphone metaverse.” What might set it apart from other similar services, as suggested by the app’s Spacial Director Kei Kato (president of ANNA SUI Japan), is that “POPOPO is something that could only be made in Japan.”
As of currently, it is unknown whether the app will have English support. More details to be revealed on March 18 via the POPOPO Official YouTube Channel.
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