It was announced on July 15 that Japanese social networking app POPOPO would end services on September 17, only six months after its launch. According to the company, this decision comes following “a comprehensive review of the business environment and optimization prospects.”
POPOPO, dubbed the “last human-made social network in the AI era,” made headlines for its mysterious premise and a notable celebrity backing. Specifically, Hiroyuki Nishimura, founder of the 2channel message board and current owner of 4chan, Neon Genesis Evangelion director Hideaki Anno, Dwango founder Nobuo Kawakami, and musician GACKT among other media personalities were appointed as directors of the company behind POPOPO, and were involved in the app’s creation and promotion.
The service itself is imagined as a free “metaverse” video call app that lets users chat using virtual avatars, without requiring a camera or a virtual headset. Movements of the avatars automatically synchronize with the conversation, and instead of a classic “facetime” format, where you have to directly face the person you’re speaking with, POPOPO places your virtual characters in a dynamic cinematic scene with switching camera shots and perspectives.
POPOPO is intended both for personal use, like conversations between friends and family, and for live broadcasts and streaming. Judging by how the app was initially promoted, it seems like its creators wanted to turn it into a platform that could allow influencers, idols and celebrities to directly interact and talk with their audience.
While the initial response to POPOPO was huge (especially considering the rather “surreal” team of celebrities backing the project), it seems that the hype died out only a few months after its launch.
In a recent X post, Kawakami, who also took on the role of the app’s producer, shared his thoughts on the shutdown of POPOPO. While he had confidence in its premise as a “new style of human communication,” naturally integrating it into the daily lives of modern people was a goal they ultimately couldn’t achieve. “It’s actually amazing how spectacularly we failed.”
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