Four years ago, artist Emily Yang aka pplpleasr began a creative journey that would help break new ground at the intersection of art, technology, and community. In this episode, we sit down with Emily — founder of Shibuya — to talk about her evolution from illustrator to Emmy-winning storyteller. Emily shares how Shibuya is pioneering “permissionless creativity,” using crypto rails to fund, build, and co-create original IP with global communities. Her breakout project, White Rabbit, became the first crypto-native project to win an Emmy (Outstanding Innovation in Emerging Media), proving that grassroots storytelling can reach mainstream acclaim. We dive into: How White Rabbit crowdfunded alternate story endings What it means to turn audiences from passive viewers into active participants Why efficient capital formation is a game-changer for creatives Building outside traditional studio systems The creative tension between community input and artistic vision Plus, Emily's biggest inspirations (Ghost in the Shell, Miyazaki, David Lynch, and more). 00:00 Behind the Fortune Magazine Cover 01:46 Founding Shibuya, and “Permissionless Creativity” 02:13 Winning an Emmy for White Rabbit., the First Crypto Project to Win an Emmy 03:14 What Is White Rabbit? (Interactive + NFT Model Explained) 05:53 From Passive Viewing to Interactive Storytelling 07:19 Opportunities for Creatives 08:27 Creative Inspirations (Miyazaki, Black Mirror) 09:25 Going With Your Gut, And the Advice Should Founders Ignore Follow a16z crypto for more... X: https://x.com/a16zcrypto LinkedIn: / posts YouTube: / @a16zcrypto 📩 Subscribe for more industry reports, trend updates, news analysis, builder guides, and other resources: https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/subsc... *** As always, none of the following should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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