Since the wake of the nonfungible token (NFT) boom, creators have been leaving their Web2 entities in droves and are carving their own lanes in the Web3 world.

It’s not just technologists and artsy-creators who are pivoting toward Web3. For example, former American professional baseball player Micah Johnson pivoted to painting and focused his pieces on representation. In debuting his first digital piece, sä-v(ə-)rən-tē (pronounced “sovereignty') Johnson was not only fueled by adversity but inspired by a question that would change the trajectory of his work.

“Can astronauts be black?” Johnson's four-year-old nephew asked his mother.

Alas, the main character of “Akuverse'' was created in February 2021. Aku is a physical depiction of the confidence and boldness of a little black, astronaut navigating his way through his dreams. The characterization of Aku challenges the notion that dreams are exclusive to certain social identities.

15,000 avatars of a black kid astronaut are going to take over Twitter profile pictures Friday. That’s important.

The story of Aku is told via NFTs or chapters that depict the journey of Aku’s dreams. Micah Johnson recently air-dropped 9,241 Akustar mint passes to Aku chapter holders that are now trading at 4.85 Ether (ETH) ($14,331.65). In the last seven days, the Aku Mint Pass amassed over $13.4 million as the Akustars got ready for their largest expedition yet with a proof-of-profile (PFP) launch.

Akutars is the three-dimensional 15,000 PFP collection of Akuverse, which will also live on the Ethereum blockchain. The images are meant to empower and the comments on Twitter prove that the story and imagery of Aku resonated with a range of NFT collectors.

“Base” Akutars. Which one is your favorite?