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BLUE LOCK CEMENTS ITSELF AS AN INTERNATIONAL HIT AS EPISODE NAGI EARNS $23.3 MILLION AT THE GLOBAL BOX OFFICE!

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FANS OF THIS HIT ANIME HAVE PLENTY TO LOOK FORWARD TO AS THE SERIES GROWS 

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc. along with Kodansha Ltd. have announced that BLUE LOCK THE MOVIE -EPISODE NAGI – earned more than $23.3 million (3.6 billion yen) at the global box office. Released in over 87 countries and regions, revenue generated outside of Japan drove the film to pass this milestone, with its international box office revenue surpassing the revenue generated domestically in Japan as of October. With season two of BLUE LOCK currently airing, Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc. and Kodansha Ltd. plan to continue their robust international promotional efforts for the soccer franchise.

International Merchandising and Promotional Efforts

A wide variety of merchandise and gaming experiences allow fans of the BLUE LOCK anime and manga to engage with this hit franchise as much as they’d like, especially with translations in over 20 languages published in more than 20 countries worldwide. Bandai Namco Filmworks is responsible for licensing in Asia, and Kodansha is responsible for licensing in Europe, the U.S., and other regions; and is actively developing localized products. The scale of licensing (number of merchandising applications) has grown significantly (approx. four times) in Asia alone, and sales (production committee income) approximately twelve times, which rivals the merchandising income generated in Japan. In Asia, pop-up stores offering BLUE LOCK goods and collectibles have been particularly well received.

US-centric promotional efforts have been both varied and widely successful. More than 2000 fans attended each of BLUE LOCK’s panels at 2024’s Anime Expo, filling those panel rooms to capacity. This rare opportunity to hear cast members, producers, and the manga’s editor speak on the franchise received a terrific response from those attending. Additionally, BLUE LOCK VS U-20 Japan was promoted at various LAFC (Los Angeles Football Club) matches throughout their season, marking the club’s first promotion of a Japanese anime.

Looking to the Future

BLUE LOCK’s success comes not only from the growing global soccer fandom, but also from its unique themes and distinctive characters. Closer to a “death game” in structure than a sports series, BLUE LOCK features enticing action sequences while also tackling difficult subjects like the nature of individuality and how human connection can rise from competition.

International BLUE LOCK fans can expect continued simultaneous releases of BLUE LOCK media and additional activations as Bandai Namco Filmworks and Kodansha remain committed to bringing incredible stories like this one to global audiences.

About BLUE LOCK:
BLUE LOCK is a TV animation series based on the popular manga of the same name, which is published in Kodansha’s “Weekly Shonen Magazine”. The BLUE LOCK manga has sold more than 40 million copies around the world (as of August 2024) and won the 45th Kodansha Manga Award in the Juvenile Division. The first film version, “BLUE LOCK THE MOVIE -EPISODE NAGI-,” premiered in April 2024. In addition, the second season of the TV series began broadcasting on October 5, 2024

About Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc.
We at Bandai Namco Filmworks develop and produce film video titles. We not only distribute them through various media such as television, movie theaters and Internet streaming but also bring them to fans throughout the world by licensing and managing their copyrights, developing and marketing film video-related merchandise and other services. As a comprehensive entertainment enterprise handling the A to Z of film & video business, we continue to create “Awesome works” and make them readily available to everyone.

Official Website: https://www.bnfw.co.jp/en/

About KODANSHA
Based in Tokyo, KODANSHA Ltd. is Japan’s leading publishing house, having delivered stories into ready hands across the globe with a wide variety of content from comic books to novels, fashion magazines, news journals and picture books for children, as well as video games and anime series and movies. KODANSHA Ltd. was founded in 1909 to “Inspire Impossible Stories,” and is globally recognized as the licensor of some of the world’s most loved comic book IPs, including “AKIRA,” “Attack on Titan” and “The Ghost in the Shell.”

For more information, visit: www.kodansha.com/

For more information, visit:
Official website: https://bluelock-anime-en.com/
Official X (Twitter): @BLUELOCK_PR (https://twitter.com/BLUELOCK_PR)
Official English Account
– Instagram:@blue_lock_enhttps://www.instagram.com/blue_lock_en/
– X:@Blue_Lock_Enhttps://x.com/Blue_Lock_En
– TikTok:@blue_lock_enhttps://www.tiktok.com/@blue_lock_en)

Additional image assets are available to download: HERE

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SOURCE Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc.

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Host of the Italian Wine Podcast Receives Vinitaly Lifetime Achievement Award

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Professor Attilio Scienza, host of the Italian Wine Podcast show “Everybody Needs a Bit of Scienza”, has been awarded Vinitaly’s highly prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at a formal inauguration ceremony in Verona on Sunday 12 April 2026. Launched in 2025, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes figures who have made a fundamental contribution to the Italian wine sector.

VERONA, Italy, April 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Professor Attilio Scienza is a prominent academic, geneticist, and one of the world’s leading experts in viticulture and oenology. A full professor at the University of Milan (now retired), he has led important research on the physiology, genetics, and agricultural techniques of the grapevine, and has authored over 350 scientific publications. Alongside Stevie Kim, he has hosted the popular “Everybody Needs a Bit of Scienza” podcast show in which he responds to questions from the international wine community, since 2017. He is also the Chief Scientist of the Vinitaly International Academy which trains and certifies a global network of Italian Wine Ambassadors.

Professor Scienza remains extremely active in the wine community and is a highly sought after speaker and oenological consultant. At this year’s Vinitaly, he delivered advanced seminars on the subjects of Italy’s autochthonous vines, Sangiovese and the concept of vocation, and the complex inter-relationship between woodlands and vineyards. He also found time to launch his latest book, An Italian Wine Pilgrimage, another successful collaboration with Italian wine evangelist Stevie Kim.

Translation of Professor Attilio Scienza’s acceptance speech (delivered in Italian): “Vinitaly should have the courage to become not just an annual showcase, but also a think tank. It should produce a manifesto. A manifesto that clearly states the current critical issues, the sector’s priorities, and proposals to address them. A cultural and political platform, a meeting point for producers, consumers, institutions, research, and regions. European wine can defend itself if it can reposition itself within a broader narrative, capable of speaking not only to producers but to society, one that rethinks wine as one of the most significant forms of Mediterranean and European culture, one that has allowed it to become an extraordinary “tool” for socialization. The annual meeting at Vinitaly should include French, Spanish, and Greek partner institutions. Perhaps it’s just a dream, but one day I hope it will even be possible for Italy and France to come together with the common purpose of promoting their wine together.”

Stevie Kim, Professor Scienza’s co-host on the Italian Wine Podcast, said “I am absolutely delighted that Vinitaly has recognized the truly remarkable contribution of my friend and mentor, Professor Attilio Scienza. Not only is he the world’s leading academic expert on Italian wine, with a depth and breadth of knowledge that is mind blowing, he is also unfailingly generous with his time and expertise, sharing his passion and knowledge of Italian wine and his gift for storytelling with the Italian Wine Podcast’s international audience of listeners and the global community of students of the Vinitaly International Academy. We are truly blessed to have him.”

The motivation accompanying Professor Scienza’s Lifetime Achievement Award reads: “A central figure in the history of Italian wine, an internationally renowned academic, vine geneticist, agronomist, and narrator of the anthropology of wine, Attilio Scienza has opened new horizons in the study and understanding of wine as an expression of culture and in education, thereby defining key concepts such as terroir, identity, and tradition. As Chief Scientist of the Vinitaly International Academy since 2018, he continues to inspire producers, students and enthusiasts by translating scientific knowledge into narratives that ennoble Italian winegrowing and strengthen the positioning of Italian wine in the global scientific and cultural panorama, thereby opening new perspectives on the link between science, culture and wine storytelling”.

About the Italian Wine Podcast: Cin Cin with Italian Wine People! launched in 2017 as a project dedicated exclusively to the Italian wine world. The program uncovers the unique world of Italian wine in conversation with some of its key protagonists. Under the umbrella brand of Mamma Jumbo Shrimp, Italian Wine Podcast aims to inform, educate, and entertain listeners with content for wine professionals and casual listeners alike. The only daily wine podcast in the world, content includes wine business, food & travel, diversity and inclusion, wine producers, science, and marketing and communication. Italian Wine Podcast is available on SoundCloud, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, XimalayaFM (for China), and on the official website. It now boasts over 2,600 recorded episodes with a growing online following of over 8 million listens. Donations to the show are welcomed and help fund a portion of the show’s equipment, production, and publication costs. To advertise on the show, please request a prospectus and/or customized advertising plan from info@italianwinepodcast.com. Cin Cin!

www.italianwinepodcast.com
Listen on SoundCloud, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and XimalayaFM
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn

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SOURCE Italian Wine Podcast

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Akemona to Power Upcoming Tokenized Offering for Industrialized Innovation Impact Portfolio I

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The initiative is designed to support the tokenization and commercialization of 100 companies formed around acquired innovation-related intellectual property.

FULLERTON, Calif., April 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Akemona, Inc., a provider of tokenization and digital asset issuance infrastructure, announced today that a tokenized offering for Industrialized Innovation Impact Portfolio I LLC is now available through the Akemona platform.

The initiative is centered on 100 companies formed through the acquisition of innovation-related intellectual property and associated commercialization rights. Tokenization is intended to support the commercialization of these companies through a structured digital asset framework.

According to information provided to Akemona, Industrialized Innovation Impact Portfolio I is designed to offer diversified exposure to 100 early-stage companies created through FyrstGen’s Company Building as a Service (CBaaS®) model. The portfolio is structured through a special purpose vehicle and is intended to hold 50% equity positions in 100 FyrstGen companies spanning sectors such as green energy, sustainable agriculture, public health, and other innovation-driven markets.

Industrialized Innovations has stated that the portfolio is part of a broader effort to transform underutilized intellectual property into commercially oriented operating companies. The underlying companies are built and run by FyrstGen itself through its proprietary CBaaS® platform. Acting as the centralized entrepreneur, CBaaS® executes company formation, strategic planning, commercialization, scaling, and exit preparation end-to-end — eliminating founder dependency by design.

“Through our partnership with Akemona, for the first time ever, we can standardize the refinancing of innovation — a major milestone in the global rollout of our new ecosystem,” said Philipp Assmus, Chief Executive Officer of Industrialized Innovations and Fyrst Limited. Clémence Kopeikin, Chief Operating Officer at FyrstGen, added, “For too long, entire regions, communities, and brilliant minds have been excluded from value creation. We’re opening the door for those who have historically been left out of the process, all while bringing innovation to market, addressing some of the world’s biggest challenges.”

The initiative comes at a time when tokenization is receiving increased attention in the United States as policymakers and regulators work toward greater clarity for digital assets and tokenized securities. Recent developments, including the House passage of the CLARITY Act in 2025 and SEC staff guidance on tokenized securities in January 2026, have added momentum to the broader market discussion, even as the legislative process continues.

For Akemona, the project reflects how tokenization can be applied not only to individual assets but also to larger multi-company structures. Akemona’s technology is designed to support digital asset issuance, blockchain-based ownership records, investor access workflows, and smart contract-enabled transaction infrastructure.

“Tokenization is moving beyond isolated use cases and becoming a serious infrastructure layer for modern capital formation,” said Alex de Lorraine, Chief Executive Officer of Akemona. “This initiative stands out because of its scale and architecture. Bringing 100 companies into a single tokenized framework demonstrates how blockchain technology can support more structured, transparent, and efficient approaches to private market participation.”

The offering materials provided to Akemona state that the portfolio companies are derived from intellectual property sourced from universities and independent research, with an emphasis on commercial potential and real-world impact. The stated use of proceeds includes supporting commercialization infrastructure, initial product orders, and portfolio scaling activities intended to position the companies for future acquisition pathways.

Akemona provides blockchain-based infrastructure for digital asset issuance and management, helping businesses and financial institutions modernize capital formation through tokenized securities and other blockchain-native financial instruments. The company’s platform supports digital issuance workflows, investor onboarding, smart contract deployment, and ownership administration for tokenized assets.

Additional information about the offering is available through the Akemona platform at https://investors.akemona.com/offerings/impact.

Media Contact
Email: info@akemona.com

Disclaimer
This press release is provided for informational purposes only and is intended solely to notify the public about an upcoming offering expected to become available through the Akemona platform.

Akemona, Inc. is distributing this communication solely in its capacity as a technology platform provider. Akemona does not recommend or endorse any issuer, investment opportunity, or offering, and does not provide investment, legal, tax, accounting, or other professional advice. Nothing in this press release should be construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold any security.

Any offering referenced in this communication is the responsibility of the applicable issuer and is expected to be conducted pursuant to Rule 506(c) of Regulation D, or another available exemption from registration. The securities referenced herein have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities regulator, and may be offered and sold only to investors who are verified as accredited investors under applicable law. Such securities will be subject to restrictions on transfer and resale.

No federal or state securities regulator, including the SEC, has approved, passed upon, or endorsed the merits of any offering, or determined whether this communication is accurate or complete. Any investment decision should be made only after careful review of the applicable offering materials and in consultation with the investor’s own legal, tax, financial, accounting, and other professional advisers.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/akemona-to-power-upcoming-tokenized-offering-for-industrialized-innovation-impact-portfolio-i-302746370.html

SOURCE Akemona, Inc.

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AIxCrypto’s Designated Investor and Faraday Future Complete Amendment to $12 Million Investment Agreement,Exploring RWA-Related Applications and Integration of Real-World Assets with Blockchain Infrastructure

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Key Points:

An amendment to the securities purchase agreement dated January 30, 2026 (the “SPA”) removed the true-up share mechanism and replaced it with a milestone-linked warrant capped at one million shares at $1.50 per shareThe Amended and Restated SPA increases the total investment amount to $12 millionThe warrant has a term expiring in April 2030 and is exercisable only upon delivery of 500 FX Super One vehiclesThe AIXC ecosystem is exploring the potential for a portion of the acquired FFAI shares to serve as underlying assets for future equity tokenization initiatives facilitated by ecosystem participants, subject to applicable regulatory and third-party approvals

LOS ANGELES, April 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AIxCrypto Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AIXC) (“AIxC” or the “Company”), a Nasdaq-listed technology company building a three-layer architecture spanning the infrastructure, protocol, and application layers, today provided an update regarding the amended and restated securities purchase agreement entered into by Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (NASDAQ: FFAI) (“FFAI”) and Gold King Arthur Holding Limited (“GKA”), a designated third-party investor identified by AIxC, in connection with the investment transaction previously announced by the parties. The amendment increases the total investment amount from $10 million to $12 million and includes updates to the transaction structure, pricing mechanism, and other terms.

Under the amended structure, the investment consists of a combination of common stock and preferred equity, with $500,000 used to purchase FF Class A common stock and $11.5 million used to purchase newly created Series C preferred stock. In addition, the original True-Up provision has been removed and replaced with a warrant to purchase up to 1,000,000 shares of FF common stock at an exercise price of $1.50 per share, expiring in April 2030. The warrant will become exercisable after FF delivers its 500th FX Super One vehicle.

The amendment also adjusts the pricing mechanism. The purchase price of the common stock and the conversion price of the preferred stock are based on the average closing price over the 10 trading days prior to signing. Based on a reference price of $0.25956 per share as of April 14, 2026, the $500,000 common stock investment corresponds to approximately 1,926,337 shares of Class A common stock.

The transaction was facilitated through a designated third-party investment entity and represents one of the Company’s approaches to exploring the integration of Real World Assets (RWA) with blockchain infrastructure. The Company is exploring the potential use of the associated equity as underlying assets for future tokenization-related applications, aiming to expand the role of digital assets in real-world economic scenarios.

The Company stated that it will continue to advance its RWA-related framework and strengthen its capabilities in connecting traditional capital markets with Web3 infrastructure.

Management Commentary

Kevin Richardson, Co-CEO of AIxC, stated: “The amendment to the securities purchase agreement reflects our continued confidence in Faraday Future’s execution roadmap. The milestone-linked warrant ensures this investment retains meaningful upside tied to FF’s vehicle delivery progress, while securing a more flexible framework to support our blockchain ecosystem.”

About AIxCrypto:

AIxCrypto Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: AIXC) is a Nasdaq-listed technology company building a three-layer architecture spanning the infrastructure, protocol, and application layers. Through the convergence of AI Agents and Embodied AI (EAI) devices, AIXC enables heterogeneous intelligent entities—robots, smart vehicles, drones, and other edge devices—to autonomously discover, collaborate, and transact with one another without centralized intermediaries, driving the advancement of the Silicon Economy.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:  
This press release contains “forward-looking statements”, including statements regarding AIxCrypto Holdings, Inc. (“AIxCrypto”) within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All of the statements in this press release, including financial projections, whether written or oral, that refer to expected or anticipated future actions and results of AIxCrypto are forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our current projections and expectations about future events as of the date of this presentation. AIxCrypto cannot give any assurance that such forward-looking statements and financial projections will prove to be correct.   

The information provided in this press release does not identify or include any risk or exposures of AIxCrypto that would materially and adversely affect the performance or risk of the company. By their nature, forward-looking statements and financial projections involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking information will not occur, which may cause the Company’s actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and financial projections. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, but are not limited to: business, economic and capital market conditions; the heavily regulated industry in which AIxCrypto carries on business; current or future laws or regulations and new interpretations of existing laws or regulations; the inherent volatility and regulatory uncertainty associated with cryptocurrency investments; legal and regulatory requirements; market conditions and the demand and pricing for our products; our relationships with our customers and business partners; our ability to successfully define, design and release new products in a timely manner that meet our customers’ needs; our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel; competition in our industry; failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations; systems, networks, telecommunications or service disruptions or failures or cyber-attack; ability to obtain additional financing on reasonable terms or at all; litigation costs and outcomes; our ability to successfully maintain and enforce our intellectual property rights and defend third party claims of infringement of their intellectual property rights; and our ability to manage our growth. Readers are cautioned that this list of factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

All information contained in this press release is provided as of the date of the press release issuance and is subject to change without notice. Neither AIxCrypto, nor any other person undertakes any obligation to update or revise publicly any of the forward-looking statements and financial projections set out herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. This is presented as a source of information and not an investment recommendation. This press release does not take into account, nor does it provide any tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the specific investment objectives or financial situation of any person. AIxCrypto reserves the right to amend or replace the information contained herein, in part or entirely, at any time, and undertakes no obligation to provide the recipient with access to the amended information or to notify the recipient thereof.

Readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there is no guarantee that the plans, intentions, or expectations they are based on will be realized. While management believes these statements are reasonable at the time of preparation, actual results may differ materially. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s expectations as of the date of this presentation and are subject to change without notice. The Company is not obligated to update or revise these statements, unless required by law.   

Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as “may,” “could,” “would,” “might,” or “will,” indicating possible future actions, events, or outcomes. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from what is expected.    

Actual results may differ materially due to factors such as the ability to secure financing, complete transactions, meet exchange requirements, consumer demand, competition, and unexpected costs. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that may prove incorrect, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update them except as required by law. Given the uncertainties involved, readers should not place undue reliance on these statements.   

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements beyond the date of this news release, except as required by law. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.   

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SOURCE AIxCrypto

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