She hails from Fukuoka and has been drawing manga since she was 6 years old, starting with tales surrounding Unchi-kun…literally “little poop man”. After completing her tertiary education at one of Japan’s most prestigious art schools, and working in graphic and web design for several years, MAYA started professionally creating manga and is currently attached to major publisher Kadokawa where she releases several serialized manga volumes, some of which are also published overseas. When she’s not drawing, or contemplating new stories, she’s nerding out reading manga….so yea, a huge Manga Otaku.

DRAGON, our co-founder, is a Parson’s Design School graduate with over a decade of experience at one of Japan’s largest Advertising firms, and a range of tastes that include beer, cooking…and more beer. He has been running his own craft beer bar out of the heart of Tokyo for the past 4 years, and has been degen-ing in the web3 world since 2018.

Masa is our coder extraordinaire. A software engineer and developer by trade, he studied computer system engineering and machine learning at the Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology. His interests extend to all things tech and how they intersect with alternative ways of living. Masa is also a keen mountaineering enthusiast, having gone on several expeditions overseas, including one to the Indian Himalayas where he climbed Chamser Kangri (6622m).

Born in Gifu Prefecture, quite a distance from Tokyo, Shishimomo grew up surrounded by mountains, rivers, and lush greenery. At 19, he gave up the inaka life for the lights and concrete of the big city, enrolling at Musashino Art University (MAYA’s alma mater) to study graphic design. He now works at a major advertising agency where he is in charge of web design, UIUX design, and branding strategy. Shishimomo loves dogs (especially Pekinese), and his dream would be running a dog park while continuing his art and design activities.

Pita has called Tokyo home since 2015, and brings years of experience in project management, research, and bridging the gap between East and West. First discovering crypto in 2017, he’s dipped his hands in all facets of web3 (including losing it all in degen pool 2s), and began focusing on NFTs in 2021. After realizing their mutual connections to crypto, NFTs, and the Japanese manga / art industry, Dragon and Pita hatched a plan to bring together creators and fans both in Japan and across the world.

ZousZous is Tokyo born and bred, and has had a foot in the city’s diverse art communities and niche culture scenes for years. She is a Writer and Editor, and a keen observer of world culture with a focus that bleeds into all her work. Aiming to investigate the true essence of cultural themes that transcend both genre and national borders, ZousZous observes, records, and comments on phenomena and trends across entertainment, gourmet, beauty, fashion and art. She is NOREN’s backstage pass to the hidden sides of Tokyo, and brings along a host of connections that make NOREN viable here in Japan.Oh and for anyone wondering, her favorite book is “The Complete Translation of Fabre’s Book of Insects” from her #1 person, Henri Fabre.