arbitrum

Today, the ETH network successfully activated its much-anticipated Duncan upgrade. Headlines are rightfully celebrating the arrival of Proto-danksharding (EIP-4844), which dramatically reduces data costs for Layer 2 rollups. This isn't just a technical milestone; it's a fundamental shift in the scalability landscape.
For users, this means the L2s you use—#Arbitrum , Optimism, Zk Sync—will soon become even cheaper and faster. But here's the critical next thought: as transaction costs plummet, competition will skyrocket. The battle will no longer be just about fees, but about superior technology, user experience, and developer ecosystems.
This is where innovative architectures like those championed by @Plasma become crucial. While rollups are the dominant narrative, the Plasma framework offers a compelling alternative for specific use cases, emphasizing high throughput and security for applications that need their own dedicated chain. With $XPL at the core of this vision, the project is positioned not to compete directly with mainstream rollups, but to offer a specialized, scalable environment for the next generation of dApps that demand more.
The Duncan upgrade has levered the playing field on cost. Now, the race truly begins for innovation, adoption, and real-world utility. Which scaling solutions will developers and users flock to next? It's time to look beyond the fee war and examine the underlying tech.
#plasma $XPL

The world of Intellectual Property (IP) creation is about to get a major AI and Web3 facelift. On February 10, 2026, the Japanese IP project Xross Road announced the successful closure of its $1.5 million seed funding round.
Backed by industry heavyweights, this startup—a subsidiary of TV Asahi Music—is tackling the "bottleneck" that keeps thousands of great stories from ever reaching the manga or anime stage.
The Investor Lineup 🤝
The round saw high-conviction support from a mix of gaming, Web3, and venture capital firms:
Co-Led By: Arbitrum Gaming Ventures and Decima Fund. Key Participants: Taisu Ventures, BaboonVC, and various angel investors.
HANASEE: Transforming Novels into Manga via AI 🤖🖌️
At the heart of Xross Road is HANASEE, a proprietary "AI-agent-based" manga creation engine that is currently in closed beta.
The Problem: Adapting novels or screenplays into manga is traditionally slow, expensive, and requires rare artistic talent. The Solution: HANASEE uses specialized AI agents—trained by professional manga artists—to handle illustration, panel layout, and scripting. Creator-Centric: It’s designed to empower writers who can’t draw, allowing them to visualize their stories with professional consistency and rhythm.
The Web3 Strategy: IP Distribution & Rights 🌐
Xross Road isn't just about creating content; it’s building the infrastructure for the next generation of IP distribution:
Blockchain Rights Management: A system planned for early 2026 to ensure transparent revenue sharing for creators and fans.Market Testing: IP holders can quickly adapt original stories into manga format to test audience demand before committing to expensive anime or game production. Global Reach: Future updates for HANASEE include support for English, Chinese, and Korean to bring Japanese grassroots creativity to a global stage.
The Bottom Line
With the backing of TV Asahi Group, Xross Road is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between traditional Japanese IP holders and a decentralized global audience.
Is AI the secret to unlocking the next "Demon Slayer" or "One Piece"? 🤨
👇 Drop your thoughts—would you use AI to turn your story into a manga?
#XrossRoad #HANASEE #Arbitrum #JapanTech #BinanceSquare