Kitsune Labs
We're a creator-led, Japanese-inspired media company creating hit comic IP by turning online communities into fan-driven franchises.
"We Build Creator-Led Manga Franchises From Zero"
We handle the production, marketing, and licensing of creator-led Manga IP from day 1.
Through our proprietary development and go-to-market strategies, we turn manga creators and their IP into household names. That means building wildly successful manga franchises with adapted animated series, video games, films, toys, collectibles, merchandise, and more.
How It Works
We partner with exceptional manga creators to develop their brand, online presence, and manga franchise into a first-in-class entertainment IP.
Identify and onboard a standout manga creator with a high-potential manga IP and a willingness to share their journey with the world.
Pair the manga creator with top-tier social media strategists, filmmakers, editors, artists, marketers, and production support to grow their audience while developing their manga at the highest level.
Leverage the strength of the creator's fan community and manga IP to collaborate with industry partners on adaptations, licensing, merchandise, games, animation, and more.
Vesper-1
One-Shot Debuts July 30th 2026
A supernatural orphan raised by a washed-up mentalist becomes a con artist and the last hope of stopping a malicious cult bent on enslaving the world.
Get notified on beta chapter release, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, exclusive content, future jobs, and community story voting. Come build Vesper-1 with us.
"Dare to Be Human"
Every day, we choose authenticity, community, and above all else, humanity.
The Problem
We as a society are losing our humanity.
Algorithms reward rage, fear, and division, new media champions spectacle over connection, and artificial intelligence pushes speed above thoughtfulness. We cannot continue down this path, for losing our humanity may become one of the greatest tragedies to ever befall us.
The Solution
The best way to regain and preserve our humanity is to connect with others through the power of story. Speaking to one another, listening deeply, seeking understanding, and creating real connections.
Manga's style of storytelling excels at telling honest and profound stories about self-actualization and human connection.
Our Why
At 10 years old, Jason struggled to connect with others due to developmental challenges with speech and neurodivergent thinking. In a world where connection is everything, Jason had never felt more disconnected, hopeless, and depressed.
But everything changed when he discovered anime.
For the first time, he found stories that truly spoke to him and helped form real connections with others. Trading Pokémon in the school cafeteria, playing Dragon Ball games at sleepovers, and dueling with Yu-Gi-Oh cards after school. These stories lived beyond screens and books, and they were more than just entertainment. They fueled imagination and taught lessons about perseverance, friendship, and finding your place in the world. From that point on, Jason craved stories that carried that same spirit.
As he developed his own storytelling craft, he met many others who shared a similar passion for eastern storytelling. Evan and Elijah have also experienced the transformative power of great stories, helping them overcome hardships, build meaningful relationships, and find purpose. For us, stories are medicine, and we've found that many others feel the same.
But today, we believe the world is losing something vital. People are becoming more disconnected, cynical, and detached from their humanity. Much of new media is vapid and shallow. Now more than ever, we need stories that inspire imagination, connection, and the pursuit of becoming our best selves.
Through manga, we speak our truth and encourage others to do the same.
Each of our stories is created to make people think, feel, and better understand themselves and others. They are born from our deepest truths, vulnerabilities, and lived experiences. These are not stories that can be fabricated by a machine or a boardroom, but only through deep, fiery human passion.
Our goal is to inspire others to rebel against apathy by unapologetically being themselves. Because only by pursuing our true selves can we find the right people and become who we were meant to be.
In spite of everything, we must dare to be human.
"Creators First"
We are operators and marketers, but at our core, creators.
Jason Estepan
Jason has been a content creator since 2004 and one of YouTube's first partners. He has worked with major creators including SkydoesMinecraft, H3H3Productions, Wolfieraps, and TheLivingTombstone. Through these experiences, he recognized the untapped potential of the creator economy.
Driven by a lifelong passion for anime and manga, and developing relationships with webcomic startups, he set out to harness the creator economy to fix the broken system behind English-language storytelling.
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Elijah Pysyk
Elijah is a storyteller and strategist with over a decade of experience building audiences and creator-led brands. As co-founder of Heyy Comics, he's led the company's creative direction, content strategy, and community growth, developing successful crowdfunded original IPs like Print Is Not Dead and the industry-recognized Wand For Hire.
With a background as Creator-in-Residence at the Brand Safety Institute, Elijah bridges the worlds of creators and corporations, helping brands collaborate safely and authentically with storytellers. His mission is to build a creator-first publishing model that turns comics into scalable franchises.
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Evan Galleguillos
Evan is a multidisciplinary artist whose work is rooted in storytelling. As a concept artist, illustrator, and designer, he is passionate about creating high-quality imagery that connects deeply with audiences. With experience across the game, film, and entertainment industries, Evan continually hones his craft to deliver work with efficiency, quality, and care.
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Foxy
Foxy is a mysterious, masked creator with five years of manga writing experience. He is currently working on his debut manga Vesper-1 alongside Evan, Elijah, Asphodel, and the rest of the team.
Watch on YouTube
Asphodel
Asphodel is a 2D visdev artist working as the penciler, inker, toner, and letterer for Vesper-1. Previously, they have used their skillset as an artist to contribute both illustration and concept work for clients including Riot Games, Critical Role, Webtoon, and more. When they aren't working, they're likely discussing visual media analysis with their friends or annoying them about Warhammer (or more realistically, working).
Investors & Advisors
Trusted partners helping us build what comes next.
Scott Elias
LivingWorks Venture Catalysts and its creative execution arm Relationcy are the culmination of a life's work — shifting from business, with its relentless pursuit of transactions, to commerce rooted in genuine human relationships, communication, and community.
At 28, Scott co-founded Elias Arts where over 25 years as CEO, he shaped the identity of 40% of the world's best-known brands — Disney, Nike, Coke, Pepsi, MTV, Yahoo — while mentoring the founders of many prominent newcomers.
That same conviction that people are a company's greatest catalyst brought him to Audigent as Chief People Officer, where he mentored the C-suite, team leads, and entire staff to realize their full potential, helping grow the company from zero to $200M in 7 years before its $500M sale to Experian in 2024.
A lifetime at the intersection of branding, identity, operations, and human growth gave him a singular perspective — and a clear purpose: investing in and mentoring extraordinary, bold, and devoted founders growing businesses the world genuinely needs.
Christopher Sorge
Christopher has spent over fifteen years helping technology companies grow — leading sales, building partnerships, and opening new markets. He's worked across startups and enterprise alike, and currently serves as Chief Revenue Officer at LivingWorks Ventures.
He invests in Kitsune Labs because he believes the best stories come from people who genuinely have something to say.
Vadan Less
Vadan has spent over two decades bringing ideas to life across film, content, live events, and brand storytelling. He founded Integrated Alchemy, a creative agency acquired by Whole Foods Market, where he led award-winning digital storytelling that earned a James Beard Award. He's worked with Oracle, Nokia, Scotts, and SXSW.
At Kitsune, Vadan brings that same mix of creative instinct, production depth, and business perspective to help build a next-generation manga and anime company. His focus is on shaping the brand story, growing an engaged audience, and developing content that invites the community into the creative process.
An entrepreneur at heart, Vadan is passionate about helping emerging brands become meaningful businesses. Across every role, he has been driven by a simple belief: great content should create real value, build connection, and move people.
Nan Wang
Nan is a creative marketing leader with over a decade of experience shaping strategy and execution for campaigns of all sizes across entertainment, technology, and eCommerce. She has built brands, launched integrated campaigns, and produced premium live and digital experiences that deliver measurable results.
Throughout her career, she has collaborated with creators, talent, vendors, and partners to bring bold ideas to life. She has also developed scalable workflows and budget systems while managing multi-million-dollar marketing spends. Nan thrives at the intersection of creative vision and operational discipline, consistently driving impact in fast-paced, high-growth environments.
Connect on LinkedIn"Build and Maintain Trust"
Without trust, you have nothing.
We believe trust must be built and maintained at every level, at all times. Trust from our fans, supporters, employees, and everyone in between. They must trust that we will keep our promises, deliver value, and always do right by them.
We accomplish this by putting our best foot forward and delivering tremendous value without the firm guarantee of receiving anything in return. By keeping communication fluid, listening, understanding, and acting upon what we learn, we strive to deliver to the best of our ability.
With trust, we build strong, sacred relationships. Like many great companies before us, we have found that investing in trust always pays back one hundredfold.
