TL;DR: MOCHI.TV is a mobile app to watch vertical anime shorts. Users can scroll to discover shows and binge bite-sized episodes, unlocking them with either coins or a subscription. We produce new shows daily with AI, and they've hit 300M+ views organically.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LtKQ-A9-Dpc

The problem

Traditionally, entertainment takes years to go from production to the TV screen. But fans always crave more. With the advent of AI, entertainment cycles become as fast as days, and now we’re able to serve the most underserved audience of all - anime fans.

What we built

A mobile app to watch 1 minute anime packed with:

• emotional thrills (finally, you get revenge on the bully), 
• plot twists (turns out, the bully is your secret long-lost sibling), 
• and cliffhangers (suddenly, the bully whispers “without me, they’ll come for you…”)

Unlike traditional anime, our content is built for Gen Z. TikTok doomscrolling and lower attention spans has led to audiences wanting payoffs in seconds instead of seasons. Our AI workflow allows us to drop a new series a day and build a daily habit with our users, with shows written by top writers from Toei Animation, Spider-man, Webtoon, Spongebob, Robot Chicken, and more.

And users are not just passive viewers either - they can create their own through the app as well, with remixing and creator monetization on the way.

Traction

300M+ views, 100K+ users, and 900K+ followers across socials, grown organically.

https://www.instagram.com/watchmochitv

Looking ahead

With AI, we’re able to build durability like a media company, but iterate like a software company. Making hits is no longer a creative risk but a matter of time and data. Anime is our beachhead, but we plan to expand to every vertical - from live action to dating shows, to k-dramas and kids TV - with AI at the forefront. Like Pixar in the 90s, or Netflix in the 00s, we see an opportunity to build the next great entertainment company on the cusp of a new technology.

Team

• Robert Qiu: Scaled game startup to $200K/mo, UC Berkeley alum and ex-FAANG
• Michael Ninh: Watched 400+ anime, led consumer growth at Hush (S16) and Massdrop, managed 100s of video creatives

We're lifelong anime fans with a love for consumer products - this is the most exciting thing we’ll ever build.

Our ask: Watch anime (or create one) at https://www.mochi.tv/

Reach us at founders@mochi.tv