AX 2025: Slushii fuses music and manga in SAPIENT DREAM

Music and manga collide in a bold new way this summer with Sapient Dream, an original shonen webcomic created by DJ, producer, and songwriter Slushii. The genre-bending series, developed in partnership with WEBTOON Entertainment and SONICdream, will launch exclusively on WEBTOON’s English-language platform on July 6, 2025.

Blending storytelling and sound, Sapient Dream is a sci-fi action adventure that takes cues from Slushii’s viral hit “Past Lives,” which has amassed over 16 billion streams across TikTok and YouTube. Each episode of the comic will feature immersive, original music overlays tied to Slushii’s upcoming album Chrysalis, delivering a unique, multi-sensory experience only possible on WEBTOON.

Produced by Merryweather Media, Sapient Dream marks the comic debut of Slushii, real name Julian Scanlan, who co-created the series alongside anime producer Rob Pereyda.

“Sapient Dream is a universe I’ve been ‘dreaming’ up for years. It’s anime, it’s music, it’s all the things that make me, me, rolled into one,” said Slushii. “Bringing this story to life with WEBTOON is a vision realized, and I can’t wait to take anime and manga fans on a high-stakes journey into the immersive world of Kuro, Priscilla, and their friends.”

The story follows Kuro, a seemingly ordinary high schooler haunted by bizarre dreams. After rescuing a strange alien sludge creature, Kuro is pulled into a cosmic battle that blurs the line between reality and dream. As he discovers new powers and allies, he must confront the truth behind his nightmares, and what they mean for the fate of the universe.

Catch Slushii and WEBTOON at Anime Expo 2025

Fans attending Anime Expo 2025 in Los Angeles can get a first look at Sapient Dream and meet Slushii in person. Highlights from the event include:

• WEBTOON & SONICdream Present: Sapient Dream
  📅 Saturday, July 5 | 🕓 3:45–4:35 PM PT | 📍 Room 511ABC
  A behind-the-scenes panel on the making of the series.

• Slushii: Operation Overload DJ Set
  📅 Saturday, July 5 | 🕧 12:30–1:45 AM PT

• Slushii Meet & Greet
  📅 Sunday, July 6 | 🕐 1:00–2:00 PM PT | 📍 WEBTOON Booth (E-90, Entertainment Hall)

Whether you’re a longtime fan of Slushii’s music or a diehard WEBTOON reader, Sapient Dream promises to be a one-of-a-kind experience that fuses high-energy beats with heart-pounding storytelling.

Source: WEBTOON