WOW participated in the BLUE OCEAN DOME at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. At this pavilion, where visitors can learn about the sustainable use of marine resources and the protection of marine ecosystems, WOW was responsible for the direction and production of the video content. BLUE OCEAN DOME consists of three spaces under the theme of “the revival of the ocean.” It includes an installation expressing the spectrum of water, a video installation depicting the miracles and crises of Earth as the planet of water, and a space that presents a path toward restoring the ocean through documentary footage. WOW developed a hemispherical LED visual device about 10 meters in diameter together with Azlab. Through this one-of-a-kind, ultra-high-definition giant hemispherical LED screen, it brought Earth as seen from space to life. —The beautiful Earth, a miraculous water planet, is on the verge of being gravely damaged by human activity. This work depicts the ocean, where the brilliance of the chain of life and pollution progress simultaneously, across a range of scales from a vast view like looking at Earth from space to the cellular level. By fusing realistic depictions so true to life they could be mistaken for the real thing with dreamlike imagination, the piece sought to create an audiovisual experience as a “device for transforming consciousness” that appeals to the senses of visitors. The footage, supervised after fieldwork in biologically diverse marine areas and by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, vividly portrays everything from vibrant life to the realities of marine pollution through the meticulously crafted 3DCG for which WOW is known. In addition, Hatis Noit’s voice, resonating as if with the voices of all beings living in the sea, gave the imagery multidimensional depth. The hemispherical screen, covered by a parabolic cover, was precisely designed down to the number and arrangement of its supports, realizing two distortion-free curved surfaces. For the parabolic cover serving as the backdrop for the LED screen, a special paint that appears darker than black by absorbing light was used. A smooth base finish achieved through plasterwork and painstaking hand-applied painting created a jet-black screening space. The hemispherical screen itself was fabricated by hand, one small panel at a time. This ultra-high-definition display, with approximately 160,000 LED chips arranged at a 2.5 mm pitch, supported the overwhelming visual experience.

WOW participated in the signature pavilion “null²” at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai as part of the creator team, contributing to the planning, visuals, sound, and overall direction system. The pavilion’s theme is “Polishing Life.” WOW joined as a direction member from the earliest planning stages and, together with Expo producer Yoichi Ochiai, spent several years creating a wide range of creative elements, from the pavilion’s interior visuals, sound, robot control, and experiential flow to the exterior visuals. A Pulsating Sculpture, a Conversational Space For this pavilion, Ochiai established “two mirrors” as a key concept. The first refers to the sculpture itself, which generates unfamiliar landscapes. Its mirror-finished exterior absorbs the surrounding scenery, pulsating as it repeatedly transforms like a living organism, even as a building. The second refers to the experience inside the pavilion. In a space where mirrors and imagery are integrated, visitors confront “kigō*” and engage in dialogue with a digital human. WOW was primarily responsible for this interior experience. The space confronting “kigō” is a cube measuring 8 meters in width, depth, and height, with mirrored surfaces on all sides. Projection systems on the ceiling, floor, and walls, together with a vertical video object called the “Monolith” standing at the center, work in response to one another to depict “kigō,” creating endless reflections. In addition, the cube-shaped mirrored “goshintai,” which symbolizes the space, moves freely overhead, shifting perspectives and stirring the visitor’s mind and thoughts. Using mirrors as a medium, the experience moves back and forth between meaning and matter, self and other, reality and virtuality, encouraging visitors to reconsider and reinterpret what life is and offering a prompt to “polish life.” *Elements that constitute a person’s individuality, such as their name, hobbies, preferences, voice, and appearance Two Types of Experiences, Two Different Perspectives The experience is offered in two modes: “Dialogue Mode” and “Installation Mode.” Dialogue Mode centers on the world of “computational nature,” as proposed by Ochiai, and the story connected to it, allowing visitors to let go of their “kigō” through verbal communication. In Installation Mode, visitors view simple patterned visuals, along with the Monolith and goshintai moving throughout the space, from the outer corridor, creating a non-verbal experience that lets them intuitively sense the structures at the essence of life. In both experiences, the story, visuals, sound, goshintai, and Monolith are all intricately linked, so WOW worked closely with Ochiai to craft a precise direction. Direction Where Technology and Expression Merge On the technical side, to create a more three-dimensional and densely layered experience, WOW integrated a wide range of direction elements, including AI-generated real-time video, display of 3D Gaussian splatting, sound generation, image effects, as well as the display and speech of MirroredBodies created by visitors in a dedicated app, and robot control for the goshintai and Monolith. In collaboration with various companies, WOW developed the main system that aggregates and controls these elements. In addition, the carefully designed sound direction, which makes use of characteristics across different frequency ranges, contributed to a unique auditory experience. Logo Design and Design Guidelines That Create Organic Expression WOW also handled the logo design for null². For the dynamic logo, multiple fonts were used to create a design that transforms into various forms. The static logo was refined from the dynamic logo as the official version. In both cases, the aim was to maintain a certain degree of legibility while pursuing a fluid, life-like design tone through verification and rule setting. In this project, the participating teams, including WOW, brought together all of their technical capabilities and creativity to create the work “null²,” something that could only have been realized at the Expo.

In March 2025, TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, a new urban district directly connected to JR Takanawa Gateway Station and one of the largest in central Tokyo, opened to the public. On the same site, THE LINKPILLAR 1 and Takanawa Gateway Station also fully opened. The remaining buildings will be completed and the grand opening will take place in spring 2026. From March 27 to June 28, the “Future Experience Theater” was open to the public at THE LINKPILLAR 1. WOW was responsible for planning, directing, and producing the film screened in this theater. Under the mission of “experiencing TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY through film,” we chose an approach centered not on explanatory direction, but on storytelling that encourages emotional engagement. Featuring a modern-day boy as the protagonist, the story is set as a time-travel journey through Takanawa’s memories and the future envisioned for this city. Through the boy’s eyes, it portrays urban life and human connections born from history and culture, with the aim of creating a story that would inspire people who may one day live here to feel hope and anticipation for TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY. The music was commissioned from the alternative rock band hitsujibungaku. The immersive experience of the full 3DCG film projected in a 180-degree cylindrical theater, combined with the world of the film woven by hitsujibungaku’s music, created an even more emotional viewing experience. (Courtesy of JR East)

About the Project As part of a technical tutorial on video production for the “PLATEAU” project promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, WOW was responsible for planning, producing, and directing a video work themed around Niigata Prefecture. PLATEAU provides 3D city models from across Japan as open data, helping to drive digital transformation in urban development and foster open innovation. In this project, we created a film, tutorial, and hands-on video using Niigata Prefecture’s 3D city model. Through this effort, we explored the creative potential and expressive possibilities of PLATEAU. Video Work “NIIGATA WONDER by PLATEAU” With the ظهور of a dragon, the god of water, mysterious gigantic objects begin to appear in various places across Niigata Prefecture. Their true identities are Niigata’s famous local specialties: Tochio Aburaage, sasadango, poppo-yaki, hegi soba, and snow crab. Guided by the dragon, these giant local delicacies eventually gather at Bandai Bridge in the center of Niigata City—. Combining a 3D model of Niigata City, live-action footage, and VFX, the work portrays the character and unique qualities of the city on a grand scale as a “fictional PR video.” PLATEAU PLATEAU is a project to realize digital twins of cities across Japan, promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders. It develops 3D city models as platform data for urban activity and creates use cases across diverse fields. In addition, PLATEAU provides 3D city models as open data so that anyone can freely access urban data. By advancing the development, utilization, and open-data deployment of 3D city models, PLATEAU aims to realize digital transformation in urban development and generate open innovation.

Released as part of “MIDTOWN CHRISTMAS 2023,” held at Tokyo Midtown from Thursday, November 16 to Monday, December 25, 2023. WOW was responsible for planning, directing, and producing “some snow scenes,” an installation that captured delicate winter scenes in the atrium of Galleria. The countless spheres evoking lightly floating snow were composed of approximately 3,400 objects (white balls, crystals, and acrylic pieces) suspended from a height of 15 meters by about 250 lines. In sync with music composed by Fumitake Ezaki and performed automatically on stage, the coordinated laser projection and lighting created a spatial installation where light and sound overlapped. In addition to the regular presentation, this work featured four special sequences every 15 minutes. At times, it poetically depicted various winter scenes, like snow falling deeply and quietly; at others, like a cold blizzard swirling through the air.

About the Work WOW presented its new art installation, Urban Reflection, at the Clock Tower, a symbol of Hong Kong, from November 8 to 19. Created in collaboration with the local creative agency Way of Difference for ART TECH PARK, a special section of JUMPSTARTER 2023 Tech by the Harbour, a tech startup event held in Hong Kong, the work visually expresses the city’s energy and diversity by symbolically depicting the growth of a city where East and West, urban life and nature, and different races and cultures merge. In a fountain pool with a 27.2 m × 5.4 m water surface, 42 two-sided LED displays approximately 4 meters high and 76 mirrors were installed. As a result, images of Victoria Harbour and skyscrapers were projected, beautifully blending Hong Kong’s neon lights with the radiance of its architecture. Against the backdrop of the skyscrapers stretching across the opposite shore, viewers were immersed in a world where the images on the LED displays were repeatedly reflected by water and mirrors. The installation visually conveyed Hong Kong’s energy and diversity while offering a vision for the future.

The AR game “Overbeast,” powered by VERIZON’s 5G network, launched in the U.S. in spring 2023. WOW was responsible for the character design, modeling, and animation of the beasts featured in the game. By leveraging 5G pixel streaming, the project aimed to deliver a grander, more vivid visual experience than had previously been possible with AR. Based on the concept of “kings of each animal kingdom with special abilities,” the beasts were designed in both juvenile and adult forms. Various simulations were used to emphasize each creature’s individuality, bringing them to life as dynamic beings. In addition, while the animation speed was slowed down to make the beasts feel massive, battle actions were made quick, creating a sense of both realistic scale and unreal speed to heighten immersion and realism in the game world. OVERBEAST: https://www.overbeast.world/

A concept movie was produced to showcase two new technologies independently researched and developed by DESCENTE: “Ori-eri” and “Terra Pattern.” By treating the collar as if it were architecture, wide camera angles and camera work were employed to highlight the collar’s sculptural beauty.

Produced as part of the venue design for “Unlearning the Visuals,” an exhibition held to commemorate WOW’s 25th anniversary. A passageway was designed to evoke the ever-changing atmosphere of clouds, with the shifting presence of sunlight filtering through trees swaying in the wind. By dividing the spatial experience at the venue into four distinct temporal zones and manipulating the behavior of light in each, the installation activates a seemingly still space and transforms it into something richer and more alive.

“Festivals” have long been a source of emotional support and a wellspring of vitality for people, both in the past and today. This work is a video installation centered on celebratory customs and festival events in Tohoku. It seeks to reconstruct the long-standing “special days” traditions of Tohoku by adding new perspectives and interpretations.

About the Work “sonus-oleum ; Sonosorium” is a live installation in which visitors can experience works in different forms on each of the three floors of the ship-shaped facility (T-LOTUS M): B1F, 1F, and the rooftop. With the premise that “music becomes the energy that moves the ship,” the work explores the form of music born inside the ship through the following four formats. Live Performance 1 — The Birth of Music — This work begins with a live performance on B1F. The music is an original piece composed by Fumitake Ezaki specifically for this live installation. The performance is by Fumitake Ezaki (piano), Shuntaro Tsuneta (violin), Sonoko Muraoka (cello), and an automatic piano. The venue was designed with eight 3 m × 4 m screens installed on both sides of the performers, enveloping visitors in music and imagery. Real-time motion graphics synchronized with the instruments were projected onto the screens. The elements composing the real-time motion graphics are the piano’s output of keyboard input (88 keys), the strength and duration of pedal presses, and the hand movements of the violin and cello players captured using ring devices. The real-time motion graphics linked to the performers’ movements depict the energy of music being generated and floating upward to the upper levels. Interactive Installation — Variation through Images — The energy of the music born in the B1F live performance appears as bubbles within the interactive work on 1F. Seven 2.4 m × 2.4 m translucent screens were installed throughout the 1F space in alignment with the windows, and interactive visuals were projected onto them. When visitors touch the bubbles displayed on each screen, the bubbles split, and each note of the original piece transforms into a different timbre. Variations born from chance continue to be generated endlessly. Projection Mapping — Music Creates Wind — The variations generated on 1F rise further to the rooftop, where they create the wind that moves the ship. Using four large 30,000-lumen projectors, the wind stirred up by the power of music and striking the sails was projected above the visitors’ heads. Live Performance 2 — A Session with Returned Sound — In the second live performance held on B1F, the automatic piano played in real time the variations generated by visitors touching the bubbles on 1F, while Ezaki (piano), Tsuneta (violin), and Muraoka (cello) improvised along with it. The interplay of visitor-generated variations, improvised live performance, and real-time motion graphics evoked a new form of music. Through these four processes, this live installation created a landscape in which sound was “unlearned” and transformed into new sounds, continuing in circulation. The title “sonus-oleum ; Sonosorium” is a coined word combining sonus, meaning sound, and petroleum, meaning oil.

Responsible for the planning and design of “Reflective tree,” a Christmas installation placed at the entrance of Roppongi Hills West Walk. The approximately 7-meter-tall tree is composed of a column with 10 layers, about 500 branches, and leaves made from approximately 2,700 mirror-finish materials. As the layers rotate, sometimes simultaneously and sometimes alternately, the leaves, lit by colored illumination, reflect and diffuse the light, creating a variety of sparkling expressions. By allowing the brilliance of the tree itself and the leaves wrapped in layers of light to illuminate the space, the installation was designed to evoke the fantastical atmosphere unique to the Christmas season, day and night.

Under the creative concept for the Yomiuri Giants’ 2022 season, “Let the Light of Glory Shine,” WOW directed and produced a series of videos that maximized the team’s worldview. Using “orange light symbolizing glory” as the key motif, we created the following videos to be shown on the main display inside the ballpark. - GIANTS PRIDE - Starting lineup announcement video - Chance-time video shown depending on the game situation - Headshot videos of all players - CI Aiming for an immersive experience that would set these visuals apart from conventional stadium video, we designed powerful camera work using 3D player data captured through Sony volumetric filming, along with projection-mapping-style direction that made the most of the massive screen. By stripping text elements such as player names and numbers down to the bare minimum and adopting simple, bold graphic design, we expressed the refined worldview of the Yomiuri Giants as a “premium brand.” We also produced the “main gate video,” “ambient video,” “postgame thank-you video,” and “premium lounge video” shown on the giant screens and signage installed inside the dome. Centered on the motif of orange light, we created nearly 800 videos with a wide range of variations to keep spectators engaged, delivering a unified brand experience throughout the ballpark and dome interior.

WOW was responsible for the planning, direction, and production of a permanent installation to be installed in the outdoor plaza, Sunken Square, of The MixC, a massive shopping mall in Shanghai. The installation consists of 20 towers, each approximately 2.3 meters tall, with glass tiled over LED, spanning more than 10 meters in width. It was placed within the existing overflow structure in the plaza so that it would harmonize with the environment. There are two types of presentation, themed around natural phenomena and Shanghai’s nightscape, and the projected images repeatedly reflect and refract through the glass. Like a landscape of nature in constant transformation, the appearance of the work continually changes depending on the surrounding environment and the viewer’s position. Video works are often considered best when they are high-resolution and have a clearly defined beginning and end within a fixed timeline. However, this work was born from the idea that human imagination may possess infinite resolution and an infinite timeline. When you carefully observe the rippling surface of water or the bottom of a river, you seem to see reflected images of the surrounding scenery repeatedly forming and falling apart, creating a mysterious sensation as if you were seeing abstract and representational landscapes over and over again. Based on such an experience, this work expresses, through a visual interpretation, the distinctive scenery created by the properties of light—reflection and refraction.

Produced a TV commercial for Mitsubishi Electric, which marked its 100th anniversary. Based on the copy, “Let’s find the product,” the film expresses the unknown possibilities that emerge when the individuality of each employee is combined. By blending the sense of gravitas unique to Mitsubishi Electric, with its long history, and the vibrant, distinctive sense of anticipation for the future, the work was crafted into a striking piece.

When I looked at Jomon pottery with the naked eye, its distinctive protrusions and patterns made me imagine landscapes, natural phenomena, the forms and movements of living creatures, and even sounds and sensations. The way fragments of various kinds of information intermingle in it feels almost like a poem of the Jomon people. Could these not be related to life forms that the Jomon people ate in order to survive—that is, might they have felt prayer and awe toward the living beings they were given, and might that energy have given rise to the grotesque yet beautiful forms of Jomon pottery? This work was conceived and created based on these ideas.

「テクノロジーでオーケストラを再構築する」をテーマに、2018年から始動した「落合陽一×日本フィルプロジェクト」。WOWは今年も「映像の奏者」として、「＿＿する音楽会」もとい「双生する音楽会」に参加した。 オーケストラの新たな魅力と価値が体験できる場を試みてきた過去2年に対し、今年はコロナ禍におけるオーケストラのあり方を模索。制限を設けつつも観客を入れた劇場公演に加え、オンライン配信も行い、二つの視点で新しい魅力を体験できる公演を目指した。劇場公演では、空間に多角的に響き渡る時代を切り開いた革新的な音楽とプロジェクターに投影される映像奏者を、オンライン配信では業界最高水準の音質（AAC-LC384kbps）、AR映像を含む2K画質によるコンサートの臨場感、デジタルだからこそ実現できた立体感のある演出を試みた。 本公演の視覚体験は、オンライン配信のAR映像を軸とし、劇場のスクリーンにはAR映像に同調・呼応・相反した映像が展開。それぞれ異なるが優劣のない体験価値を提供した。また、劇場公演の鑑賞者が後日再配信されたオンライン公演も鑑賞することで、公演の追体験を異なる視点で楽しめる相乗効果を図った。楽曲を紐解いていく中で見出したヒントを視覚化する上で、既存のARらしさやステージ上の映像演出らしさにとらわれず、「映像の奏者」として二つの異なる視点で音楽の世界観に寄り添う視覚効果を狙い、それぞれに新たな価値を見出してもらえるよう努めた。 公演前まで用いていたタイトル「＿＿する音楽会」には、当初計画していた音楽会が新型コロナウイルスによって白紙となった様子、そしてそこから新しい演奏会を模索し、試行錯誤する様子を込め、鑑賞者それぞれがタイトルの空白に入る言葉に考えを巡らせるようにしていた。公演終了間際、「＿＿」にあたる言葉が公開され、「双生する音楽会」として、コロナ禍における音楽会のあり方を模索した音楽会が新たに誕生した。

渋谷スクランブルスクエアに設置されている大型屋外ビジョン（北面約623.2㎡、東面約156.2㎡）にて、通年放送される環境映像の制作をWOWが担当。 さまざまな街の魅力を樹木のように吸い上げ、「集積・融合・発信」をシンボルに映像を制作。上昇しながら交わっていく人や建物、街の光など、そこから生じる変化の魅力を具象的に表現している。春夏秋冬のほか、ハロウィンやクリスマスシーズン用の映像も制作した。

Responsible for the planning, direction, and production of the three main contents inside “DMM Kariyushi Aquarium,” a new kind of entertainment aquarium in Okinawa that blends visual expression with spatial design. A story of “water” and “life” projected on a multi-screen large display A large-scale video content experience through which visitors first encounter the “beauty of Okinawa” (approximately 12 m wide by 4 m high, with 6 m of depth on both sides). It takes visitors on a virtual flight across Okinawa’s rich natural scenery, including its distinctive sea, sky, and the Yanbaru forest, as well as historical structures such as Shuri Castle. The Shuri Castle featured in the work was filmed with permission from the Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park Office. A 3D model was created using photogrammetry. A giant diorama space recreating Okinawa’s skies and coastlines Okinawa’s beautiful sea reveals different faces throughout the day. This space was designed so visitors can experience that appeal firsthand. On the faux rockwork surrounding an approximately 18-meter-wide tank, lighting and video work in sync to create colors and shadows that recreate the changing states of the “sky,” “sea,” and “shoreline.” In this space, which shifts from daytime to dusk and then into night, visitors can experience the scenery of each moment. In addition to realistic landscape depiction, the installation also reflects the emotional image of “the Okinawa sea that everyone envisions,” expressing a view that invites people to gaze at it and lose track of time. A fantastical space woven from light and jellyfish A space filled with cylindrical tanks stretching from floor to ceiling. Jellyfish drift gently, illuminated by pillars of light that emit vivid gradients. The space, adorned by the jellyfish and the pillars of light, was designed to evoke a dreamlike, extraordinary atmosphere through repeated transparency and reflection. The tank lighting, the visuals of the light pillars, and the music are all synchronized as part of the production.

AR（拡張現実）とモーショングラフィックスを使った作品をおさめたiOSアプリ。あらゆる環境をアートインスタレーション化することを目標として開発・制作した。第一弾リリースでは、以下モーショングラフィックス3作品を公開。 1：EVERYDAY 日常的なモチーフを非日常的なアニメーションやダイナミクスで演出。さらにAR上で現実と重ねて鑑賞することで、現実と非現実が混在し、境界が曖昧になった風景を作り出す。 2：Betweener 現実と仮想の間を踊るダンサー。現実世界とネット上の仮想世界をシームレスに行き交い、楽しむ昨今のデジタルネイティブな人々を表現した。 3：Loop of Life アニメーションの祖先とも言われる、フェナキストスコープ。最古の技術と現代の技術を組み合わせ、どの時代でも変わらず繰り返される、さまざまな生命の活動を描いた作品。