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.

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/

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.

About the Work Shibuya Stream, which opened on September 13, 2018, is a large-scale mixed-use complex built on the former platform and track site of the long-disused Tokyu Toyoko Line Shibuya Station, as well as the surrounding land. The project was launched with the concept of sharing to the world the new things and new experiences born from encounters, exchanges, and challenges here, and of creating a new current for the next era as a “sacred place for creative workers.” This project aims to foster new cultural creation in Shibuya and revitalize the area south of Shibuya Station. Targeting “creative people,” it was designed as a place where inspiration arises in everyday life. WOW was responsible for the environmental design and experiential design of the giant video wall installed at the entrance to the 100-meter-long second-floor through passage directly connected to Shibuya Station, as well as the large staircase leading toward Meiji-dori Avenue. Design Intent This facility, developed through public-private collaboration and also contributing to the restoration of the Shibuya River, serves as an icon for the area south of Shibuya Station, while taking care not to impose creativity or trends. In the second-floor through passage, an acoustic environment creates a “gentle boundary” that softens outside noise, and within that setting, a pseudo-natural environment formed by phenomenological visuals is intended to draw out the inner imagination of both daily users and visitors passing through. The overall design concept is called “INNER STREAM,” and it comprises three environmental installations. 1. Invisible Stream | Giant video wall installed at the second-floor entrance of Shibuya Stream The thinking process of creative workers, from their first idea to the final finish, is visualized as a flow: Invisible Stream. Centered on the theme of “Stream,” the work presents final visuals inspired by phenomenological motifs such as water, rivers, mist, and light, while also exhibiting various study processes in CG and programmable expression. By linking these elements to the viewer’s own imagination, the installation was designed to allow each person to experience a different visual encounter. 2. Fall Stream | Staircase space toward Meiji-dori Avenue with embedded video installation A visual composition in which sound seems to pour from a vortex of sound into the grand staircase. By using phenomenological motifs such as waterfalls and water, the work seeks to create a sense of unity with the Shibuya River and offer visitors a soothing spatial experience. 3. Barrier Stream | Acoustic environment of the second-floor through passage and grand staircase The acoustic environment was realized through a collaboration with evala [See by Your Ears], a musician and sound artist with the concept of “Sound Architecture.” The concept took inspiration from the Shibuya Stream space, where wind blowing through is especially striking. Sounds were devised to harmonize with this place, where outside sounds such as trains and cars can also be heard. Water sounds field-recorded at the Shibuya River were blended in throughout, and like a natural phenomenon in which trees sway and waves rise when the wind blows, new melodies are continuously generated so that no two moments are ever the same. By using speakers placed along the connecting passageways, the program blocks urban noise and creates an environment that enhances inner creativity.