At the newly opened immersive space “tem” in Phoenix Mall of Asia, a commercial facility in Bangalore, India, we created a 360° immersive theater experience themed around the Japanese seasons and spirituality. Reinterpreting Japan’s four seasons as a “circular structure,” we designed an immersive environment that leads visitors into a spiritual world beyond them. By using mirrored surfaces for both the floor and ceiling, the imagery extends infinitely in the vertical direction, while 360° panoramic visuals are projected onto the walls. The moment visitors step inside, they are enveloped in the changing seasons and the rhythm of light. A “mandala” where Japan’s view of the seasons and Indian philosophy intersect As the core of the presentation, we reconstructed the essence of Japanese culture—“a sense of unity with nature,” “the contrast between stillness and motion,” and “a worldview in which the seasons cycle endlessly”—into a “mandala structure,” which also resonates strongly with Indian thought, creating a universal spiritual world that transcends time and national borders.

I portrayed a story about the process by which life comes into being. Whether it was completed is a secret. (NOT) BIRTHDAY

2025 Asia Digital Art Award FUKUOKA Award Winner Mitaka no Mori Animation Festa 2026, 24th Indies Animation Festa Award Winner "The Seed of Stars" One day, these words casually spoken by my daughter gently planted a seed within me. Drawn in by their tenderness and a poetic afterglow, I began to imagine stars descending into a quiet forest, and the landscapes where small creatures live. The story begins with stars drifting softly down from the night sky into the forest. There, the stars become tiny seeds on the ground, eventually sprouting and blooming into “star flowers.” The creatures living in the forest quietly keep them company, making music and watching over the flowers. I wanted to portray a serene, warm world filled with light, sound, and the slow flow of air in the night forest. For the visual production, I used Blender, which I have been using for many years. I expressed the natural elements I love—forests, stars, flowers, and small living creatures—in a simple, unadorned style, and by focusing on light, shadow, and texture, I created a landscape that seems to drift between reality and imagination. Rather than aligning the music and visuals perfectly, I aimed for a relationship in which they gently resonate with one another while remaining quietly close. The music was composed by cokiyu, a musician with whom I have long collaborated, and who has also provided music for the film Confessions (directed by Tetsuya Nakashima). In this work, her transparent vocals gently layer over delicate piano melodies suited to a forest at night. The lyrics carry the theme of this story, and each word resonates softly, as if speaking directly to the listener. The presence of the voice subtly deepens the visual atmosphere, conveying the depth of the imagery, time, and the world of "The Seed of Stars" more richly. I would be delighted if "The Seed of Stars" could quietly take root in the hearts of viewers as well, allowing free imagination and feeling to gently spread from there. This work was selected as an award-winning entry at the 2025 Asia Digital Art Award FUKUOKA and the Mitaka no Mori Animation Festa 2026, 24th Indies Animation Festa.