Sanrio
MY MELODY ♡ KUROMI GAME PLAZA
in Shibuya
Jul 2025
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of MY MELODY and the 20th anniversary of KUROMI—marking their special “twin anniversaries”—we produced an immersive, hands-on game event titled “MY MELODY ♡ KUROMI GAME PLAZA.” Our team led the planning and art direction for the event, along with the creation of the website, promotional videos, novelties, and event operations.
Based on the concept of the “Melo-Kuro relationship”—a bond where they’re complete opposites, yet the strongest together—we created a playful arcade-inspired space featuring interactive games and photo spots.
Client Brief
Leveraging the significance of the anniversary year, a dual presentation of My Melody and Kuromi was envisioned to create a heightened sense of celebration and spark new cultural trends. An open-form real-world event embodying the idea of “the Melo-Kuro relationship” was called for, with the intention that visitors would be moved to internalize this concept as part of their own narrative. The experience was further expected to allow guests to use the event-exclusive goods on-site and take them home afterward, completing a holistic and participatory engagement.
Our Proposal
It’s always more fun together.
A happy play space “GAME PLAZA” arrives in Shibuya!
In the heart of Shibuya—Japan’s center of youth culture—we hosted a limited-time event where visitors could experience the unique “Melo-Kuro relationship” while simply having fun. The venue, designed like a charming game arcade, was filled with interactive activities and exhibitions that allowed guests to learn more about My Melody and Kuromi. Visitors could enjoy playful back-and-forth interactions through cooperative games, much like Melo and Kuro themselves, or capture special memories together at adorable photo spots. As guests immersed themselves in the world of My Melody and Kuromi, the experience naturally deepened the bonds with the friends they came with, leaving them feeling even closer than before. This is the kind of GAME PLAZA we brought to life.
By leveraging Shibuya’s diverse entertainment landscape, the event delivered value beyond typical shopping or dining, offering a blend of “things” and “experiences” that resonated particularly with younger audiences. The whimsical design—reminiscent of an amusement park—also served as a visual beacon, inviting spontaneous interest and encouraging social media sharing.
To further extend the experience beyond the venue, we developed three original TikTok effects, enabling users to playfully engage with My Melody and Kuromi through virtual accessories, character interactions, and expressive mini-games. These digital extensions amplified the event’s reach and added a new layer of participation for both on-site visitors and online fans.
Result
Aiming to attract new audiences, we designed an experience that strengthened connections between visitors while thrilling existing fans through original illustrations and newly recorded voice content. The event achieved 406% of the target KPI for attendance, far surpassing expectations. Its strong reception in Shibuya led to international expansion, including New York and various Asian regions.
Credits
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- Executive Creative Director
- Astushi Nakahashi (Cybor)
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- Creative Director
- Haruka Furuya (Imagine If Studio)
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- Planner
- Fumitaka Murakami (Cybor)
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- Art Director
- Ryuichi Sano (Cybor)
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- Creative Producer
- Toshihide Yoshimatsu (Cybor)
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- Account Executive
- Masaya Akabane (CyberAgent)
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- Account Executive
- Makoto Tominaga (CyberAgent)
●Movie & Web
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- Producer
- Kazunori Kato (CyberAI Productions)
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- Designer (web)
- Yurina Kojima (CyberAI Productions)
●Game Development
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- Technical Director
- Taishi Ishizaki (stu)
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- Technical Director
- Tomoya Nakano (stu)
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- Technical Director
- Shuto Yano (stu)
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- Technical Producer
- Daisuke Goto (stu)
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- Sensor Engineer
- Yuichi Nakamura (stu)
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- Sensor Engineer
- Naoto Kondo (stu)
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- Hardware Engineer
- Takeshi Fujita (stu)
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- Music/ Sound Design
- Hajime Sugie (stu)
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- Technical Advisor
- Kodai Takao (stu)
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- Planning Advisor
- Murasaqi (stu)
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- Production Manager
- Natsumi Ouchi (stu)
●Event Production
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- Event Director
- Haruhi Anzai (Hakuten)
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- Designer
- Junya Atobe (Hakuten)
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- Product Management
- Chihiro Seta (Hakuten)
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- Production
- Sana Tsutsumi (Hakuten)