WORK

Held at Yokohama Arena from February 21 to 23, 2026, and commonly known as "Eva Fes", this was the first festival event celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Evangelion series.

Inside “EVA EXTRA 30”, an immersive spatial experience enveloped the venue, centered around a 6-meter-tall central tower surrounded by roughly 700 LED bars. The area showcased a wide range of interactive content that brought the universe of the series to life. Key attractions included the Virtual Camera Studio, which adapted the virtual camera system used to create the battle between Evangelion Unit-01 and Unit-13 in “Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time” into a hands-on experience for visitors, as well as Anniversary Park, where all 26 episodes of “Neon Genesis Evangelion” were screened across individual CRT monitors. 

BASSDRUM joined the “EVANGELION:30+ ;” project from the initial concept planning stage and worked alongside Khara, the event's organizer and creative lead, right through to the event's conclusion. 

Going beyond conventional system design and implementation, we collaborated with Khara to fundamentally define the core question of what kind of experience to create and how to bring it to life. By engaging deeply with the creative process, we formulated the technical grand design and oversaw its comprehensive execution, bridging creative and technical domains at the highest level.

In the interactive exhibition area “EVA EXTRA 30”, we were particularly involved from the early brainstorming phase. We provided extensive technical direction that covered everything from the overarching spatial experience to the interactive content within individual booths.

・Overall production and technical direction
・Design and implementation of the Central Tower
・Spatial production design using LED bars
・Audio system design for the entire exhibition area
・LED sign wall and video playback in Anniversary Park
・Technical direction for the entire lounge
・Development of the Virtual Camera Studio

We contributed to the overall production and technical direction across the entire event.
Joining the project from its early stages, we were involved in planning, spatial direction, and experience design, thoroughly exploring technical possibilities to bring the creative team's vision to life. As part of this effort, we developed a simulator that precisely recreated the venue and we worked closely on video and lighting production, helping deliver an overwhelmingly immersive experience that reshapes what an IP event can be.

For the Central Tower, the symbol of the interactive exhibition area, we led the design and technical direction with a primary focus on LED displays and audio.
Following multiple rounds of hardware testing on the massive six-sided LED structure, we developed an integrated design covering the playback system, display quality, and physical installation. We meticulously pursued breathtaking visual quality even at extremely close range, ensuring everything from pixel-perfect rendering accuracy to manual brightness and color temperature adjustments for every individual panel. Additionally, we constructed a custom audio system that radiated sound concentrically from the tower. By creating a high-density immersive experience perfectly synchronized with the visuals, we established the tower as a commanding landmark for the entire area, giving it an overwhelming presence that truly embodies the universe of the series.

For the spatial production of the interactive exhibition area, which featured approximately 700 LED bars, we provided the technical direction to bring Khara's creative vision for the LED lighting effects to life. 
We managed the entire process from the design and selection of custom-built LED bars tailored to detailed visual requirements, through to control system engineering and on-site operations. By leveraging our accumulated expertise to optimize performance at the device level, we achieved a sophisticated balance between nuanced color gradation and cost efficiency. 
Furthermore, we independently developed a simulation environment for testing animations, which significantly accelerated the production and decision-making processes. For the physical exhibition, we constructed a control system synchronized with the Central Tower's video content, establishing a highly stable playback environment using TouchDesigner. Ultimately, this enabled a unified lighting experience that seamlessly connected the entire exhibition area.

We handled the audio system design and its technical direction for the interactive exhibition area.
Since Yokohama Arena was divided to include a separate stage area for this event, we utilized 3D acoustic simulations from the early planning stages to proactively analyze potential sound bleed and low-frequency spill from the stage. By integrating these findings with the spatial layout and program progression, we optimized the acoustic environment and formulated a detailed audio plan for the exhibition area.
During the on-site setup, we meticulously adjusted the directivity control and frequency balance to perfectly suit the exhibited content. Constructing a highly immersive and precise sonic environment across all sections, including the Central Tower, we ultimately achieved a cohesive and harmonious spatial experience.

In Anniversary Park, an area looking back on the history of the Eva series, we handled the technical direction and system development for the LED sign wall and a cluster of CRT monitors displaying all 26 episodes of the TV series.
For the sign wall, building upon the Khara's team's initial concept, we led the process from detailing the lighting patterns and selecting materials to coordinating with lighting contractors during production. We also carefully considered the visitor experience by incorporating static moments to make it easier for attendees to take photos, achieving a lighting design that balanced dynamic visual variations with operational stability.
Regarding the playback on the 26 CRT monitors, Khara's creative direction required perfectly synchronizing the start of every episode. To fulfill this, we built a custom system that converted and consolidated high-resolution digital signals into analog signals for centralized control. Furthermore, by equipping the system with real-time monitoring from the operator console and a robust remote backup framework, we ensured highly stable operations. This allowed visitors to fully immerse themselves in the history of the series, even with a setup utilizing vintage CRT monitors.

We provided the technical direction for the lounge, which hosted a diverse lineup of 13 stage programs over three days. To maximize the appeal of various performances with distinct characteristics, such as talk shows and live drawing sessions, we managed all technical aspects across video (including camera recording and video switching), audio, and lighting. Entrusted entirely with the technical operations, we dedicated ourselves to bringing Khara's creative ideas to life.
On-site, we collaborated closely with the operations and production teams to flexibly adapt to each program, handling everything from projecting close-up camera feeds of artists' hands during live drawings to designing specific spatial environments for each session. Even in a fast-paced setting with constant program changeovers, we maintained highly stable system operations, supporting a deeply immersive and dynamic experience throughout the entire area.

We handled the technical direction and system development for the Virtual Camera Studio, an interactive exhibit where visitors could experience the actual virtual camera system used in the production of the Unit-01 vs. Unit-13 battle scene from “Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time”.
To make this real-time rendering filming experience accessible to general visitors, we designed a system that perfectly balanced intuitive operability with robust stability. We built a fully integrated pipeline that managed everything from issuing QR codes for user registration to generating videos based on the captured data, processing the files, and providing them for download. Furthermore, through multiple rounds of demo testing, we optimized the experience duration and visitor flow, achieving an ideal balance between high throughput and visitor satisfaction. Ultimately, this ensured highly stable operations and delivered an exceptional, premium experience. (For more details on the Virtual Camera Studio, click here.)

©︎ khara