To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Ultraman series, a new kind of immersive AR action experience event set in Yokohama, “Emergency Command! Ultra Multiverse Earth Defense Operation in Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse,” is being held from June 5th, 2026 (Friday).
This event is an urban-based entertainment experience organized by the “Ultra Multiverse Executive Committee,” comprised of STYLY Inc., which develops the XR platform “STYLY,” Mitsubishi Corporation Urban Development Co., Ltd., and Lawson Entertainment, Inc. With just your smartphone, you can dive into a dynamic world where Ultraman and monsters appear on a life-size scale.
This event, which promises life-sized Ultra Heroes and monsters to appear in the real-world streets of Yokohama, is a must-see for fans. But what kind of experience can one expect? This article delves into the business side of this project through a report from the event and an interview with the producer.
Take on missions as a rookie investigator for the Science Patrol! The story begins at the Red Brick Warehouse.
© Tsuburaya Productions
The setting for “Emergency Order! Ultra Multiverse Earth Defense Operation” is the city of Yokohama, which has been transformed into a dangerous zone by a “space-time distortion” that has appeared in the sky. Participants will become rookie investigators of the “Science Patrol Yokohama Branch” and embark on a mission to investigate this anomaly.
The starting point is on the first floor of Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Building 2. Registration takes place at the special base located immediately to the side of the entrance. Tickets can be purchased on-site on the day of the event, but it’s smoother to purchase them in advance and prepare the app (※On-site payment is only accepted via PayPay).
Incidentally, I myself am a very casual viewer, someone who “kind of knows the names and appearances of famous monsters, but has only actually watched the main series, ‘Shin Ultraman’.” I was a little worried about whether I could enjoy it without knowing the series, but to put it simply, my worries were completely unfounded.
Even those who only know Ultraman and Baltan will find this experience intuitively enjoyable, thanks to its broad accessibility.
© Tsuburaya Productions
After receiving your “Experience Kit” at the reception, activate the state-of-the-art tool “Ultra Scanner (STYLY)” on your smartphone, which is necessary for the mission. This will allow you to experience two types of content: “Mission,” where the story unfolds as you investigate the city, and “Ultra AR Photo Spot,” where you can freely enjoy taking photos.
Once you’ve confirmed that the Scanner Ultra is working as instructed by the staff, you’re ready! Using clues such as traces of monsters that have appeared around the Brick Red Warehouse as a guide, you’ll embark on a mission to investigate the “space-time distortion.”
(The experience kit distributed at the reception desk includes a map and notebook that serve as a guide for the mission. On this day as well, families and fans carrying shopping bags could be seen around the Red Brick Warehouse. © Tsuburaya Productions)
A giant monster has appeared in the sea off Yokohama!? Team up with the Ultra Heroes to deal with it!
© Tsuburaya Productions
Once you select “Start Mission” on your smartphone screen, the investigation begins. Follow the instructions displayed on the screen and visit the eight spots in order.
The location for the first mission is on the street right in front of the reception area. You can check a photo of the “experience location” on the start screen of each mission, and the destination is visually displayed when you tap “Start Mission.” There is also a paper map, so you shouldn’t get lost.
Head in the direction of the pillar of light and enter the circle marked “NEXT MISSION” to unfold the story. You will learn about the mission’s objective and how to use the Ultra Scanner from Hitomi Sorai, an operator of the Science Patrol (there is audio, so we recommend turning up your smartphone volume!).
© Tsuburaya Productions
Tap the “space-time distortion” that appears in the air to fire your ray gun!
Then, Baltan appeared. He tried to confuse us by creating clones, but we continued shooting according to Hitomi’s instructions. Once we attacked the clones and depleted his health bar, the mission was complete. We then headed to the next point.
© Tsuburaya Productions
(After completing the mission, the route to your destination will be displayed, but you will soon be automatically returned to the app’s home screen. This is a great measure against walking while using your phone. © Tsuburaya Productions)
In the second mission, Pigmon makes an appearance.
This monster serves as a mascot character for this event, and in “Ultra AR Photo Spot” mode, you can summon it anytime, anywhere to take photos. It’s also a lovable yet reliable presence that will lead the player and lend a hand during missions.
Following Pigmon’s footprints along the coast, you’ll be greeted by Ultraman Zero. Your third mission is to work with Zero to deal with the countless “space-time distortions” that have appeared in the surrounding area.
© Tsuburaya Productions
Incidentally, according to Sawada from STYLY, who accompanied us on this experience, all the motion capture for the characters, including the Heroes Ultra and monsters we would encounter later, was actually performed by actors. Indeed, all the action scenes were impressive, and their postures were commanding.
In the fourth mission, the giant monster finally appears! Eleking emerges from a large “space-time distortion” that has formed in an area that resembles a cove.
Of course, in reality it’s just a calm body of water, but when viewed through a smartphone screen, it really looks like a gigantic monster is there. The sheer size of it is beyond imagination, and I couldn’t help but exclaim, “It’s huge!”
© Tsuburaya Productions
Using the newly available “shield function” on the Ultra Scanner, we protect the city and, with the support of fighter jets, manage to repel Eleking. Both Eleking’s electrical discharge attacks and the bombing scenes by the fighter jets were incredibly impressive and provided a great sense of realism.
What personally shocked me was the fifth mission that followed.
Ultraman Tiga appears, attempting to close the “distortion in spacetime,” and at this point, another new function of the Ultra Scanner is unlocked. Its name is, quite simply, the “support function.”
© Tsuburaya Productions
That’s right, in this mission, you’ll actually be sending power to Tiga using your own “voice.”
I hesitated for a moment about shouting out in the middle of a busy street, but having already completed four missions, I was completely immersed in the game’s world. I cheered, “Go for it!” “Tigger!” into my smartphone.
However, perhaps my voice wasn’t loud enough, or maybe the system sensed my inner embarrassment, but the support power gauge just wouldn’t fill up. Reluctantly, I repeatedly tapped the “Cheer!” button at the bottom of the screen, and finally managed to send some power to Tiga.
On the sixth mission, which they tackled with renewed determination, King Joe attacked. Ultraman Seven engaged in a fierce battle with him. Eleking Like, he appeared on the water, but I was truly amazed when he lifted a tanker in front of him with both hands.
© Tsuburaya Productions
Looking at it calmly afterward, it’s immediately obvious that it’s 3DCG.
However, up until this point in the missions, the only things displayed in AR were characters, ray guns, and various effects, so I was taken aback by the action of “the monster lifting an object in front of it,” and for a moment I was horrified, thinking, “What?! It’s lifting a real ship…what?!”
The difficulty of the missions increases in the later stages, and the battle against King Joe was quite challenging. In the remaining two missions, a thrilling development awaits with the appearance of “that” hero and monster, but I encourage you to experience the rest for yourself at the location.
(This is a scene from Ultraman Seven vs. King Joe, taken using the “Ultra AR Photo Spot” mode. © Tsuburaya Productions)
Everyday scenes become the stage for special effects! Ultra AR Spot Photo
© Tsuburaya Productions
Another feature you can enjoy at this event is the “Ultra AR Spot Photo.”
In addition to the area around the Red Brick Warehouse that you visited during the mission, photo spots have been set up in a total of 11 locations, including Yokohama Hammerhead, Canal Park, Bankoku Bridge, Yamashita Park, and Yokohama Chinatown. You can capture the Yokohama cityscape and the characters in photos and videos from any angle you like.
For example, in front of Red Brick Building Warehouse No. 2, where Baltan appeared in the first mission, Theo Ultraman from the latest series, which will begin airing in July, will make an appearance. You can take a photo of Theo striking a pose as if straddling the road.
Furthermore, by selecting “Teosium Ray” from “Change Pose” in the lower right corner of the screen, Theo, glowing golden, will powerfully fire his deadly ray! You can take photos, and even record and save the entire sequence of actions.
(It seems there are other poses prepared for Theo, but they are not currently available. They are scheduled to be implemented in a future update. © Tsuburaya Productions)
At the photo spot in Elephant’s Trunk Park, the battle between Ultraman Seven and King Joe, which also took place in the sixth mission, is being reenacted. You can select “Battle” to watch the action scene, and you can also take solo photos of Ultraman Seven and King Joe.
You can choose from multiple poses for both Ultraman Seven and King Joe. The “super strength” motion that surprised me earlier, where he lifts a tanker, is also available.
(The missions proceed in portrait mode, but the Ultra AR photo spots are also compatible with landscape mode. You can also capture battle scenes in landscape mode for more impactful shots. © Tsuburaya Productions)
(Apart from the 11 designated spots, Pigmon can be photographed anywhere. You can call him to your home after returning from an outing, or take commemorative photos together at another location—the possibilities are endless! © Tsuburaya Productions)
(After the interview, I walked to Osanbashi Pier to take this photo of the “Ultra Heroes Gathering.” A ship happened to be docked there, so it looks like Seven is on board, but this is quite rare, isn’t it…? © Tsuburaya Productions)
The potential of “outdoor AR events” looking ahead to the era of AR glasses
© Tsuburaya Productions
During the mission experience, we saw families cheering “Go for it!” into their smartphones, allowing us to directly feel the enthusiasm of both participants and fans on-site.
Location-based entertainment utilizing XR has been a hot topic lately, but how did they manage to create this kind of “immersive AR action story that unfolds while you walk around the real streets of Yokohama”?
We spoke with Sawada Yuto, Regional Co-creation Producer at STYLY Co., Ltd., who was in charge of content creation for this project.
(Sawada Yuto (center in the photo), Regional Co-creation Producer at STYLY Inc. Photo taken at the press preview. © Productions Tsuburaya)
—Could you tell us about the circumstances that led to the start of this project?
Sawada:
The project originated from discussions with Corporation Mitsubishi, which is also a shareholder of STYLY. There was talk of “doing something at the Brick Red Warehouse,” and we had long wondered whether we could run an entertainment business using smartphone AR. This project is a challenge with that in mind.
However, in the process of moving the project forward, we came to the conclusion that “without the power of a strong IP, it would be difficult to make it a viable business.” That’s when Productions Tsuburaya came up as a potential partner.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Ultraman series, and there’s also a local connection: “there’s a movie set in Yokohama.” And above all, giant monsters and Ultraman heroes engaging in action in the city are a perfect match for AR.
Considering that high level of compatibility, we approached Tsuburaya, and they kindly agreed—that’s the general outline of what happened.
—Were there any requests or suggestions from Productions Tsuburaya regarding the creation of the content?
Sawada:
They supervised every detail, including the script. The most important point was “how to recreate what was broadcast on television.”
We received meticulous feedback on everything from the story and dialogue to details like the angle of the hands and the lighting and color tones. With a strong determination to “not make anything strange,” we worked wholeheartedly to create a wonderful Ultraman story.
Also, we wanted to avoid the common problem with AR content where “characters appear to float in space,” so we put a lot of effort into how to present them.
—Indeed, during the experience, I felt that there was almost no stress from things like characters appearing strangely out of place or extreme discrepancies in location information.
Sawada:
When using AR to make characters appear in the city, a major challenge for us was how to make them appear naturally grounded despite the vertical positional shifts.
This content includes two steps at the start of the mission: “pointing the camera around to load terrain information” and “tapping the detected ground surface.” After determining the location, the system also measures the contact surface in each user’s environment. This ensures a higher degree of realism, making it appear as if the character is standing on the ground.
© Tsuburaya Productions
While typical AR content often only requires one type of operation, the sudden appearance of a character floating can be a distraction that pulls you back to reality. We intentionally incorporated both operations, even though it may be a little inconvenient for the user, in order to help them become more immersed in the story.
Also, because there are no buildings around the coast, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact location, so we were pushing the limits quite a bit. That was also a challenge.
—Now that you mention it, this might actually be my first AR experience in a “sea” location. Is it difficult to align objects in areas with few buildings?
Sawada:
That’s a tough one. It’s generally a location to avoid. There are few buildings to pinpoint the location, and the ripples on the water’s surface can cause the location to be inaccurate.
It’s a place I tend to avoid… but I also felt like, “You can’t be in Yokohama without seeing the ocean!” (laughs). I was pushing the limits quite a bit, but I managed to make it happen by being creative.
(At the Ultra AR photo spot at Osanbashi Pier, a guide is displayed to align the building’s outline before taking the photo, showing meticulous attention to detail in positioning. © Tsuburaya Productions)
–It’s only been a few days since the tournament started. What are your impressions so far, and what are the reactions from the participants?
Sawada:
We haven’t started our full-scale PR yet, so there are still some unknowns regarding attendance. However, we are definitely feeling positive about the user feedback regarding the “quality of the experience,” which was our biggest concern before the release.
We’ve seen players enjoying themselves and exclaiming “Wow!” during the experience, and the data shows that they’ve played through to the final mission without dropping out. We’ve also received a lot of positive feedback on social media, so we’re definitely feeling that we’re providing value.
I was relieved to see that it was especially enjoyed by children, families, and Ultra fans.
—I saw many users during the mission today, and I was particularly impressed by the sight of a child happily cheering, “Go for it!”
Sawada:
I was incredibly anxious until I actually saw it in person (laughs).
However, seeing the children cheering Tiga on with “Go for it!” and cheering “Yay!” when he defeated Baltan, I think we were able to provide good content. What will happen in six months… that’s a bit nerve-wracking though (laughs).
At the very least, I’m confident that it’s something worth paying for to experience, so the challenge now is how to get it out to a wider audience.
© Tsuburaya Productions
—That leads to the question of whether it’s possible to run an entertainment business using smartphone AR, doesn’t it? Could you tell us about your future outlook, including that point?
Sawada:
There are three things I’m considering for the future.
The first idea is to expand to other regions. After successfully completing the six-month event in Yokohama, we are considering whether we can expand to various locations in a caravan format, for example, by saying, “Let’s do it in this region next spring.”
The second point is to make this type of urban touring business model permanent. If this project can become a permanent attraction that can be used not just for six months, but for two or three years, even more Ultraman fans will be able to enjoy it.
Furthermore, expanding the technology horizontally and establishing permanent installations are also initiatives aimed at the era of smart glasses and AR glasses that will arrive in a few years. That’s the third prospect.
In the current XR industry, indoor business models using VR head-mounted displays are becoming established. In Yokohama, there is Cinemaleap’s “IMMERSIVE JOURNEY,” and we ourselves are developing “Space Travelium TeNQ” at Tokyo Dome City.
So, what kind of business models are conceivable in the age of smart glasses and AR glasses? With AR glasses that can be worn daily while walking around town, there is no doubt that value will be created in outdoor experiences, separate from existing indoor content.
However, I feel that outdoor AR content is a surprisingly underdeveloped area within the XR industry, especially from a business perspective. It would be too late to start developing it after glasses-type devices become widespread, so we are challenging ourselves with a smartphone-based AR entertainment business as something we can do now.
If smartphone AR proves commercially viable, the XR business market should expand even further when we transition to more immersive, glasses-type devices. Based on this business hypothesis, we’re challenging ourselves in the smartphone AR entertainment business. It would be wonderful if we were in a leading position in the industry at that time.
—This event involves an AR experience using smartphones, but this is also a measure that looks ahead to the future widespread adoption of AR glasses, correct?
Sawada:
At the same time, I hope that people will realize that “outdoor AR can be a business!” and that many people will start using STYLY to create experiential content. As a platform provider, it would be incredibly rewarding for us if the industry could thrive in that way.
In that sense, this project can be seen as the first step towards a future where many people will use STYLY, and it was created with the desire to “create something that can become a consumer business using outdoor AR content, as a company in the XR industry.”
This event runs for an extended period, and once you’ve been authenticated at the reception, you can enjoy it as many times as you like during the event. We’ll be working hard on PR from now on, so we’d be delighted if many people could come to Yokohama.
© Tsuburaya Productions
Event Overview
- Event Name: “Emergency Order! Ultra Multiverse Earth Defense Operation in Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse”
- Event Period: June 5, 2026 (Fri) – November 30, 2026 (Mon)
- Experience time: Approximately 70 minutes (including travel time) *You can experience this as many times as you like during the event period.
- Venue: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse surrounding area (Registration location: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Building 2, 1st floor, next to the Information desk)
- Ticket price: 2,800 yen (tax included) *Includes experience kit and novelty item
- Ticket sales page: https://l-tike.com/ultra-multiverse/
- Organized by: Ultra Multiverse Executive Committee (Mitsubishi Corporation Urban Development Co., Ltd., Lawson Entertainment, Inc., STYLY Inc.)
- Sponsored by: Yokohama City
- In cooperation with: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Co., Ltd., INFORICH Co., Ltd. (CHARGESPOT™)
*Available for advance purchase/on-the-day purchase (On-the-day payment is only accepted via PayPay)
*This service is available for use on one device per ticket.
© Tsuburaya Productions Organizer: Ultra Multiverse Executive Committee Supported by: Yokohama City In cooperation with: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Co., Ltd., INFORICH Co., Ltd. (CHARGESPOT™)