Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-, an upcoming film based on the multimedia franchise of the same name, is set to become Japan’s first interactive theatrical feature when released on February 21.
Audiences will vote in real time via a smartphone app while watching the film, steering the story through a total of 48 distinct narrative paths and seven endings.
Hypnosis Mic debuted in 2017 as a cross-media project involving recorded music, live concerts, manga and a TV anime series that aired in 2020. The franchise was developed by Japan’s King Records under its Evil Line Records label. It is set in a world where rival rap groups in Tokyo battle with hypnotic microphones, which can alter thought processes. In the upcoming film, audience members will vote on which group they think performed better during rap battles.
The film is animated by CG studio Polygon Pictures (Star Wars: Resistance) and distributed by Toho Next. Its interactive voting system was created by Kino Industries, whose technology was used to power the 2016 interactive film Late Shift, which was available on gaming console and streaming platforms.
At a press conference in Tokyo, Kino’s Asia CEO Ronan Wong said: “Choosing storylines and embarking on adventures together in theatres makes the on-screen narrative truly resonate with audiences. The emotional highs and lows during these shared experiences are unparalleled and unique to the cinema environment.”
Interactivity joins a list of innovations from Japan in recent years that have been launched in a bid to keep fans returning for multiple screenings of the same film. Other strategies include so-called “cheer screenings” in which audience participation including call and response, singing and cheering with light sticks is encouraged.
Some anime films are also rereleased with new footage and revised ratings. That includes Birth Of Kitarō: The Mystery Of Gegege, originally released in 2023 with a PG12 rating and released this year with a R15+ rating due to new and revised shots.
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