Mercer Labs Gives ‘One Piece’ An Immersive Experience

Fandom is a curious thing. It involves individuals absorbing a story and characters so much that their excitement for a given franchise expands beyond the world in which it is based. Once an individual becomes a true fan of something, they begin to look elsewhere to experience it in new and exciting ways. This could be a concert featuring music from a video game franchise or an amusement park land based completely on the story’s universe. The One Piece exhibit at Mercer Labs in New York City gave fans a real treat by exploring the art, sound, and music of the beloved anime in a unique way that couldn’t be found anywhere else.

Located in the financial district of Manhattan,  Mercer Labs is a museum of art and technology. It normally features standard exhibits such as robotics and light shows. But the museum also holds specialized exhibits from time to time, the One Piece exhibit being one of them. Focusing primarily on the “Land of Wano” arc from the anime, the museum presented a different experience on each of its three floors. The first focused on visuals with animation projected on floor-to-ceiling walls. Other sensory experiences included highlighting music and sound effects. There was even a section for young attendees to color their own wanted posters that were then featured on screen.

Fans get so wrapped up in the story and characters of a show that it’s easy to overlook the other technical aspects. The Mercer Labs exhibit allows attendees to break up the craziness of One Piece into its many parts that contribute to the whole. Experiencing large screens of animation separate from any voice actors showcases how incredible it can be. The same could be said for the music and even the sound effects, which, when isolated, become a sensory assault. Even those unfamiliar with the story of One Piece can appreciate the artistic design of the series, especially when it’s blown up to the immense proportions that the Mercer Labs exhibit puts on display.