With anime not only a storytelling medium but an increasingly lucrative starting point for creating immersive experiences that extend from the screen, Anime Corner sits down with Sony Music Solutions’ Tsuneyuki Matsudaira, chief producer of the newly relaunched gaming experience that’s boasting impressive reviews in Shinjuku, Japan: The Tokyo Matrix: Dungeon ∞ Spiral.
We discuss the latest Dungeon ∞ Spiral collaboration with the Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End anime series—featuring never-before-heard voice-acted lines—getting insight into the process of planning and producing location-based experiences generally.
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Q: Could you briefly walk us through your history, as well as your history as it relates to building out these location-based experiences at Sony Music Group (Japan)?
Tsuneyuki Matsudaira: We at SMS [Sony Music Solutions, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan)] are a production company that handles planning and design for experiences at events and exhibitions. Drawing on our past experience—such as creating many interactive experiences that combine anime IP with technology—I myself have also worked on numerous events, exhibitions, and attractions that mash up technology and IP. Based on those experiences, THE TOKYO MATRIX is our challenge to create an LBE [location-based experience] ourselves.
Q: How did Dungeon ∞ Spiral originate? What area/niche did Sony Music Group (Japan) identify it could fill with this experience through its choices in IP collaborations and location?
A: The combination of target audience, location, experience, and IP is very complex. Kabukicho Tower and its surrounding area attract large numbers of leisure-seekers and international tourists, so we designed the attraction to entertain as wide an audience as possible. The IP collaborations are designed so that visitors can enjoy themselves even if they’re not deeply committed to that IP—there’s no problem if you’re not interested, but if you are, you’ll enjoy it even more. We’re also envisioning collaborations beyond anime.
Q: This time, Dungeon ∞ Spiral will collaborate with Frieren. Why does this anime’s worldview align with the experience Dungeon ∞ Spiral is trying to create?
A: Dungeon ∞ Spiral is a game attraction where a party works together to conquer a dungeon. Its core concept is “the memories of adventure and the bonds with your companions.” In that sense, we felt it aligned with Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. More than anything, we love Frieren ourselves, so we wanted to journey through a dungeon together with her.
Q: What are the experiences that both Frieren fans and non-fans can look forward to?
A: Even during the collaboration, we expect about half of visitors will not use Frieren characters. Fans of Frieren can enjoy the characters’ lines and conversations, making it feel as though they’re traveling together. Non-fans can still enjoy the experience as the protagonist of their own dungeon adventure. Incidentally, the dungeon is filled with wonderful Frieren background music that will make the journey more emotional.
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Q: What are some of the comments and satisfaction levels from visitors in this regard?
A: Since the start of the Frieren collaboration, Dungeon ∞ Spiral has recorded a satisfaction rate of 95.2%, rising to 99.7% when including “somewhat satisfied.” Players who used Frieren characters cited “traveling together with Frieren and her companions” as their top satisfaction point. The many life-size Frieren character panels placed in the dungeon, as well as the digital photo service at the end, have also received high praise.
Q: What patterns have you identified about those who come to play Dungeon ∞ Spiral and the people who frequent the Shinjuku/Kabukicho area? How have these patterns informed decision-making and improvements in accessibility?
A: Thanks to the Frieren collaboration and others, many people who normally wouldn’t visit Kabukicho are now coming. While the Kabukicho area offers many entertainment options, the proportion of visitors choosing Dungeon ∞ Spiral has been gradually increasing, mainly through word of mouth and social media. In terms of accessibility, Shinjuku offers extremely easy access to enormous numbers of people.
Q: The previous anime to feature in Dungeon ∞ Spiral was Lycoris Recoil, which is produced by the Sony Music Group (Japan)’s Aniplex. Sony Music Group (Japan) has also done recent location-based experiences with Sword Art Online and now Frieren, all of which Aniplex invests in:
Do you find that the relationships built through these anime co-productions help to streamline the creation of these experiences?
A: From the start, The Tokyo Matrix has been conceived with anime collaborations in mind. While they are a way to spark interest in the attraction, I think the story and characters are well tied to the players’ own adventures.
Q: Should Sony Music Group (Japan)’s investments in an anime be seen as a signal or an increased likelihood of an adaptation through a location-based experience (LBE)?
A: The Tokyo Matrix also serves as an experimental venue to connect IP and experiences, and I believe it’s yielding results. We’ve long created experiences built around single IPs, so this is our challenge to offer an amplified experience.
Q: How many times has Dungeon ∞ Spiral been played since it was launched? What is the feedback that has been the most rewarding, and what is the feedback that has most spurred Sony Music Group (Japan) to make changes to its experiential planning processes?
A: Since opening in spring 2025, Dungeon ∞ Spiral has been played roughly 15,000 times in total. Since The Tokyo Matrix opened in 2023, we’ve received a great deal of feedback—for example, during the Sword Art Online collaboration, we made major improvements such as increasing the game’s lifespan.
Even after Dungeon ∞ Spiral opened, we’ve conducted detailed surveys and improved aspects such as game balance, physical activity intensity, and dialogue systems. There’s been more feedback than we can count, but we strive to respond to as many requests as possible. One memorable point was that no one complained about the paid system to enter the Final Quest—on the contrary, they appreciated it. And above all, so many people simply said, “It’s fun.”
Q: Dungeon ∞ Spiral’s Buddy Characters feature additional voice lines not heard in the anime series. What was the experience of directing the voice actors’ new lines, and how is it an example of how Sony Music Group (Japan) can draw know-how from across the group?
A: We make it a point to respect each character’s personality, and we give the production team well-contextualized lines to work with—this comes from our extensive past experience. All the anime we work with have well-established characters, so the voice actors understand them perfectly and bring them to life.
Q: There are repeat customers who have played Dungeon ∞ Spiral countless times already. Could you help us understand the different possibilities within the game that allow for unique experiences each time?
A: Dungeon ∞ Spiral has multiple different endings. To reach the ‘victory ending,’ repeated play to some degree is effective. As you play, your avatar grows little by little, making the ‘victory ending‘ more achievable. Once you reach the victory ending, the game displays ‘Spiral 1 Cleared,’ and you can use the same avatar to play ‘Spiral 2.‘ Spiral 2 is designed more for hardcore gamers, and even there, multiple different endings await.
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Q: Producers, such as those in anime, for example, have spoken about two opposing schools of thought: Making a premium work where a small number pay an extravagant fee once, versus an accessible work that many can enjoy over and over again. What would you say are the differences in approaching either style, the biggest challenges in achieving success in either style, and the reason why Sony Music Group (Japan) opted for the latter here?
A: We considered both styles, but chose the latter. Being next to Shinjuku Station—the busiest station in the world—means people can drop by without it feeling like a chore. Both styles require delivering real value, but we felt that putting effort into repeatable experiences, rather than offering a one-time special experience, was the best way to leverage our strengths.
Q: With Frieren following Lycoris Recoil, what is the challenge of securing a steady pipeline of IP to collaborate with, so that there aren’t lengthy periods with no collaborations?
A: At SMS, we have connections with almost all anime and entertainment IPs through various events and e-commerce, so through internal collaboration we can negotiate with anyone. In fact, we don’t necessarily plan to run IP collaborations continuously without interruption. The schedule and timing depend on the IP side as well, and Dungeon ∞ Spiral can be enjoyed without any IP at all. That said, we do want to execute another great collaboration next time.
Q: Does Sony Music Group (Japan) receive the proposals for collaborations, or are you more so seeking partners out?
A: Both patterns exist.
Q: How does the selection process work (is it data-driven, intuition-based, strategic), and how has it improved with time and previous iterations?
A: We avoid anything whose story or target audience doesn’t match. Entertainment planning must start with “this looks fun” as the first priority. On top of that, we consider market data and track records from other cases to forecast revenue. We then discuss whether appropriate conditions can be set for that forecast.
Q: How is data from Dungeon ∞ Spiral circulating to and from different areas of the Sony Group, such as Crunchyroll, which is in constant interaction with overseas fans?
A: We do exchange information and conduct data analysis within the Sony Group, but for attractions there are many unique conditions, so it remains partial. Due to its location, TTM [The Tokyo Matrix] certainly has many foreign tourists, but anime-focused visitors are not that numerous—at most about 15% when high—so overseas anime popularity is not a major factor (it is considered only as an additional plus). As a result, we have collaborated with anime that are also popular overseas, but that has been due to the work’s qualities and compatibility.
Q: Companies often speak about improving their planning capabilities in their medium to long-term goals. What does that mean here for you in practice at Dungeon ∞ Spiral, location-based operations more broadly, and overall at Sony Music Group (Japan)?
A: It goes without saying that LBE can become a major entertainment medium in today’s trends, especially as a place for IP fans to interact. However, Dungeon ∞ Spiral itself proposes a new style of play (including several patented elements), so we believe it can be expanded on its own both domestically and overseas.
Q: The Frieren collaboration this summer extends beyond Dungeon ∞ Spiral to include adjacent experiences, like merchandise, photo booths, and themed food and drinks at different companies within the Tokyu Kabukicho Tower building. What are the difficulties, but also successes, that come from coordinating this with different companies in the area?
A: As Kabukicho Tower enters its third year of operation, cooperation among tenants has deepened considerably. No matter how fun Dungeon ∞ Spiral is, it remains an experience of about an hour. The whole building recognizes the importance of offering a composite experience for the many visitors who want to enjoy leisure for half a day. With this shared understanding, it’s only a matter of aligning conditions—and SMS is used to doing that.
Q: One of the companies that will work with Sony Music Group (Japan) during Frieren’s Dungeon ∞ Spiral tie-up is Namco Tokyo, which is owned by Bandai Namco. Sony recently acquired shares in Bandai Namco, in part to coordinate on experiential entertainment:
How do you envision the strategic partnership aiding Sony’s location-based business, and as a result of the share acquisition, are you now discussing more, and further entwined collaborations?
A: From our standpoint running the attraction on-site, we have no comment on this. From the beginning, Bandai Namco and the Sony Group have had a relationship of mutual respect in the entertainment industry, and the same is true for TTM and Namco Tokyo at the operational level.
Q: Is the long-term view for Sony’s location-based planning and production capabilities to blossom into anime theme parks—permanent or otherwise?
A: We cannot comment on this either. Personally, I think an anime theme park would be a lot of fun.
Q: What is Sony Music Group (Japan)’s motto/mantra/key focus areas for location-based experiences?
A: As one of the leading companies in entertainment, Sony Music has connected the talents of wonderful creators to fans in the right ways. As for LBE, since it’s still in the experimental stage, there is no established company-wide motto yet. Speaking purely as TTM, we value above all providing a tangible, hands-on experience that can’t be gained from online games or watching videos—and creating memories with the people you’re with.
Many thanks to Sony Music Solutions for coordinating this interview. Dungeon ∞ Spiral is a permanent dungeon-inspired location-based gaming experience; the Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End limited-time collaboration will continue to run until September 23.
©Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe/Shogakukan/”Frieren” Project © Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.
©Sony Music Solutions Inc.
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