The Stand By Me Doraemon 2 XR Ride
Guests stepped into the future on the first-ever Doraemon theme park ride—a time-traveling, VR roller coaster adventure where they chased Nobita through the past, present, and future in a first-of-its-kind experience!
As Art Director, I guided the creative vision for both the VR animation and the physical scenic design for the attraction. It was a real honor working alongside Oscar-winning director, Takashi Yamazaki (Godzilla Minus One) on this iconic franchise. Doraemon is often referred to as the Mickey Mouse of Japan. This high-speed, time-travel adventure immersed riders in an original story where they chase Nobita through time, face dinosaurs, feel wind, heat, and more. The attraction earned an 80% guest satisfaction score—even during the pandemic—and went on to win a Bravo Award at Universal Studios for exceeding its business targets.
Storyboard to Speedrun
Creating animation for VR rides requires a unique approach to storytelling—it’s about building a immersive world guests can explore at 24 mph. Every frame had to be designed for 360° viewing, blending real-time and pre-rendered elements, all while syncing perfectly to the coaster’s twists and turns. Here's a sneak peek at the preproduction process: storyboards, animatics, and previs that helped bring the vision to life. (Art Direction and thumbnail storyboards: Michaelangelo Rocco. All work © their respective owners.)
Here’s a peek inside my art director’s package, conveying the vision and direction of the scenic design for the physical attraction. Huge shout-out to the incredible team—3D artists, writers, painters, fabricators, field art directors, wardrobe managers—who helped bring it all to life. Attraction design is a team sport.