When visitors enter ONE PIECE x Mercer Labs, they’re stepping into a new kind of exhibition. Unveiled on October 9, during New York Comic Con, this groundbreaking collaboration between Mercer Labs: Museum of Art and Technology and Toei Animation reimagines Eiichiro Oda’s legendary manga and anime series as a fully immersive experience. The installation transforms Monkey D. Luffy’s high-seas adventure into a sensory journey where digital art, sound, and light converge.
At the helm is Nasir Dean, Mercer Labs’ former Manager of Special Projects and the driving force behind the partnership. As a creative strategist and lifelong anime fan, he envisioned ONE PIECE x Mercer Labs as a bridge between generations, art forms, and global audiences. “I wanted to do something different,” he said. “You could always have a musical talent, but for me, I wanted to create something that connected people through storytelling, technology, and culture.”
Dean’s passion for anime began at 14, when he started watching One Piece religiously. What began as fascination evolved into inspiration. “The thing that gravitated me mostly toward anime culture was the storytelling,” he explained. “Their character arcs are so detailed. All of them have their own individual worlds, and One Piece is so in-depth, it has thousands of episodes. I’ve been watching it for ten years.” That long-term commitment, he says, shaped his perspective on creativity itself. “This is not only a show—it’s a lifestyle, it’s a culture.”
When Dean joined Mercer Labs, he knew immediately that One Piece would be the project to realize his vision for immersive storytelling. “I wanted to provide a cultural experience for everyone—those who are fans and those who aren’t yet—to make a new purpose behind the visual immersive experience,” he said. “So we shot for the stars and we got one.”
To make the dream real, Dean worked closely with his friend and partner Kokushin “Koke” Hirokawa, founder of Kiki, Inc., who connected him to Toei Animation in Japan. “He’s my contact in Japan, and a brother to me,” Dean says. “He helped put me in contact with them, and from there, I formed the partnership.” In December 2024, Dean flew to Tokyo to finalize the collaboration, setting off a year-long creative process that culminated this fall.
The resulting exhibition—on view through November 30—brings the One Piece universe to life across digital landscapes and interactive installations. Visitors can expect to navigate cinematic projections, explore behind-the-scenes artwork from Toei’s archives, and engage with experiences that merge art and technology. VIP tickets even include themed treats like mochi and a custom drink, underscoring the blend of luxury and fandom that defines Mercer Labs’ curatorial style.
For Dean, the project represents the evolution of anime’s global influence. “When I was in school, it wasn’t always cool to like anime,” he recalls. “Now it’s the coolest thing ever. That’s why now is the time—people who are fans and people who aren’t can connect through immersive experiences. It’s big for the culture.” He believes this exhibition reflects the genre’s future. “There’s nothing like it. There are always new anime coming out, new fans being made. I think it’s going to become even bigger of a phenomenon.”
The expansion of anime’s reach is also about opening new paths for young visionaries. “Right now being a rapper is cool, being an actor is cool,” Dean says. “But for me, owning my own anime is cool. Having your own creations is cool. I want to show the youth that you can build your own universe and still provide for your family. That takes dedication, and I want to be a symbol of that hard work.”
Dean’s long-term goal is to create spaces where art, culture, and innovation meet—places that celebrate imagination while inviting collaboration. His groundbreaking show is a blueprint for that vision, offering an entry point for anyone curious about anime or immersive art.
“If you don’t know the anime, it’s going to instantly make you want to be a fan,” he says. “You’ll be completely engulfed in the creativity, the colors, the dynamic grandness. All of those curiosities are being fed by the actual entity, which is One Piece x Mercer Labs. That’s what I worked so hard to do.”
