“Avatars as extensions of ourselves that offer new perspectives” – Kazuki Yuhara (FIRST VIRTUAL SUIT)

A bright experiment in an often serious field, FIRST VIRTUAL SUIT turns identity into play, showing that immersive storytelling doesn’t always lose its effectiveness when it makes you laugh rather than cry.

Cover: FIRST VIRTUAL SUIT, Kazuki Yuhara (Cinemaleap)

In the near future, as virtual reality becomes a part of everyday life, creating and using avatars becomes the norm. But what do we choose to project onto these digital selves? Are they idealised versions of who we wish to be — or reflections of our true selves, long hidden within?
FIRST VIRTUAL SUIT follows a young person who creates their first avatar, only to find themselves on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. As they explore the possibilities of digital embodiment, they are confronted with memories, insecurities, and a version of themselves they had forgotten. In this immersive narrative experience, the virtual becomes a mirror, and the avatar becomes a doorway to the self.

Biennale Cinema | Venice Immersive

Each year, the works shown at Venice Immersive often take on complex, demanding themes, approached with seriousness and sometimes a touch of heaviness.

That isn’t a flaw in itself: the overall quality is usually high to very high. Still, it’s natural — and I see the same thing happening with the audience that’s following the movie section of the festival — to look for pieces that aren’t trivial yet leave you smiling, with the energy to face the day in a better mood.

In this 9th edition of Venice Immersive, the piece that most had this effect on us was FIRST VIRTUAL SUIT, a mixed reality experience created by Kazuki Yuhara and produced by CinemaLeap with Rhino Studios. I say “us” because, for once, I was able to experience it alongside my partner in crime at XRMust, the fantastic Karen Cirillo (go and read her recent editorial now).

The piece tackles a theme that cuts across societies: identity — and, even more, the difficulty of choosing your own when you’re faced with millions of possible options.

That abundance of (confusing) choices was far less true for our parents and grandparents, but it is now clearly weighing on the mental health of younger generations. Yet the work is always light and cheery. It uses the musical genre (!!!) and the vibrant colors that shape today’s virtual worlds to help us find an answer to our chronic indecision.

Karen won’t deny that we both laughed out loud more than once, and a few narrative choices have already turned into memorable memes: indeed, I’ve been asked twice, “What kind of poop were you?”… and, funnily enough, there’s an actual answer to this.

Ah, the joy of these things.

Here’s what Kazuki Yuhara, director of the piece, told us about it.

At the origins of FIRST VIRTUAL SUIT

KAZUKI YUHARA – The idea behind FIRST VIRTUAL SUIT emerged from the question of whether avatars in virtual worlds could help young people ease anxieties about the future and explore their identities. Through humor, music, and the freedom to choose avatars, we aim to offer an experience where audiences can project their emotions and personalities onto avatars and discover new versions of themselves.

It’s a musical!

K. Y. – For FIRST VIRTUAL SUIT, we decided early in the production process to make music the core of the work. The motivation came from the desire to let audiences experience the theme of identity in a natural and engaging way through songs and humor, rather than presenting it overly seriously.

Starting with the composer’s music as the foundation, we closely collaborated with the lyricist and choreographer. The movements of the avatars were designed to synchronize with the music, while the direction and VFX were integrated to follow the rhythm, creating an immersive feeling as if audiences had stepped right onto the stage.

Through this process, we aimed to craft a VR-exclusive musical experience where music and narrative complement each other seamlessly.

On the mixed reality component

K. Y. – Our use of MR is not driven by technical curiosity alone. What we aim for is a seamless experience where audiences can move naturally between their “real selves” and “virtual selves.” By combining MR and VR, we bring together the physical sensations of reality and the possibilities of virtual worlds, adding greater depth to stories about identity told through avatars.

Avatars as a mean to explore identity

K. Y. – The avatars in FIRST VIRTUAL SUIT were designed to allow audiences to explore “who they are” through diverse appearances.

For the characters, we imagined not only fictional avatars but also real people we know—friends or people we met in virtual spaces—wondering, “What would this person look like here?” or “What kind of character might live behind this avatar?”

I see avatars not as mere digital doubles but as extensions of ourselves that offer new perspectives. I’m also fascinated by research showing how one’s behavior and attitude can change depending on the avatar one wears, as if the avatar naturally brings out aspects of their inner self.

An immersive comedy

K. Y. – Immersive technologies tend to be linked to serious themes because of their intense, subjective sense of presence. This offers unique expressive possibilities that only VR can achieve.

At the same time, we believe it’s equally important to create spaces where audiences can laugh and feel at ease. As the technology matures and the expressive range expands, we believe there will be more opportunities for comedies and lighter works to flourish.