My Monstra - Mobile application

MONSTRA is a Lisbon Animation Festival and its main objective is to celebrate artistic transversality, promote the meeting between people of different arts and transmit new aesthetic perspectives, using as a basis the most multidisciplinary language we know: Animation Cinema.
It is currently a prominent event in Lisbon, national and international cultural panorama.
In 2023 Monstra celebrated the 22nd edition of the Lisbon Animation Festival, from March 15 to 26, with a program that paid homage to Japanese and Portuguese animation with special screenings of short and feature films, workshops and master classes.
In this sense, Unloop developed an augmented reality application through which it is possible to superimpose the Monsters that our team created in any environment, in any city, anywhere in the world!
Each monster that our artists developed has some characteristics of Japan's Folklore and Traditional Pop Culture.

The Augmented reality application was designed to make the user experience flow simple, interactive, and intuitive.
Likewise, the user is invited to interact and discover the hidden world of Monstra.

FEATURES:
1. Wide selection of elements to express your creativity
2. Set original scenarios in augmented reality
3. And share your creativity with the world!

Within an immersive experience in augmented reality, the My Monstra mobile application allows users to immerse themselves into the creative process by crafting their own scenario with a variety of thematic elements, opening the door to the Monstra world wherever you are and as a bonus, the user can save the result on his phone and share it via social media.
Our interest in the Japanese culture at Unloop took our participation in this project to the next level and made it all the more special.

came to life thanks to the extraordinary skills of our Motion graphic designer, Adrian Soto, with Artificial Intelligence tools. In his creative process, Adrian was inspired by the authentic style of Japanese ads.

were designed by different team members, each inspired by various creatures from Japanese folklore.
Rokurokubi, a yōkai from Japanese folklore known for its ability to elongate its neck, inspired our creative director, Arina, to create a hybrid creature with a twist - Geisha during the light of the day, whose neck stretches at night.
Nine-Tailed Fox (Kyuubi no Kitsune), created by the designer Telma, is a semi-divine associated in Japanese mythology with warriors and possessing great wisdom.
Ōtakemaru, an Oni, designed by the programmer Felipe, is known for its distinctive shape and carrying a spiked metal club.

were created by Joana Vieira, a 3D artist, and were inspired by cultural elements and traditions, carefully chosen for their visual richness and symbolic significance.
Inu Hariko draws inspiration from the dog of the same name and Koinobori flags, symbolizing protection, family, and good luck.
Shishi is a representation of the lion dance (Shishi-mai) performed during the new year, believed to expel evil and bring good luck and health.

are the results of a unique approach taken by Duarte Carvalho, a 3D artist. Instead of traditional inspirations, Duarte reinterprets monsters discovered by the Portuguese during the Age of Discovery through a Japanese perspective. The result is a fascinating blend of cultural influences, offering a fresh and intriguing take on both Portuguese history and Japanese mythology.

were illustrated by Aleksei Kurilov, a 3D artist, who explains that these elements represent what many envision as essential aspects of Japanese culture, beyond the realm of anime.

People from all around the world shared with us their experiences while they were exploring the fantasy world of Monstra with our mobile application, interacting with our monsters and elements within augmented reality.

Try it yourself and share with us your unique experience!
MY MONSTRA App is available for both Android and iOS

CONCEPT – Helder da Rocha Pereira
CREATIVE DIRECTION – Arina Zhumasheva
ILLUSTRATION & ANIMATION – Arina Zhumasheva, Aleksei Kurilov, Joana Vieira, Adrian Soto, Duarte Carvalho, Telma Santana, Felipe Gomes
DESIGN – Arina Zhumasheva, Telma Santana
DEVELOPMENT – Maurício Ferreira, Juliana Quintas
SOUND DESIGN – Juliana Quintas