The key visual for “Soyogi EXPO,” the culminating 3D entertainment live event for the “Soyogi Fractal” AI voice project celebrating voice actor Yuki Kaji’s 20th anniversary, was unveiled on July 15, 2025. This striking visual was created by the celebrated manga artist Kohei Horikoshi, known for his worldwide hit My Hero Academia, drawing significant attention from fans and industry professionals alike.
目次
- 1 A Vibrant Key Visual From the Pen of My Hero Academia‘s Kohei Horikoshi
- 2 Kohei Horikoshi: “Human Passion Certainly Resides Within”
- 3 What is ‘Soyogi EXPO’? A New Entertainment Co-created by AI and Humans
- 4 ‘Soyogi EXPO’ Event Details
- 5 Yuki Kaji: “The Very Future of Humans and AI” – A Passionate Vision for the Project
- 6 Crowdfunding Launched to Produce a 17-Track Album
- 7 Crowdfunding Overview
- 8 About the AI Voice Project ‘Soyogi Fractal’
A Vibrant Key Visual From the Pen of My Hero Academia‘s Kohei Horikoshi
The newly released key visual features the project’s main AI character, Soyogi Soyogi. While respecting the delicate aesthetic of original character designer Mai Yoneyama, Horikoshi has infused the illustration with his signature powerful touch, creating a dynamic and visceral expression for the virtual being.
Kohei Horikoshi: “Human Passion Certainly Resides Within”
Kohei Horikoshi, the artist behind the key visual, shared the following comment:
“I heard about the passionate dedication Kaji-san has for this project. Although Soyogi-kun is a virtual existence, human passion certainly resides deep within him. That’s why I dared to give him a dynamic and flesh-and-blood expression. I drew this hoping to create a meaningful piece that reflects the work of the My Hero Academia author, while being careful not to disrupt the delicate imagery of Yoneyama-sensei.”
What is ‘Soyogi EXPO’? A New Entertainment Co-created by AI and Humans
“Soyogi EXPO” is the first live stage event to bring the “Soyogi Fractal” mission of “co-creation between AI and humans” into a physical space. A 3D model of Soyogi Soyogi will take the stage alongside his voice originator, Yuki Kaji, to perform dramatic readings and vocal duets.
The event aims to forge a one-of-a-kind, “in-the-moment” experience born from the fusion of digital and analog, AI and human. Furthermore, a lineup of distinguished artists will contribute new songs written exclusively for the performance, expanding Soyogi Soyogi’s identity through music.
‘Soyogi EXPO’ Event Details
- Title: Soyogi Soyogi 1st EXPO “0rigin”
- Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026 (Matinee and Evening Performances)
- Venue: Tokyo Garden Theater
- Seating: All seats reserved
- Age Restriction: Preschool children will not be admitted
Yuki Kaji: “The Very Future of Humans and AI” – A Passionate Vision for the Project
Yuki Kaji, the original planner of the project, shared an impassioned message for his fans:
“——That voice creates the future. I believe that when cutting-edge digital technology intersects with the analog expression of a voice actor, a performance is born that is neither a mere ‘reproduction’ nor ‘virtual,’ but exists only in that very moment. The sight of two performers with the same voice, bringing their individualities together to resonate, is the very future of humans and AI. For ‘Soyogi Fractal,’ the ‘Soyogi EXPO’ is our first major goal and a new start toward the next creation. Please come and experience this unique stage in real time!”
Crowdfunding Launched to Produce a 17-Track Album
A crowdfunding campaign has been launched on the “CAMPFIRE” platform to help fund “Soyogi EXPO” and produce a compilation album featuring all 17 new songs written for the event.
The campaign is an “All-or-Nothing” model, meaning the project will only be funded if it reaches its 10 million yen goal.
Crowdfunding Overview
- Campaign Period: July 15, 2025 (Tues) 20:00 – August 31, 2025 (Sun) 23:59
- Target Amount: 10,000,000 JPY
- Format: All-or-Nothing
- CAMPFIRE Page: https://camp-fire.jp/projects/842676/view
About the AI Voice Project ‘Soyogi Fractal’
“Soyogi Fractal” is a character project centered around “Soyogi Soyogi,” a voice synthesis software based on the voice of Yuki Kaji. Kaji himself initiated the project with the desire “to create a place where anyone, professional or amateur, who wants to make something interesting can gather.” Through collaborations with various creators, the project chronicles the journey of the AI character Soyogi Soyogi as he forms a personality and grows.
This new form of creation, woven together by a one-of-a-kind voice actor, cutting-edge AI technology, and premier creators, is set to pioneer the future of entertainment.