From Smilegate:
Smilegate's highly anticipated next-generation subculture title MIRESI: Invisible Future received an enthusiastic response through its first-ever playable demo in North America. The demo area maintained average wait times of nearly three hours throughout the event. The MIRESI-themed Happi Coat given to demo participants also became one of Anime Expo's most sought-after giveaway items. Among the stage programs, the Dev Talk, where the development team introduced the game's world, characters, and combat system while interacting directly with attendees, drew especially strong interest. Live drawing shows featuring Art Director Hyung-sup "Hyulla" Kim alongside renowned illustrators REIQ, Karory, and Ruca were also major highlights. Another fan favorite was the MIRESI Challenge, an interactive stage event where attendees learned about the game by following motions alongside cosplay models.
On the evening of July 4 (local time), Art Director Hyulla also hosted a separate live drawing session with guest illustrator REIQ. Despite MIRESI being an unreleased IP, the hour-long live drawing show filled nearly every seat. During the session, Art Director Hyung-sup "Hyulla" Kim illustrated Tieria in a bunny girl outfit while REIQ drew Itsuka in a swimsuit, with both artists answering audience questions live throughout the event.
Meanwhile, CZN, which has built a growing fanbase in North America, saw strong participation in its physical card collection event featuring real-world versions of the game's signature combat cards. Interest centered on the raffle for a 24K Gold Card, available to players who completed the full collection of 15 cards. Participants actively traded cards with one another and joined on-site exchange events to complete their collections. Each morning, eager attendees lined up before the exhibition opened to secure one of the limited raffle entries for the Gold Card. In addition, most CZN merchandise sold at AmiAmi's on-site booth also sold out during the event.
The development team also connected closely with fans throughout the event. During autograph sessions, CZN Super Creative Studio Co-Head & Game Director Hyung-suk Kim, Art Director Su-been So, and Epic Seven Art Director Han-kyung Ryu met with attendees in person, listening to their feedback and expressing their appreciation for the community's support.
In addition, during the special panel held on the evening of July 3 (local time), Super Creative Studio Co-Head & Game Director Hyung-suk Kim shared the development history of CZN, explaining the team's philosophy of developing 2D animation games rooted in sincerity while engaging directly with fans. The presentation concluded with the world's first reveal of information on the game's upcoming season, drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience. Despite taking place late in the evening after the main exhibition had closed, the panel attracted a large audience.
Noju Lee, Director of Marketing at Smilegate, said, "Anime Expo gave us a valuable opportunity to see firsthand the passion North American fans have for 2D animation games and the culture surrounding them. As Smilegate's first appearance at AX, we hope this event will help Chaos Zero Nightmare continue growing its fanbase while paving the way for MIRESI to successfully establish itself in the North American market."
