The appeal and evaluation of "Ingress": Success and challenges as a pioneer of AR games

Ingress: A new form of entertainment set in the world of augmented reality

"Ingress" is a TV anime series that aired in 2018, based on the location-based game of the same name developed by Niantic, Inc. This anime attracted attention as a work that allows viewers to experience a new "augmented reality entertainment" that links with the real world. It was broadcast on Fuji TV from October 18 to December 27, 2018, every Thursday from 12:55 a.m. The series consists of 11 episodes, each 30 minutes long, directed by Yuhei Sakuragi and animated by Craftar.

story

In 2013, a secret project called Project Niantic was launched at CERN, the Swiss nuclear research institute, in the shadows of the discovery of the Higgs boson. The purpose of this project was to study exotic matter (XM), an unknown substance that interferes with the human mind. XM has influenced people's minds and abilities since ancient times, and has had a major impact on human history. Institutions around the world have been secretly researching it, and XM has been seen as either a hope or a threat to humanity, sparking a battle to obtain it among major powers and corporations.

The world has been divided into two camps: the "Enlightened," who accept the power of XM and seek to use it for the evolution of humanity, and the "Resistance," who see XM as a threat and seek to control it. In 2018, a new battle over XM begins in Tokyo. A new "augmented reality entertainment" that links animation, online location-based games, and reality has begun.

Commentary

"Ingress" is a location-based smartphone game that uses AR (Augmented Reality), which was officially launched in 2012 and has been distributed in over 200 countries and regions around the world, with over 20 million downloads. It is developed and operated by Niantic, Inc., which became independent from Google in September 2015 and created a global sensation with "Pokemon GO."

Players participate as "agents," choose either the green "Enlightened" or the blue "Resistance" faction, and battle for territory around bases called "portals." Ingress maps use real map data, and portals are set to real locations such as shrines, temples, historical sites, and works of art. By capturing portals and connecting the portals captured by your own faction to form triangles, a "control field" (CF) is formed, and the basic rule is that both factions compete to see who can get the most MU (mind units) in this control field.

But it also has more to offer; a story that changes depending on the actions of agents in the real world, complex characters, and puzzle-solving elements such as deciphering codes that have excited players around the world.

cast

The main cast of Ingress is as follows:

• Makoto Midorikawa - Yoshiki Nakajima
• Sarah Coppola - Reina Ueda
• Jack Norman - Shigeo Koyama
• Christopher Brant - Tarusuke Araki
• Liu Tianhua - Toriumi Kosuke
• Kunikida Jion - Tone Kentaro
• Hank Johnson - Hiroo Sasaki
• ADA - Megumi Ogata

Main Staff

The main staff of Ingress are as follows:

• Original work - NIANTIC
• Director - Yuhei Sakuragi
• Screenplay: Tsukishima Souki, Tsukishima Tora, Akasaka Hajime
• Music: Hidehiro Kawai
• Character design - Honda Takeshi
• Assistant Director - Keiya Irikawa
• CG Director - Atsushi Furukawa
• Art director: Hiroshi Kato (Totonyan), Hirofumi Sakagami
• Assistant Art Director - Houmi Arai
• Concept Artist: Kazuma Koda
• Modeling Director - Masashi Miyaoka
• Animation Director - Kobayashi Maru
• Director of photography - Tatsuya Nomura
• Production Producer: Tomohiko Ishii
• Sound Director: Tomohiko Ishii
• Animation production - craftar

Main Characters

The main characters of Ingress are:

• Makoto Midorikawa - A special investigator for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. He has the ability to read the memories of things he touches (psychometry). He meets Sarah and learns the existence of XM and the secret of his own ability.
• Sarah Coppola - A woman who has lost her memory. She meets Makoto after an explosion at the Huron Laboratory, where XM is being researched.
• Jack Norman - A former mercenary agent. A mysterious man who pursues Sarah. He has the ability to "predict the future a moment ahead (flash forward)."
• Christopher Brandt - A "general scientist" with vast knowledge of physics, engineering, computer science, etc. He employs Jack as his bodyguard.
• Liu Tianhua - A senior employee of Huron (security officer). He acts for the organization's purposes and often stands in the way of Makoto and his friends.
• Kunikida Jion - Makoto's friend from his days as a hacker. A "counterfeiter" who makes a living by forging official documents.
• Hank Johnson - Former Spec Ops (US Special Forces), now an archaeologist working to discover and study the locations of special "power spots" that can connect to Exotic Matter (XM) portals.
• ADA (A Detection Algorithm) - An artificial intelligence developed to assist researchers in the Niantic Project. It acquires emotions through exposure to XM.

Main Robot Items

The main items and concepts in Ingress are:

• Ingress - In 2013, the existence of an unknown substance was discovered at the particle physics laboratory CERN. This substance, called Exotic Matter (XM), has had a major impact on the mind of humanity since ancient times. A fierce battle is unfolding between the green force "Enlightened" and the blue force "Resistance" over XM. You too can become one of the "agents"...!
• Exotic Matter (XM) - An unknown substance that affects the human mind. Since ancient times, it has played a major role behind the scenes of history. It is said that the special power felt near shrines, monuments, and special power spots is due to the influence of this XM.
• Portal - A place where XM accumulates. Portals include temples, shrines, monuments, sculptures, murals, and public facilities that contain a lot of XM. Portals belong to different factions depending on their color: green is for the Enlightened, blue is for the Resistance, and white is for portals that do not belong to either faction.
• Factions - In Ingress, two opposing factions compete for portals based on their own beliefs. (Enlightened) The green faction. They accept XM as a natural substance and actively seek to use it for the evolution and development of humanity. (Resistance) The blue faction. They believe that because XM is an unknown substance, it may have a negative impact in the future, and they seek to study XM more deeply to get to the truth of it.
• Sensitive - A person who has awakened special potential abilities not found in ordinary people through XM. The abilities that manifest vary from person to person. Research has shown that all people with special abilities are sensitive.
• Huron Transglobal - A large company conducting XM research around the world. There are rumors that there is a powerful force behind it.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode of Ingress are as follows:

• #01 - Begin? Danger? Message
• #02 - Escape - Past - Destiny
• #03 - Advance - Discover - Conflict
• #04 - Separate - Together - Pursue
• #05 - Journey - Portal - Potential
• #06 - Enlightenment - Resistance - Chaos
• #07 - Nature - Civilization - Soul
• #08 - Forget - Date - Rebel
• #09 - Live - Die - Truth
• #10 - Destroy - Create - Answer
• #11 - Us - Them - All

Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs for "Ingress" are as follows:

Opening Theme

• Period - Episodes 1 to 11
• Song Title - Tessellate
• Lyricists: Joe Newman, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Gwil Sainsbury
• Composer: Joe Newman, Gus Unger Hamilton, Gwil Sainsbury
• Arranged by Charlie Andrew
• Singer - alt-J

Ending Theme

• Period - Episodes 1 to 11
• Song Title - In Cold Blood
• Lyricist: Joe Newman, Gus Unger Hamilton, Tom Sonny Green
• Composer: Joe Newman, Gus Unger Hamilton, Tom Sonny Green
• Arranged by Charlie Andrew
• Singer - alt-J

Evaluation and Impressions

"Ingress" was a very unique attempt to create an anime based on an AR game. The story, which linked to the real world, provided viewers with a new entertainment experience. In particular, the story, which revolved around an unknown substance called XM, exquisitely blended scientific and mystical elements, and had the power to draw viewers in.

The character settings were also fascinating, and the special abilities of each character, such as Makoto Midorikawa's psychometry ability and Jack Norman's flash forward ability, made the story more exciting. In addition, the setting that the artificial intelligence called ADA has emotions also made me think about the future of AI.

The animation quality was also high, with particularly effective use of CG. The depiction of the portals and control fields faithfully reproduced the atmosphere of the game, creating a strong visual impact. Additionally, the music by alt-J enhanced the atmosphere of the film, enriching the viewing experience.

However, some viewers said that the story was too complicated and difficult to understand. In particular, the concepts of XM and portals may be difficult to understand if you don't have background knowledge of the game. Also, some people felt that the short broadcast period of 11 episodes did not provide enough character development or story development.

Recommended points

"Ingress" is recommended not only for AR game fans, but also for those who like science fiction and mysteries. In particular, it is a must-watch for those who are interested in the story that links to the real world and the battle over the unknown substance called XM. It will also be enjoyed by those who are interested in the depiction of the characters' special abilities and artificial intelligence.

Additionally, for those who like alt-J's music, the opening and ending themes are a great addition to the series. The anime and music go well together, making for a richer viewing experience.

"Ingress" has provided many viewers with a fresh experience as a new form of entertainment set in the world of augmented reality. Please experience the world of XM through this work.