Folklore Fusion

Folklore Fusion

Folklore Fusion est un projet de communication visuelle qui explore la fusion entre tradition et narration moderne à travers un projet innovant de character design CGI.

Projet d’atelier (2025)

Savoir-faire
Réalité Augmentée (AR, XR), 3D Graphics, UX/UI, Scénographie, Web, Installation

Through the immense popularity of anime, manga, or global phenomena, Japanese narratives and visuals have conquered the world, shaping pop culture and popularizing themes from Japanese folklore in Western media. In this context, Folklore Fusion explores the creative interplay between tradition and modern visual storytelling with a cutting-edge CGI character project.

After an intense trip through Tokyo’s vibrant neighborhoods, rich history, architecture, and local legends, ECAL Bachelor Media & Interaction Design students created the Swijūs—fusion of “switzerland” and “Kai-Jū”—hybrid creatures blending Japanese and Swiss folklore. Each student focused on a specific district of Tokyo, merging its cultural and architectural identity with legendary figures from both traditions to craft unique narratives. By studying clichés and stereotypes, they reinterpreted cultural symbols to create an unexpected fusion between the two worlds.

Behind a seemingly naive approach, Folklore Fusion deeply investigates the capabilities of modular design system in both storytelling and visual language, following detailed creation guidelines that ensure balance between the two folklores. Much like a successful phenomenon expanding its range of media, the project plays with multiple cross-media formats that reflect how popular culture circulates in the digital age. It features an authentic trading card game (TCG) collection that easily fits into other existing decks, with various levels of rarity and immersive augmented reality (AR) content that brings the Swijūs to life. A magazine-style printed edition documents research inspirations, while an interactive online map allows exploration of a reimagined Tokyo where each Swijū watches over its district. Beyond paying homage and respect to Japanese culture, Folklore Fusion and its Swijū become imaginary artifacts of an era marked by cross-cultural influences and shared narratives.

Website

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Discover the world of Swijus

An interactive website showcases a map featuring every Swiju. It offers anecdotes, stories about the creatures, and project details Users can access the AR characters and read about their exciting specs.

Folklore Fusion Website

Trading Card Game

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Gotta collect 'Em All

Enhance your trading card collection with the unique Folklore Fusion booster pack, compatible with existing trading card games. This series of 56 exclusive bilingual Japanese-English cards introduces different types such as Creatures, Items, and Mana to seamlessly integrate with existing decks

Get your booster

Edition

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Explore the bilingual Folklore Fusion Japanese-English edition, a magazine-style book printed with metallic pantone. Serving as a visual archive, it compiles research, iconic imagery, and analyses to extend the project. By blending text, imagery, and AR content, it offers insights into the creative process behind the project.

Augmented Reality

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Scannez n’importe quel QR code AR Folklore Fusion présent dans les pages du magazine, et regardez les Swijūs jaillir de la surface pour envahir votre monde. Chaque créature se déploie en 3D complète, accompagnée de touches animées.

Head of Bachelor Media & Interaction Design / Head of Project

Pauline Saglio

Head of Visual Communication Department

Vincent Jacquier

3D Teacher

Kylan Luginbühl

Digital Content

Elodie Anglade

Trading Card Game Design

Jamy HerrmannJulien Gurtner  

Projects by

Elodie AngladeThéo DéchanezIsaïa DelaplaceViktor GagnéAlexandre GambariniAyten GönelEmma GrosuSasha IatseniaOdran JobinJérémie KursnerMélanie MartinMarius ParisodCharlotte PralongGary SandozJulie Turin

Copyrighting Contributors

Paul LëonSasha Iatsenia

Web Design, Interactive Content & Video

Sébastien Matos

Graphic design, Lettering & Illustration

Louis Roh

Japanese Translation

Michiki Jamie

Typefaces

OCR-X by Maxitype
Heisei Maru Gothic by Adobe Originals

Websites

folklore-fusion.net
ecal.ch

Credits

©2025 ECAL/University of Art and Design, Lausanne, and the respective artists and authors

Director of ECAL

Alexis Georgacopoulos

Aknowledgments

Matthieu Minguet
Fiammetta Pennisi (Head of Art-Science, Swissnex in Japan)
Kyoko Marumo Suzuki (Head, Science and Technology Office Tokyo, Embassy of Switzerland in Japan)
Anne-Mai Do (Project Manager, Science & Technology Office Tokyo, Embassy of Switzerland in Japan)

Supported by

ECAL/University of Art and Design, Lausanne
HES-SO, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland

©ECAL 2025