Immersive seats create a “cinema in a small space”. “Karaage-kun” also on sale at Lawson United Cinema New Theater – AV Watch

Lawson United Cinema held an information session for the media on April 24th, ahead of the opening of the new cinema complex “Lawson United Cinema STYLE-S Minato Mirai”, which will be the first new building after the company name change. He explained the purpose of installing “FLEXOUND Augmented Audio,” an “immersive” sound experience system on all screens and seats.

United Cinema, a Lawson group company, will change its company name to “Lawson United Cinema Co., Ltd.” on March 1, 2024. Lawson United Cinema STYLE-S Minato Mirai, the first new building after the company name change, will open on April 26th.

The theater is a new multiplex movie theater that will open within the large commercial facility “MARK IS Minato Mirai” in the Minato Mirai 21 district. There are 12 screens and 1,050 seats (including wheelchair space).

It is located on the 5th floor of MARK IS Minatomirai, 3-5-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. MARK IS Minatomirai is directly connected to Minatomirai Station on the Yokohama Rapid Railway Minatomirai Line.

The theater name “STYLE-S” is Lawson United Cinema’s next-generation brand that “offers a special and superior experience, and is a space that stimulates the sensitivity of our customers. The meaning is “providing a sensational viewing environment with sophisticated (sophisticated) sound and selected viewing seats.”

All screens and seats are FLEXOUND.Seats are usually upholstered

The biggest feature is that all screens and seats are equipped with chairs equipped with built-in speakers that generate sound and vibrations using patented technology from FLEXOUND, a Finnish company that develops extended sound systems. thing. The sound and vibrations emitted from the pillow and back of this chair allow you to feel the sound throughout your entire body.

FLEXOUND has been installed in movie theaters around the world, and only Lawson United Cinema has installed it in Japan. It is already in operation at United Cinema Aqua City Odaiba in Daiba, Tokyo, but this will be the first time in the world that it will be installed on all screens and seats.

Additionally, when using FLEXOUND at Aqua City Odaiba, there is an additional charge of 200 yen, but at STYLE-S Minato Mirai, there is no additional charge and you can enjoy FLEXOUND for the regular movie viewing price.

Leather-covered “acoustic experience premium seat”

In addition to these regular seats, we also offer the “Acoustic Experience Premium Seat,” which is a spacious and comfortable leather seat that allows you to experience a deeper immersive experience, for a special price of 3,000 yen (with one drink voucher / 2,500 yen for members).

Special opening screenings include a screening of all Star Wars episodes, a sequential screening of all Harry Potter films, and a screening of “Top Gun: Maverick.”

12 screens with a capacity of 298 people

Screen 6 with a capacity of 75 people

FLEXOUND allows you to create a movie theater even in a small space

Mr. Toshihide Shimizu, Representative Director and President of Lawson United Cinema

At the briefing session, Lawson’s Managing Executive Officer and Entertainment Company President Akihito Watanabe and Lawson United Cinema’s President and Representative Director Toshihide Shimizu explained the features of the new theater and the background behind the company name change. A new logo was also unveiled.

Lawson United Cinemas has a high adoption rate of large format facilities.

President and CEO Shimizu said, “We have been pioneering the introduction of large formats such as 4DX, IMAX, and Screen Our share rate is 11.2%, but we have a high number for equipment called large format.” Regarding FLEXOUND, the company once again explained that it is the only company in Japan that has introduced it.

“As there are more and more opportunities to watch and experience a variety of images in the world, we are creating opportunities for customers to become more immersed in images and provide a more immersive feeling in the real space (of movie theaters). I feel the need to do so.”

“(FLEXOUND) has a speaker behind the head of the seat, and it is a device that allows you to experience the vibrations through your back.The first thing you can do to experience the sound is that in a movie theater, there are speakers on the left and right sides of the theater. However, with FLEXOUND, the sound is emitted from the chair itself and is transmitted directly to your body, from low to high frequencies.Also, you can feel the sound directly with your body without passing through the air. It’s an unenjoyable visual experience.”

Additionally, when opening a movie theater within an existing commercial facility, FLEXOUND has advantages over other large formats in terms of space and soundproofing.

“When building a movie theater in an existing building, there are various issues that need to be cleared, such as the Entertainment Act and the Building Standards Act. At FLEXOUND, the chairs themselves are equipped with sound equipment, so there are no opinions regarding soundproofing. In that sense, it is possible to create a movie theater in a commercial facility where there was no movie theater in the first place, and there is no need to build a box that can accommodate a large number of spectators. By installing FLEXOUND, it becomes possible (to create a movie theater) even in a small space.”

A projector is placed above the hallway connecting each screen.

It was also revealed that at STYLE-S Minato Mirai, they intentionally did not create a projection room, and instead placed the projector above the hallway inside the theater in an effort to make the space more efficient.

Lawson’s Managing Executive Officer Watanabe also said, “Large-scale screens are difficult to build in places with a small population or small number of people.”There are many people in Japan who can be called “screen refugees” who don’t have screens in their own cities. “I’m here,” he said. To solve this problem, we have been researching technology for the past 10 years to create movie theaters in existing commercial facilities and places where the population is not large enough to open a large cinema complex. -S Minato Mirai is one of the solutions.