An enormous cat has been causing double-takes in one of Tokyo’s busiest entertainment districts.
Spotted at the top of a building in Shinjuku, the 3D cat is actually a remarkably lifelike video image that’s been incorporated into a digital billboard.
The ad space, which is located at the top of the new Cross Shinjuku building, officially launches next week. But in recent days the operator has been testing the anamorphic illusion, which has to be viewed from a particular angle to get the full effect.
It seems the idea is to use the giant cat to grab the attention of visiting crowds before serving up regular video ads and other broadcasts on the same display.
Video clips of the feline have already gone viral, with many people awed by the realistic-looking creature when they first spot it moving around high above.
According to online accounts of the impressive installation, the cat’s behavior varies as the day goes on, so in the morning passers-by can see it emerging from a nap, while later on, it takes more of an interest in the people below, audibly meowing at them. And then, at the end of the day, it curls up and goes to sleep.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen curved displays creating illusions like this. Last year, a screen launched in downtown Seoul, South Korea, appeared to show a huge wave crashing about inside a massive glass tank.
Research company Omdia said Korean tech giant Samsung has dominated the digital signage market for more than a decade, with local rival LG also taking a significant share. And with the market forecast to grow from $12.5 billion in 2020 to $15.2 billion by 2023, we can expect to see more of these displays popping up in major cities around the world in the coming years.
