Hidetaka Kano and Tomoyuki Morikawa Get a Sneak Peek at “THE WORLD OF BIOHAZARD 30th Anniversary Exhibition”! Opens October 30

Mr. Kawada: Thank you so much to everyone who came out today.
We’ve put together a wonderful exhibition, so I hope you’ll all take a close look and enjoy it.
Thank you for your support.

Mr. Kano: I first encountered “Resident Evil” when I was in my first year of junior high school, and it left a huge impression on me. Thirty years later, I’m truly moved to be standing on such a wonderful stage.
I want to make sure to record this moment firmly on the typewriter of my life.
Thank you!

Mr. Morikawa: I have to say this line here.
“It feels like I’ve come back to Raccoon City.”

Mr. Kano: Wow, that really gives me chills! It’s starting to feel like Raccoon City!

Mr. Kawada: As we approach the 30th anniversary of “Resident Evil,” we wanted to create something that would leave a lasting legacy.
We wondered if we could go beyond simply listing the titles and instead organize an exhibition based on various themes.
This 30th Anniversary Exhibition is the result of making that vision a reality!

Mr. Kano: It was incredibly easy to navigate! It really brought back memories.

Mr. Kawada: There were sections exploring the very nature of the virus, for example.
Nostalgic characters made appearances—it was like, “Wow, there’s actually someone that big!”
We were able to bring all of that together for this exhibition, and since there’s even some information that’s never been released before, I really hope everyone enjoys it.

Mr. Kawada: Of course, the passion of the staff in charge was incredible, but I think we were able to create such wonderful exhibits by working together and exchanging ideas so that we wouldn’t be outdone by them.

Mr. Kano: I’ve been involved for a long time, and not all the staff members who worked on the original *Resident Evil* are still with us today, right?
But I really feel that the new staff members have carried on the spirit of their predecessors, and that legacy is being passed down.
It was really fascinating to see how all of that connects to form a single, continuous thread.

Mr. Kawada: As seen in the visual art for “THE WORLD OF BIOHAZARD 30th Anniversary Exhibition,” I think this is also represented by the DNA double helix.

Mr. Kano: As I mentioned earlier, it really brings back memories!
With panels, figurines, and information on characters from each series, there’s a wealth of details—not just about the protagonists, but also about the enemies and creatures.
When I played the games, there were those hated enemies that gave me such a hard time over and over again—but seeing them at this exhibition feels like, “Long time no see~!”!
It’s kind of like a class reunion—like, “You really put up a good fight back then,” or “You sure made me cry a lot!”(laughs)
It really tugged at my heartstrings.
It’s a nonstop parade of that!

Mr. Kano: People who’ve played the games before will definitely feel that way, and for first-timers—some of whom might even be dragged along—I think it’ll be fun to play the game, wonder “How will this character show up?” or “Why did this person end up like this?”, and then check your guesses against the actual story!

Mr. Kawada: All I remember from 30 years ago is working nonstop, no matter what.
I wasn’t involved with the original *Resident Evil*, but it was released around the year after I joined the company, so I witnessed its peak.
There were some things going on back then that I can’t really talk about here (laughs)
If anything, my strongest impression is that it all went by in the blink of an eye.
I mean, it’s been over 20 years since “Resident Evil 4” came out, but it doesn’t really feel like that, does it?

Mr. Kano: “Resident Evil 4” was a real shocker. It was packed with content, too.

Mr. Kawata: There’s even a section at the exhibition where you can experience “Resident Evil 4” for yourself!

Mr. Morikawa: It’s not just the visuals—from the perspective of someone who’s played the role, it really brings the story back to me.
Like, “Oh, this was that scene,” or “This part really makes me tear up.”
I’m not very good at video games, so I usually just enjoy watching Mr. Kano’s live commentary, but this time I was able to enjoy it by actually following the story myself.

Mr. Kano: It’s really great that the main characters, like Leon, have actually aged 30 years in the game, isn’t it?

Morikawa: I was actually going to mention that later...

Kano: Oh, sorry about that (laughs)

Morikawa: The hardest part was that the game’s release didn’t follow the original timeline exactly.
Like, they’d get older and then get younger again.
There was a remake, right?
In “Resident Evil RE:2,” we end up playing as the characters in their younger days later on, so I had to think about how to portray them back then.
It brought back nostalgic memories, and I recalled some of the struggles from that time.

Mr. Kawada: It’s true that the order is all over the place, but Leon’s youthful innocence in “Resident Evil RE:2” was portrayed so well—without any sense of incongruity—which was really great. And of course, the mature, seasoned performance of the older Leon in “Resident Evil: Requiem” was also perfect—it really captured the essence of Morikawa-san’s Leon.

Mr. Kano: Now that we’re in the age of digital downloads, game packages like these are truly precious and evoke a sense of nostalgia.

Mr. Kawada: It’s a term commonly used to refer to what’s known as a “biological disaster.”
I think this game is probably what really popularized that name.

Mr. Kano: I got into the original “Resident Evil” just because it seemed kind of horror-like.
But once you start playing, all sorts of crazy things happen.
That scene at the beginning where the zombie turns around.
I’ll never forget that moment for the rest of my life.

Mr. Kawada: I started with the graphics for “Resident Evil 3.”
I think that’s the title where they introduced a new character named Nemesis, and the concept became all about running away from him.

Mr. Morikawa: Every time I recorded for a project, I’d get asked, “How old is your character?” (laughs)
I based my performance plan on how many years had passed since the events in Raccoon City.
I also tried to imagine how Leon—who started out as a rookie cop—gradually matured and evolved into the character he is today.
He saves female characters, gets saved by them, or fails to save them (laughs)

Mr. Kawada: It’s a theater experience that brings back memories of things you might have seen on the game packaging, featuring footage displayed across three large screens.

Ms. Kano: I actually got to visit the exhibition myself, and this area made the biggest impression on me!

Mr. Kano: It appears in the game and the movie—the laser trap in that single hallway that attacks the protagonists!
I really struggled with it while playing!
Believe it or not, it’s actually here at this exhibition!
It appears out of nowhere, so it really gives you a start!

Mr. Kano: A clip of me live-streaming the game was taken without my permission.
For some reason, that video made its way overseas, and people abroad watched it and commented, “Crazy Japanese” (laughs).

Mr. Kano: It was scary.
I thought they were huge.

Mr. Morikawa: I definitely wouldn’t want to run into him in real life.

Kano: If you didn’t think of him as a bad guy, he’d actually be pretty cool, right?
We call him the “Dummy-nator,” but seriously, he’s tough and cool.

Mr. Kawada: Due to space limitations at the venue this time, it was difficult to display her standing… since she’s 2 meters 90 centimeters tall.
I was asked to create a seated version this time, but even so, she’s still that massive.
She has this opulent, dazzling image, but at the same time, she’s obviously a villain.
After creating the accessories and other details, we applied aging effects to make them look deliberately tattered—we paid meticulous attention to even the smallest details, and the team did a fantastic job with that this time as well.
We took it very seriously, and the organizers of this 30th-anniversary exhibition took it just as seriously, so I think our collaboration went really well.
I believe that’s reflected in the figures of Wesker and Domitrescu I mentioned earlier.

Ms. Kano: Just trying to drink the wine really works your right arm.
It’s insanely heavy (laughs)

Mr. Morikawa: With the excitement still fresh, I was so happy to be reunited with Leon—it’s just amazing. Perfect!
I couldn’t help but take a photo with him!

Mr. Kawada: After all, Leon is, without a doubt, a hugely popular character, so the designers paid meticulous attention to even the smallest details, and since visitors come specifically to see him, I think handling those fine details was probably the most challenging part.

Mr. Kano: I was walking through this area with my head down a bit.
Since you’re truly traveling alongside the characters, I think it’s bound to bring a tear to your eye.
That’s why I plan to take my time and enjoy it fully when I come back on my own time.

Mr. Kawada: “They’ve captured even the finest details, and I think the metallic texture really comes through—but they’ve also paid close attention to the underside.”

Mr. Kawada: These are fluffy, cozy slippers to keep you warm on cold days.

Ms. Morikawa: “Like, ‘warm up with a Licker,’ you know?”

Kano: This scene, where the zombie slowly turns around, is the world-famous “first zombie.”

Kawada: We’ve managed to make it this cute.

Kano: Well, they can’t possibly be cute, after all.
This guy—he’s going to smash through the window!

Kano: Can I get one of these? Can I really?

Morikawa: It’s great that they’re making merchandise featuring all kinds of supporting characters, too.

Kano: I usually play “Resident Evil” for my own gameplay commentary, and while I intend to share tips on how to beat the game, I end up just delivering screams and shrieks instead…
Personally, I’m having a blast playing it!
I even find myself coming up with my own theories as I go.
And when it comes to “Resident Evil,” I think it’s all about exploring to find where the items are hidden.
As for this 30th-anniversary exhibition—as you mentioned earlier—it seems there are some special surprises in store, so please be sure to explore every corner so you don’t miss out on any of the fun and excitement!
Thank you very much for today.

Mr. Morikawa: It’s truly an exhibition worthy of the 30th anniversary.
Even though my time was short, it’s such an enjoyable exhibition that if I had more time, I’d want to stay there forever.
It’s running in Shibuya until Thursday, December 24, 2026, so I hope fans from all over the world will come together and enjoy it.
It’s definitely going to make you cry.

Mr. Kawada: Thirty years—it’s gone by so fast—but I think we’ve managed to pull off some wonderful exhibits and a fantastic program to mark this milestone.
As the two of you mentioned, the exhibits themselves are incredibly interesting, but there are also subtle, hidden details and elements that make it worth visiting multiple times, so I’d really appreciate it if you could stop by whenever you have the chance.
I believe this exhibition is packed with the charm of the past 30 years, so we look forward to your visit.