Starlight Promises

The events unfold in contemporary times, where smartphones, augmented reality glasses, and AI shape social rituals. A mobile app invites Shoma to reunite with Atsushi, turning memory and meeting into a digital experience. The festival uses technology to augment the experience, culminating in a farewell that exists as both simulation and memory.

An isolated Tanabata festival site hidden in the wilderness serves as the backdrop for the story. Participants wear traditional clothing and apply ancient craftsmanship to create the festival’s costumes and displays. The remote site emphasizes the blend of heritage and cutting-edge technology as the festival unfolds.

🤖 Tech

The Tanabata festival becomes a platform where augmented reality, AI, and wearable tech empower participants, expanding what a festival can be. The AI-engineered Kanna and AR suits provide knowledge and strength, showing a future where technology shapes personal growth. Yet the story probes whether tech can truly replace human memory or replace genuine connection. The escalating power of the AI at the festival reveals ethical and emotional tensions.

🕯️ Memory

The narrative centers on memory, grief, and the need to say goodbye. Shoma learns that Atsushi's death was real and that his mind has repressed it, while the festival offers a means to confront loss through AI-generated reunions. The festival becomes a space where the living and the dead can share a final moment. The app and simulation function as a ritual to process mourning rather than escape it.

🌐 Reality

Reality and simulation blur as AI-generated warriors and avatars rise from data to challenge the participants. Shoma must distinguish between the tangible world and the generated experiences that the festival creates. The story questions whether shared experiences, even if digital, can hold meaning and closure. By the end, the boundary between real memory and digital memory remains porous, offering acceptance rather than a clear separation.