Nasir Dean Brings Anime To A New Audience With ONE PIECE x Mercer Labs

When visitors enter ONE PIECE x Mercer Labs, they’re stepping into a new kind of exhibition. Unveiled on October 9, during New York Comic Con, this groundbreaking collaboration between Mercer Labs: Museum of Art and Technology and Toei Animation reimagines Eiichiro Oda’s legendary manga and anime series as a fully immersive experience. The installation >Nasir Dean, Mercer Labs’ former Manager of Special Projects and the driving force behind the partnership. As a creative strategist and lifelong anime fan, he envisioned ONE PIECE x Mercer Labs as a bridge between generations, art forms, and global audiences. “I wanted to do something different,” he said. “You could always have a musical talent, but for me, I wanted to create something that connected people through storytelling, technology, and culture.”

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz at Mercer Labs Cave Room. Photo Credit: Natalie Powers

Dean’s passion for anime began at 14, when he started watching One Piece religiously. What began as fascination evolved into inspiration. “The thing that gravitated me mostly toward anime culture was the storytelling,” he explained. “Their character arcs are so detailed. All of them have their own individual worlds, and One Piece is so in-depth, it has thousands of episodes. I’ve been watching it for ten years.” That long-term commitment, he says, shaped his perspective on creativity itself. “This is not only a show—it’s a life src=”https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/27_Nichole-Levy-Nasir-Dean-Swizz-Beatz-Alicia-Keys-at-Mercer-Labs.-Photo-by-Natalie-Powers-scaled.jpg” alt=”Nasir Dean Brings Anime To A New Audience With ONE PIECE x Mercer Labs” width=”400″ height=”266″ />Nichole Levy, Nasir Dean, Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys at Mercer Labs. Photo Credit: Natalie Powers

The resulting exhibition—on view through November 30—brings the One Piece universe to life across digital landscapes and interactive installations. Visitors can expect to navigate cinematic projections, explore behind-the-scenes artwork from Toei’s archives, and engage with experiences that merge art and technology. VIP tickets even include themed treats like mochi and a custom drink, underscoring the blend of luxury and fandom that defines Mercer Labs’ curatorialdecoding=”async” src=”https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/TOEI-ANIMATION-AND-MERCER-LABS-IMMERSIVE-ONE-PIECE-EXHIBITION-OPENS-TOMORROW-1759942231.jpg.avif” alt=”Nasir Dean Brings Anime To A New Audience With ONE PIECE x Mercer Labs” width=”400″ height=”200″ />Toei Animation and Mercer Labs immersive One Piece exhibition.

Dean’s long-term goal is to create spaces where art, culture, and innovation meet—places that celebrate imagination while inviting collaboration. His groundbreaking show is a blueprint for that vision, offering an entry point for anyone curious about anime or immersive art. 

“If you don’t know the anime, it’s going to instantly make you want to be a fan,” he says. “You’ll be completely engulfed in the creativity, the colors, the dynamic grandness. All of those curiosities are being fed by the actual entity, which is One Piece x Mercer Labs. That’s what I worked so hard to do.”

TOPICS:  Nasir Dean

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