ATAK TOKYO, led by composer Keiichiro Shibuya, unveils Android Maria — the latest humanoid robot — officially debuting at PRADA MODE OSAKA in early June 2025.

Developed as a culmination of nearly a decade of Shibuya’s work in Android Opera and technologically driven stage performance, Android Maria aspires to achieve a new level of embodiment and expressivity — a pursuit toward what Shibuya describes as “the most beautiful android in the world.”

While Shibuya’s previous android works have pioneered software-driven advancements in improvisational singing and spoken performance, Android Maria marks a radical leap in hardware innovation. Departing from earlier pneumatic-powered models, the new android employs over 50 motorized joints, enabling smoother, more organic movement than ever before.

The project brought together nearly 20 collaborators and elite engineers, including artist Yuma Kishi, who led the AI-based conceptual visual and dialogue programming, and computer music expert Shintaro Imai, known for his android programming in Shibuya’s recent performances.

Android Maria is inspired by the memory of Shibuya’s late wife, Maria, but also embodies the core theme he has explored since his opera THE END: “Death is not singular.” Far from being a mere machine, this android stands at the intersection of memory, music, artificial intelligence, and an extended form of corporeality — a new kind of performer for the stage arts.

Its physical form was generated by AI trained on a vast array of divine and sacred female figures throughout history, from ancient goddesses to modern representations. The lower body is enshrouded in root-like tubes, evoking connections to the earth, to life, and to existence itself. Through voice and motion, Android Maria elicits previously unknown emotional responses and proposes new modes of human-machine communication. Equipped with embedded cameras and microphones, she constantly perceives her surroundings and can interact and perform in real time.

Looking ahead, the development of Android Maria will continue through collaborative research with artists and scientists around the world, including Professor Takashi Ikegami of the University of Tokyo.

We extend our deepest gratitude to all collaborators and engineers who made this project possible.

Android Maria is also confirmed to appear in Shibuya’s upcoming stage production, set for its European premiere in 2027. The work will be directed by Sir Wayne McGregor — Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet and Artistic Director of the Dance sector at La Biennale di Venezia — with stage design by the internationally renowned architect Kazuyo Sejima.

Additionally, Android Maria will make her full-scale performance debut on Tuesday, November 5, 2025, at a concert hall in Tokyo. Further details about the performance will be announced in the summer of 2025.