FMP50 Series: Simplify Your Immersive AV Core

If you’re a manga lover, names like One Piece, Naruto, My Hero Academia, Death Note, or Kimetsu no Yaiba are probably part of your DNA. All of these, and many more, are published by Shueisha—Japan’s powerhouse in the manga world. Their flagship magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, hasn’t just shaped Japanese pop culture; it’s been the engine behind manga’s global explosion.

Written by Lluis Mila, Product Marketing Manager

Manga’s Evolution: From Page to Experience

The manga industry has always been about more than just ink on paper. Over the past decades, we’ve witnessed a dramatic shift: manga is no longer confined to the printed page or even the screen. It’s become a cultural phenomenon, inspiring anime, movies, merchandise, and now, interactive & immersive experiences.

Take ‘Oshi no Ko’ for example. This title isn’t just another bestseller—it’s a phenomenon. In December 2024, Oshi no Ko Volume 16 was the fifth best-selling manga in Japan, standing shoulder to shoulder with giants like Jujutsu Kaisen and One Piece. By the end of 2024, it had reached a staggering 20 million copies in circulation. The appetite for manga content is insatiable, and fans are hungry for new ways to connect with their favorite stories.

Shueisha’s Bold Leap: The XR Project

But Shueisha isn’t content with just dominating the printed page. They’ve taken Oshi no Ko into the future with their XR project, Manga Dive—an ambitious initiative that fuses their vast manga universe with cutting-edge XR (Extended Reality) tech, including VR, AR, and projection mapping. The goal? To create immersive, unforgettable experiences for fans.

This isn’t just about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about storytelling—about giving fans the chance to step inside the worlds they love, to feel the energy of a live event, and to experience manga in a way that’s never been possible before. It’s a bold move, and it’s setting a new standard for what’s possible in the entertainment industry.

The Oshi no Ko Super Immersive Live Event

For the Oshi no Ko Super Immersive Live event in Fukuoka, Shueisha wanted to push the boundaries: a 360° projection-mapped world, blending manga, music, and live entertainment. The catch? It had to be engaging, easy to install, and operationally seamless. Enter Panasonic.

From September 11, 2024, for two and a half months, fans stepped into a new dimension. The event space was transformed into a living, breathing manga universe, with projection mapping covering all four walls and the floor. The result was a fully immersive environment where the lines between audience and story disappeared.

At the heart of this experience was the Media Processor FMP50 series, paired with our Remote Managed Service (RMS) software. The FMP50 series doesn’t just store, play, process, warp, blend, and distribute AV content—it’s the AV core for any immersive space. As Masakatsu Ito from Shueisha put it: “I found it really convenient that we could set up quickly due to the camera's auto-adjustment function, automatically operate equipment, and remotely check and monitor the status.”

FMP50 & RMS: The perfect combo

So, what makes the FMP50 series and RMS such a game changer? In the world of immersive installations, complexity is the enemy. Traditional setups often require server rooms, miles of cabling, and a team of s engineers just to keep things running. The FMP50 series flips that script. They act as the central nervous system of any immersive installation. It’s designed for flexibility, supporting both compact box-type models and function board-type models that slot directly into compatible projectors. This means fewer cables, less hardware, and a cleaner, more efficient setup.

In this case the secret sauce includes the integration with our RMS ( Remote Managed Service ) . Remote management isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for large-scale, multi-site installations. With RMS, operators can monitor, control, and troubleshoot systems from anywhere, reducing the need for on-site staff and minimizing downtime. It’s a solution built for the realities of today’s fast-paced, resource-constrained AV industry.

Behind the Scenes: Insights from the Product Team

To dig deeper, I sat down with two colleagues from our HQ in Osaka: Cuiping Ouyang (Marketing) and Makoto Maeda (Product Planning). Both have been instrumental in bringing the FMP50 series from concept to market. Here’s what they had to say.

What inspired the development of the ET-FMP50 Series Media Processors, and how do they stand out?

Cuiping Ouyang:
“The immersive entertainment market is booming, but building these attractions is no walk in the park—cabling, setup, and adjustments can be a nightmare, especially under tight deadlines and budgets. We saw a clear need for simplicity. With our experience in projectors, we knew we could deliver. The ET-FMP50 series stands out for two reasons: simplicity and reliability. We offer two compact box-type models and a function board-type model. The box can be installed near projectors, while the function board slots right in. Both eliminate the need for a server room and connect via LAN, making system configuration a breeze. And, as a projector manufacturer, our quality control and compatibility are second to none.”

How do the box-type and function board-type processors cater to different user needs?

Cuiping Ouyang:
“The box type is for projectors without Intel® SDM-compatible slots—compact, easy to install, and simplifies setup. The function board type is for projectors with those slots, and with just one LAN cable, you streamline the entire workflow. It’s all about flexibility.”

Is the function board-type SBFMP10 a game changer? Are server control rooms becoming obsolete?

Makoto Maeda:
“Our goal is to make onsite workflows as simple as possible, both in hardware and software. We’ve developed high-brightness, compact projectors to reduce the number of units and keep spaces tidy. With the SBFMP10, the content player and media processor are built into the projector—no more bulky video cables, just a slim LAN cable. Imagine managing live inputs and content remotely via AVoIP, while monitoring everything from afar. That’s the future we’re building.”

How does camera-based calibration improve multi-projection workflows?

Cuiping Ouyang:
“Our auto-calibration tech is a game changer. It’s accurate, user-friendly, and saves a ton of time. Calibrating three projectors manually could take half a day: with auto calibration, it’s done in minutes. You don’t need to be a tech expert—just set it up and go.”

What challenges did you face during development, and how did you overcome them?

Makoto Maeda:
“The biggest challenge was defining a clear concept in a crowded market. But our deep industry experience helped us focus on what matters: simplifying workflows. The term ‘media processor’ became our guiding star. We want to be the brain of the operation, co-creating with partner devices and streamlining everything from installation to operation. Clear communication of this vision was key to our success.”

How does the FMP50 series support the growing demand for immersive spaces and location-based entertainment?

Cuiping Ouyang:
“As demand grows, there’s a shortage of skilled engineers. The ET-FMP50 series addresses this with simplicity—making it easier to deliver creative projects. As audience expectations rise, we’re also focused on improving compatibility and connectivity, unlocking even more possibilities.

What made the team behind the FMP50 series successful?

Cuiping Ouyang:
“Our team was diverse and collaborative from day one—product planning, R&D, sales engineers, and marketing all worked closely together. This alignment with customer needs was crucial.”

What did you learn from the Manga Dive project?

Cuiping Ouyang:
“The biggest takeaway was seeing how our holistic system simplified installation and operation. Managing the site remotely from another city was possible thanks to automation and remote management. The system could turn on, off, and loop playback on schedule, eliminating the need for skilled on-site staff. With remote monitoring, customers could check projector status from anywhere. It was a real win for operational efficiency.”

The Future of Immersive AV: Where Do We Go from Here?

The FMP50 series, paired with RMS, isn’t just another AV solution, it’s a leap forward for immersive experiences. By focusing on simplicity, reliability, and remote management, we’re not just keeping up with the industry, we’re setting the pace. And if the Manga Dive project is any indication, the future of immersive entertainment is only getting brighter.

But let’s be honest: the AV industry is evolving at breakneck speed. The demand for immersive, interactive experiences is only going to grow, and the pressure to deliver seamless, scalable solutions will keep increasing. The FMP50 series is our answer to that challenge tool designed not just for today’s needs, but for tomorrow’s possibilities, adding compatibility with Dante for audio integration and accepting multicamera adjustments for even more complex scenarios.