The collection was born from a chance meeting in 2022. Captured when Laika was 12 years old, the series is designed to document a specific moment of transition, blending the innocence of youth with a high-fashion, artistic aesthetic. Saimon reportedly spent several months traveling with Laika across Japan and abroad to create a diverse portfolio that ranges from:

The collection is known for its variety in setting and mood: Candid Shots

Once, long after, someone asked why she had given the book that name. Laika thought about the lighthouse, the dog with two-colored ears, the way the city kept telling its stories through the smallest places. “Kingpouge,” she said, “because that’s where a city keeps its light. Laika, because I wanted to remember who I was when I pressed the shutter. Twelve and seventy-eight, because numbers make promises.”

The collaboration between the technical subject of the Laika 12 78 and the artistic eye of Hiromi Saimon has created a lasting legacy. It proves that photography can bridge the gap between "machine" and "art." By documenting these 78 specific moments, Saimon ensures that the mechanical intricacies of the Kingpouge era are never forgotten.