ONE PIECE becomes the first Japanese IP to partner with a football team
On December 3, one of the biggest collaborations happened, merging the worlds of American football and Japanese anime. The Los Angeles Rams teamed up with the beloved anime series ONE PIECE for the ‘LOS ANGELES RAMS AND ONE PIECE GAME Collaboration DAY,’ an event that drew in an impressive crowd of over 70,000 enthusiastic football and anime fans.
This collaboration marked a significant milestone, being the first instance where characters from a Japanese intellectual property graced a Rams game. It also stood out as one of the most extensive collaboration events in the history of ONE PIECE. The Los Angeles Rams triumphed with a commanding victory, defeating their opponents 36-19.
The event transformed the stadium into a vibrant showcase of ONE PIECE. Monitors and digital signs throughout the venue, including the innovative 360° double-sided Infinity Screen at the heart of the stadium, featured iconic characters and thematic elements from the anime. Fans were treated to an exclusive one-minute video on the Infinity Screen, exploring the world of ONE PIECE, which ignited the stadium with cheers and excitement.
Interactive elements added an extra layer of fun to the experience. An augmented reality (AR) SNAP lens playfully projected ‘WANTED’ posters onto fans’ faces when featured on the big screens, leading to widespread social media buzz as attendees eagerly shared their personalized images.
In a special nod to the fans, limited edition merchandise, including ONE PIECE-themed rally towels, were distributed. These towels, a sea of blue in the stands, became symbols of support, enthusiastically waved during key moments of the game. Moreover, attendees received exclusive ONE PIECE clear bags adorned with illustrations from the franchise’s mobile games, ‘ONE PIECE Bounty Rush’ and ‘ONE PIECE Card Game.’ These gifts, courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment, were a heartfelt tribute to commemorate this unique fusion of football and anime fandom.
Here are comments from some fans, “I’ve been watching One Piece since middle school. Also I love the Rams and all LA sports, it’s the first time an anime did a collab with a major sports team, right? it’s unreal, it’s a dream come true! It’s awesome!”
“We found this game online and decided to go to the game. We support the Rams but came here for the One Piece collab, so we got a two-for-one!”
ONE PIECE
Authored by Eiichiro Oda, ONE PIECE began serialization in the 34th issue of “Weekly Shonen Jump,”
published by Shueisha, on July 22, 1997, and it celebrated its 25th anniversary of serialization in July of The cumulative worldwide print circulation of the manga exceeded 510 million copies as of August of 2022 (over 410 million copies in Japan alone. The series is distributed in more than 60 countries and regions worldwide, with a cumulative print circulation of over 100 million copies). The TV anime produced by Toei Animation began airing in 1999. Most recently, the live-action adaptation of ONE PIECE was released exclusively on Netflix and has received great acclaim. “ONE PIECE Card Game,” sold by BANDAI CO., LTD., celebrated its first anniversary in summer of 2023, enjoying widespread popularity with successful pop-up events and competitions. Meanwhile, “ONE PIECE Bounty Rush” by Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., surpassed 100 million global downloads in August 2023, cementing its enduring appeal through its inaugural official tournament.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football league team and Los Angeles’ original professional sports team. They’ve won two super bowls (2000, 2022), two league championships, 8 conference championships, and 18 division championships.
For more information, visit therams.com
For the anime One Piece, visit one-piece.com
Photo credits: Courtesy of Eiichiro Oda/ Shueisha, Toei Animation and Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
