The One Piece franchise has unveiled a special collaboration with Japan's national football team, affectionately known as the Samurai Blue. The partnership, timed to coincide with the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup 2026, includes a newly released video and a striking illustration.
The video intersperses memorable scenes from the One Piece manga with historical images of the Samurai Blue. It culminates in a unique illustration of protagonist Monkey D. Luffy, sporting the team's signature uniform and holding a soccer ball. Notably, Luffy's iconic straw hat has been recolored blue to match the team's kit.
This collaboration was teased 24 hours prior to its release with an image of the blue straw hat on social media. The franchise also previously revealed an illustration related to the Samurai Blue on the cover of last week's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, featuring 48 participating national soccer teams. Japan is set to compete against the Netherlands on June 14.
Source: Anime News Network(https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2026-05-31/one-piece-cheers-japan-samurai-blue-ahead-of-fifa-world-cup/.237995)
