Fresh off the Tokyo Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, MLB is continuing to engage Japanese fans.
Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani, New York Yankees star Aaron Judge, New York Mets star Juan Soto and Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes are turned into anime characters in a new MLB campaign released on Wednesday titled: “Heroes of the Game.”
Anime, the creative backdrop for the campaign, is a Japanese animation style known for its bold visuals, expressive characters and distinct storytelling.
It consists of clips ranging from 30 to 75 seconds that highlight the four players and their “missions for the 2025 season,” according to a news release.
Films for nine additional MLB star stories weaving live action and anime imagery are being developed. Those will be used throughout the season on MLB social media accounts to react to events on the field.
Other names included in the initial graphic announcing the series are Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, Cincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz, Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve and Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper, among many others.
MLB and creative agency Wieden & Kennedy partnered with Passion Pictures and Echelle Studios in Japan for the anime campaign. They also teamed up with creators who have worked on popular series such as “One Piece” and “Fullmetal Alchemist” — and who hand-drew every scene in the hero films.
J-Pop artist Ado — whose work was featured in “One Piece” — assisted in the score.
Source link
