The Japanese National Football team revealed a new key visual in collaboration with Blue Lock and Giant Killing manga, for the jersey that the team will be donning during the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The key visual features the new jersey, worn by the players of the Japanese national team against the backdrop of characters from Giant Killing and Blue Lock manga. The characters too are sporting the new jersey in the key visual, which was created with the cooperation of the illustrators of the manga, Yusuke Nomura and Tsujitomo.

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The visuals are supposed to express the “joy” of the actual national team players and the characters together.

The trademark blue color jersey is simple and plain, with an origami motif.

The collaboration was planned with an aim to increase the number of young people who enjoy playing soccer on a daily basis, and to make soccer a wider and deeper part of Japanese culture.

“I thought the simple design was very nice. It is a combination of a blue shirt and white pants, just like the blue shirt and white pants of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany,” Giant Killing illustrator Tsujitomo said, revealing he was very happy when he saw the jersey for the first time.

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“When I saw the new uniforms for the first time, I thought they were very cool, and I immediately noticed the origami motif. The linear design is very beautiful and Japanese, and I liked it from the moment I saw it,” Blue Lock illustrator Nomura said.

Both the illustrators also gave a special message to the Japanese National team and also words of encouragement to promote soccer in the country.

“I would be very happy if many people become interested in soccer through Blue Lock, and I hope that this project will serve as an entry point for people to become familiar with the sport,” Nomura added.

As a part of this, a making of jersey video too was revealed on the official YouTube channel of Adidas.

Additionally, the adidas Brand Center RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK will hold an exhibition of the original illustrations used in the Giant Killing and Blue Lock from tomorrow.

The Japanese National football team will kick off their World Cup 2022 campaign in Qatar with a match against fellow E Group member Germany on Nov 23, 2022. This will be followed by matches against Costa Rica and Spain.

This is the seventh successive World Cup that Japan has qualified for, after they beat Australia 2-0 in the qualifying stages.

Source: Comic Natalie