When Halloween season rolls around, there are plenty of anime fans who are more than willing to bring some of their fan-favorite characters. In recent years, more professional athletes have been wearing their love of anime on their sleeves. Whether it be the football players of the National Football League, MMA fighters, and/or baseball players hitting the field of Major League Baseball, anime and sports are finding themselves intertwining. In one hilarious new cosplay, a major star of the NBA hit the court to celebrate the spooky season by taking on the guise of No Face, one of Studio Ghibli’s creepiest characters.
For those who somehow have missed Spirited Away, the Studio Ghibli film was the first of its kind to win an Academy Award. The film, first hitting theaters in 2001, follows a young girl named Chihiro as she and her parents stumble upon a magical world. When her parents are transformed into pigs, it’s up to Chihiro to work in a bathhouse to save herself and her loved ones. During her time in servitude, the young girl comes into contact with the mysterious “No Face”, a shadowy being who offers gold to those around it and remains one of Ghibli’s most recognizable creations to this day. It makes sense that one NBA player chose to bring this creature to the real world.
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The No-Face Basketball Association
On Halloween, San Antonio Spur’s player Victor “Wemby” Wembanyama showed up to practice dressed as No Face, doing a pitch-perfect recreation of the Spirited Away antagonist. Considering Wemby stands at around seven feet, three inches tall, it makes sense that he would be a nice fit for the supernatural creation. Needless to say, anime continues to find its way into some wild avenues in North America and we expect more crossover into the world of the NBA in the future.
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Anime x Basketball
Anime and basketball have gone well together in the history of both. Most recently, one of the biggest examples of an anime focusing on the game was The First Slam Dunk. The movie returned to the classic anime franchise thanks to Toei Animation, telling the story of one high school basketball game that interweaves character flashbacks and fast-paced action on the courts. Currently streaming on Netflix, The First Slam Dunk is one of the greatest anime films of all time, let alone one that focuses on sports.
When it comes to sports in general in the anime world, anime fans have quite a few series to choose from. This fall season alone, Blue Lock has returned for its second season, though it has been surrounded by controversy. Many anime fans feel that season two hasn’t been able to live up to the animation of Blue Lock’s first season, though it still has retained its status as one of the world’s biggest examples of sports anime despite these hiccups.
Ironically enough, the NBA did announce a crossover with the basketball anime series, Kuroko’s Basketball. In this official partnership, the players of the beloved anime franchise hit the courts in the mobile game, Street Rivals, which has a heavy influence from the National Basketball Association. As anime’s popularity continues to grow over time, it would come as no surprise if the NBA works toward new crossovers in the future.
Want to stay updated on all things Studio Ghibli? Want to see how the anime world pops up in sports leagues down the line? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the anime world and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.
