5 Celebrities and Sports Stars Who Love Anime
As we previously wrote in our ‘Top 10 Most Anticipated New Anime Series of 2022’,
anime fans can expect to see amazing new anime series across genres this
year, such
as Chainsaw Man, Spy x Family, Blue Lock, and more. A lot of anime lovers
are
anticipating an excellent year of anime, especially as the industry has
grown in quality
over the past few years — leading to a thriving market worth billions of
dollars.
It may come as a surprise to us, but there are a handful of celebrities and
sports stars
who are probably just as excited for these upcoming series as well. Here
are five
famous personalities who have expressed their love for anime:
Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan is one actor who is very vocal about his love for
anime, listing out
his favorites during fan interactions and interviews. He’s known to be a
massive fan
of Naruto: Shippuden, Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, and Attack on Titan to
name a
few. Jordan is also often quoted on how anime is a big part of his
childhood and adult
life, inspiring his creativity. His collaboration with clothing brand
Coach was inspired
by Naruto: Shippuden, and he styled his Black Panther villain after
Vegeta from
Dragon Ball Z. Moreover, Jordan has also produced and starred in his own
animated
series called
Gen: Lock, which has been renewed for a second season on HBO Max
and promises more inclusivity for Black and Brown stories in
Hollywood.
Avril Lavigne
Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne is best known for her pop-punk
roots, but
her love for anime and manga has also inspired her toward pretty great
projects. In
2012, she wrote two songs for One Piece Film: Z, which were added to the
film’s
soundtrack for North America. Lavigne wrote “Bad Reputation” and “How
You
Remind Me” in honor of the Straw Hat Pirates, and has even worked on her
own
manga-inspired comic entitled Make 5 Wishes.
Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates
High-roller Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates may seem like a colorful and eccentric
figure in
the world of professional poker, but his love for anime seems to be a
source of his
strength. In fact, Cates won the $50,000 buy-in Poker Players
Championship at
the
World Series of Poker
in Las Vegas’ Rio Convention Center cosplaying as Son
Goku from Dragon Ball Z — complete with turquoise hair and red glasses.
The elite
mixed-games event is designed to honor the game’s best player across
multiple poker
variants, and Cates had asked his fans to “lend [him] positive energy,
support, and
information on players!” in true Goku-style leading up to the
championship. Cates’
A big bluff at the end of the match, coupled with laughter and Street
Fighter moves,
may be one of the most memorable moments in televised poker
history.
Xavier Woods
Wrestling tag-team trio New Day is famous for its pop-culture
references, having
entered Wrestlemania 32 in full Saiyan armor. Xavier Woods, the
mastermind behind
the concept, cosplayed Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z along with Kofi Kingston
and Big
E. Woods has also cited the legendary anime as having a big influence on
his finishing
move. This is not the only time wrestling fans would see fun franchise
crossovers
on
WWE
from New Day. Last year, Woods and Kingston also donned Power
Rangers-themed gear in the ring, following their tributes to Final
Fantasy and Mortal
Kombat as well.
Ronda Rousey
Like many others on this list, former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda
Rousey is
known to be a fan of Dragon Ball Z, with a particular affection for
Vegeta. Rousey is
also obsessed with the classic Pokémon series, having once dressed up as
Pikachu for
an ESPN advertisement.
Pokémon
continues to be a favorite with Rousey and her
husband.
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