Anime meets NBA in new collaboration

My Hero Academia, TOHO animation, Crunchyroll, the National Basketball Association, NBALAB and Hyperfly have joined forces to create a unique fashion collaboration that merges anime with basketball.

Through the collaboration, fans will see characters from My Hero Academia prominently featured on newly designed merchandise for nine NBA teams: The Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers.

Exclusive items from the collaboration will debut at NBA Con, held in Las Vegas from 7-9 July, with the full range of merchandise launching later this autumn.

Hyperfly’s initial collection will feature All Might, the iconic hero from My Hero Academia on t-shirts celebrating four teams – the Warriors, Lakers, Knicks and Bulls.

In addition to purchasing exclusive merchandise, fans who visit the Crunchyroll activation space at NBA Con will be able to watch their favourite scenes from My Hero Academia.

Hyperfly’s retail launch featuring All Might on t-shirts, hoodies and satin jackets will launch in the US and Canada this autumn, while merchandise will also be available in Japan on the NBAStore.jp.

“There’s an incredible and authentic synergy between anime and sports, and we couldn’t be more excited to join forces with the NBALAB, Hyperfly and TOHO animation to bring the beloved characters from My Hero Academia to the world of basketball,” commented Rahul Purini, president at Crunchyroll. “This one-of-a-kind collection will truly amp up basketball enthusiasts and anime fans alike.”

Pascal Pakter, president and co-founder of Hyperfly, continued: “As two iconic brands with global reach and passionate fan bases, this partnership signifies an exciting moment that merges the worlds of basketball and anime, creating an exciting fusion of sports and storytelling.”

My Hero Academia is a Japanese anime series based on the popular comics by Kohei Horikoshi. It is set in a world where about 80% of the population has a superpowered Quirk.

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