Gridiron to Shonen Jump: How NFL Athletes Live Their Anime Dreams in Japan
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Over the past decade, an increasing number of NFL players have proudly declared their love for Japanese anime and manga. When visiting Japan, many of these star athletes take the opportunity to visit official merchandise shops and embark on anime pilgrimages.
This article focuses specifically on experiences related to Weekly Shonen Jump—Japan’s premier manga magazine responsible for legendary global franchises like Dragon Ball, NARUTO, and ONE PIECE. We will save non-Jump anime and manga experiences for another time!
1. Official Merchandise & Figure Shops
For anime fans visiting Japan, official merchandise stores are a must-visit. Among the most popular is “JUMP SHOP,” the official retail chain dedicated to Weekly Shonen Jump franchises, offering everything from limited-edition goods to life-sized character statues.
David Njoku
Based on the posting context, this photo appears to be taken at the JUMP SHOP Shibuya Store. Njoku captured a photo of the Monkey D. Luffy statue standing right at the entrance, with a Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba display panel visible on the left. The Shibuya branch serves as a virtual flagship store, making it a convenient stop for tourists exploring the Shibuya area.
L.J. Collier
Judging by the timeline, this shot appears to be from the JUMP SHOP Shinsaibashi Store in Osaka. Like Njoku, Collier posed with a Luffy statue. Each store features a Luffy statue in a different pose, with displays occasionally rotated between branches.
This second photo is also from the Shinsaibashi branch, as the floor pattern matches the venue’s distinct interior design. It captures a pop-up display featuring Yuji Itadori, the protagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen, alongside other core cast members in the background—suggesting Collier’s broad appetite for Jump titles.
Myles Garrett
The distinctive entrance architecture points to the JUMP SHOP Nagoya Store. The caption in the photo, “RIP Akira Toriyama,” is a heartfelt tribute to the legendary creator of Dragon Ball, who passed away shortly before this post in March 2024.
Nagoya is known as Akira Toriyama’s home base, and the Jump Shop Nagoya even has a special exhibition dedicated to him. Since it’s extremely rare for NFL players to visit Nagoya, it’s highly likely they made a special trip specifically for this.
Carl Lawson
The background logo indicates this selfie was taken alongside the Son Goku statue at TAMASHII NATIONS STORE TOKYO. Located right next to Akihabara Station, this store is Bandai Spirits’ flagship location dedicated to high-end collectible figures for adult fans. Lawson’s beaming smile makes for a delightful selfie.
2. Limited-Time Street Displays & Pop-Ups
Pop-up exhibitions and temporary street installations are a staple of Japanese urban culture, frequently appearing in major districts like Shibuya for just a few days or weeks to celebrate anime anniversaries or new releases.
Devin Funchess
Funchess snapped a photo with a life-sized Luffy statue and the Thousand Sunny ship display during the ONE PIECE 25th-anniversary event held at Miyashita Park in Shibuya in 2023. The atmosphere of the event can still be explored via the hashtag “#SUNNYGOSHIBUYA”. Reference
Chig Okonkwo
This shot features the Laboon statue near the Shibuya Dogenzaka intersection. The installation was displayed for just a single week to commemorate the launch of Netflix’s live-action ONE PIECE series, making Okonkwo’s timing incredibly fortunate. Reference
Okonkwo also captured the adjacent character art displays created specifically for the live-action adaptation.
3. Immersive Concept Locations
Levi Onwuzurike
This photo was taken at ONE PIECE FITNESS BragMen, an official ONE PIECE-themed gym in Shibuya. The wall behind the workout equipment features Whitebeard (Edward Newgate), and the gym apparatus itself subtly incorporates his iconic mustache design. While NFL players naturally need to maintain their fitness routines during overseas travels, choosing a concept gym like this shows an exceptional level of passion.
Jamaal Williams
Also taken at ONE PIECE FITNESS BragMen, this photo highlights a pillar inscribed with Luffy’s iconic catchphrase: “I’M GONNA BE KING OF PIRATES.” The lower section features autographs from the official anime voice cast (from left to right): Kappei Yamaguchi (Usopp), Mayumi Tanaka (Luffy), and Akemi Okamura (Nami).
JuJu Smith-Schuster
JuJu traveled over 1.5 hours by car from central Tokyo to Fuji-Q Highland, an amusement park nestled near Mount Fuji. The park features “Fuji Konohagakure Village,” a dedicated area recreating the world of NARUTO & BORUTO. JuJu posed with numerous character statues, including Naruto and Gamakichi. His custom coat adorned with various NARUTO characters clearly demonstrates his deep fandom. You can check out more footage on his Instagram.
4. Behind the Scenes: Visiting Publishing HQ & Voice Acting Agencies
Unlike retail shops or theme parks, publishing headquarters and voice acting talent agencies in Japan are strictly off-limits to the general public. Accessing these behind-the-scenes locations requires exclusive industry connections or official arrangements.
Samson Ebukam
Ebukam took his anime experience to an entirely different level. This photo was taken inside Shueisha’s 3rd Editorial Department—the heart of Jump publishing operations. The directory sign clearly lists “Weekly Shonen Jump,” “Shonen Jump+,” and “Jump SQ.” The sword held by the person on the left appears to be a replica of Kikoku, the beloved blade carried by Trafalgar Law in ONE PIECE.
Another photo from Ebukam’s trip reveals a visit to Aoni Production. Founded as Japan’s very first specialized voice acting talent agency, Aoni remains a powerhouse in the industry. It represents legendary talent including Masako Nozawa (Goku in Dragon Ball), Toshio Furukawa (Piccolo in Dragon Ball), and Mayumi Tanaka (Luffy in ONE PIECE). The late Kenji Utsumi, who voiced the original Shenron in Dragon Ball, was also an Aoni legend. Visiting a voice acting agency strongly suggests Ebukam watches anime in its original Japanese audio with English subtitles—a mark of a true enthusiast.
Stepping inside both the Jump editorial office and a legendary voice agency shows a deep appreciation for the creative process itself.
5. The Ultimate Pilgrimage: The Straw Hat Statues of Kumamoto
Taybor Pepper
Pepper undertook what might be the most hardcore anime pilgrimage of any visiting athlete: photographing the ONE PIECE Straw Hat Crew statues in Kumamoto Prefecture.
Reference: https://x.com/TayborSnapping/
While not pictured here, his Instagram documents visits to other crew members, including Jinbe and Brook.
Located in Kyushu in southwestern Japan, Kumamoto is roughly 1,000 km (620 miles) away from Tokyo. Reaching it requires a flight or a multi-hour bullet train ride—a journey that even most domestic Japanese tourists rarely undertake solely for anime.
The project behind these bronze statues originated from the devastating Kumamoto Earthquakes in 2016. ONE PIECE creator Eiichiro Oda, a Kumamoto native, donated over 800 million yen (approx. $5.5 million USD) toward disaster relief. To aid local recovery, a collaborative project placed ten life-sized bronze statues of the Straw Hat Pirates across ten heavily impacted municipalities.
Visiting all 10 statues requires driving roughly 200 kilometers across winding regional roads, typically taking 2 to 3 days by rental car. Pepper fully embraced the experience—donning a straw hat at Luffy’s statue, matching poses with Sanji and Zoro, and posing with his personal ONE PIECE trading cards. Full highlights of his journey can be viewed on his Instagram post.
Summary
Focusing on Weekly Shonen Jump franchises, this article highlighted how NFL players experience Japan’s anime and manga culture.
Their journeys range from casual visits to JUMP SHOPs in Shibuya and Nagoya to themed fitness centers, exclusive behind-the-scenes visits to Shueisha and voice acting agencies, and multi-day road trips across Kumamoto for rural pilgrimages. Their level of passion goes far beyond typical sightseeing.
Seeing elite professional athletes—operating at the absolute pinnacle of physical sports—embrace Shonen Jump’s core values of “Friendship, Effort, and Victory” with genuine, boyish enthusiasm showcases the deep, enduring connection between American football and Japanese pop culture.