Groundbreaking Partnership Revealed: Inter Milan and Blue Lock Revolutionize the Football World

Highlights

Inter Milan collaborates with manga franchise Blue Lock to celebrate their Japan tour, merging manga and football to create something great.

The Blue Lock manga series chronicles an intensive training program aimed at discovering Japan's future striker for the national team.

Inter's partnership with Blue Lock incorporates captivating imagery of the manga characters adorned in Inter's official season kits, alongside a series of collaborative events throughout the season.

Italian football club giant Inter has announced a collaboration project with the popular football-centered anime and manga franchise, Blue Lock. As Inter prepares for the upcoming 2023/24 season, their customary preseason preparations have led them to Japan. This collaboration with Blue Lock serves as a celebration of Inter's Japan tour and signifies a significant milestone in the growing acceptance of anime in mainstream culture. From July 23 to August 1, Inter Milan embarked on their Japan tour, culminating in a triumphant 2-1 victory against the renowned Paris Saint-Germain on the final day. The collaboration project symbolizes the harmonious fusion of manga and football, resulting in something truly remarkable, according to Inter.

Blue Lock, created by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura, is a manga series that depicts the Japanese Football Association's intensive training program designed to discover and cultivate the next star striker for the national team. Out of 300 participants, only one will emerge victorious. Originally serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine, the manga has spanned 25 volumes since its launch in August 2018.

The Blue Lock anime adaptation has aired its first season, comprising 25 episodes from October 2022 to March 2023. In collaboration with Inter, the series has unveiled new visuals featuring the main characters of Blue Lock donning Inter's official 2023/24 season match day kits, both Home and Away.

Throughout Inter's preseason, their social media platforms were filled with a variety of Blue Lock-themed visuals. The first match against Al-Nassr, a Saudi Arabian team, was commemorated with a matchcard that celebrated Inter's new Away kit. Additionally, in Tokyo, there was a dedicated installation where Inter midfielder Nicolò Barella had the opportunity to meet the authors of Blue Lock, Kaneshiro and Nomura. Kaneshiro even received his own personalized Inter Home shirt featuring his name and the number 23. This number not only represents the current year but is also significant as it has been worn by numerous illustrious players throughout history.

Throughout the 2023/24 season, a series of collaborative events will occur, featuring the launch of exclusive collaboration content. In the upcoming weeks, an exclusive Inter x Blue Lock shirt will be released for sale. According to Inter, this collaboration with Blue Lock represents the brand's endeavor to expand its reach to new fans worldwide by delving into the realms of art and culture.

You can stream Blue Lock on Crunchyroll.

Source: Inter Official Site