
New collaboration between part-time job hunting app an and Soccer King means you can fulfill your childhood dream of being a wall when you grow up.
In dodgeball, as the name suggests, the aim is to evade the ball that comes flying towards you at speed. One reason being to win the game, the second being it really, really hurts if you get hit in delicate areas like the face or private parts. In football, or soccer if you prefer, defenders will attempt to do the opposite, shielding their goal by throwing their body, with the exception of their hands or arms, in front of the speeding ball. Their reward if they do is the pride that by taking a ball to the crotch and preventing a goal, they put their team in a better position to win the match. But with a collaboration between the part-time job finding service, an (the same company who recently gave people the chance to take part in a manga-based game show), and Soccer King, your reward for doing the same could be much more.
▼ To give you an idea of what a football to the face looks like, but in slow-motion.
Different ball, same head, 1000x slower than real time. https://t.co/u5l3aM2zxM
— Gavin Free (@GavinFree) December 11, 2016
For just four hours of standing with four other successful applicants, forming a wall against practicing free-kickers, you will be reimbursed 50,000 yen (US$442.54). And to inspire you to greater feats of bravery, for every ball the wall manages to block each member will receive a 500 yen bonus. The company will also cover your fare to and from the event (unfortunately from anyway within Japan – do Japanese embassies abroad count as Japanese soil?) that is planned to be held on the evening of January 11 in Iwata city, in Shizuoka Prefecture, home to the J-league team Júbilo Iwata.
The application window runs from December 19 to January 2. Wannabe wall members, five of whom will be successful, can apply by following an’s official Twitter account, retweeting the tweet below, and then filling in an entry form. The job is open regardless of age or gender, and the company suggest that it would be ideal for people for whom the ball is a friend, not to be feared, or are affectionately known as “Skyscraper” or “Green Giant”. So the taller and wider you are, the better. Time to crack out our medieval torture racks and pies.
https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/942915152290004992The lucky few will also have the football boots and kits they need for the event provided, and will receive studded boots signed by Júbilo Iwata, and former Japan and Celtic, player Shunsuke Nakamura, who’ll be the one repeatedly taking free kicks for you to block, face-first if needed.
With the company saying that no experience is necessary, you don’t need no education, you don’t need no thought control. All in all, you’re just another brick in the wall.

A visit to Sri Lanka’s knockoff knockoff Uniqlo (no, we didn’t stutter) to see its rare “Pikachus”
New Mt. Fuji overnight bus takes travelers from downtown Tokyo straight to the most popular hiking trail
7-Eleven Japan now has Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, but how do they taste?[Taste test]
Tokyo revises accommodation tax amidst tourism boom, Airbnb rentals now included
Japan moves to enforce language requirements for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency
A visit to Sri Lanka’s knockoff knockoff Uniqlo (no, we didn’t stutter) to see its rare “Pikachus”
New Mt. Fuji overnight bus takes travelers from downtown Tokyo straight to the most popular hiking trail
7-Eleven Japan now has Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, but how do they taste?[Taste test]
Tokyo revises accommodation tax amidst tourism boom, Airbnb rentals now included
Japan moves to enforce language requirements for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
7-Eleven Japan releases chocolate cookies that taste like freshly baked melon bread
Yoshinoya and Dragon Quest slaying scalpers with shift to made-to-order collaboration merch
Japan to get new high-speed train connecting Haneda and Narita airports, ease overtourism
Famous sweets store in Ameyoko fills a bag with sweets and a show, but is it still worth it?
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Japanese overnight sightseeing train returns for summer with ramen stops and ocean views
Starbucks Japan teams up with Converse Tokyo for a new limited-edition collection in honour of Tanabata
Don’t judge this Kiki’s Delivery Service book by its cover, because it’s not actually a book!
Tokyo has only two barley tea makers, and we visited one to see how mugicha is made
Sleep at Hoshinoya Nara Prison, one of the most unique hotels in Japan
Live-action Spirited Away stage play announces world tour with first-ever U.S. and Canadian dates
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
7-Eleven Japan releases chocolate cookies that taste like freshly baked melon bread
Yoshinoya and Dragon Quest slaying scalpers with shift to made-to-order collaboration merch
Japan to get new high-speed train connecting Haneda and Narita airports, ease overtourism
Famous sweets store in Ameyoko fills a bag with sweets and a show, but is it still worth it?
Potato-Chip-Flavored Dressing coming to stores in Japan
Don’t judge this Kiki’s Delivery Service book by its cover, because it’s not actually a book!
One Piece docking at Round 1 amusement centers in both Japan and the USA
Tokyo’s giant Pokémon Stamp Rally is back for 2026 with exclusive prizes up for grabs
How to cook shiitake mushrooms like a Japanese manga character
Starbucks Japan teams up with Converse Tokyo for a new limited-edition collection in honour of Tanabata
Japan announces plans for twenty-fold increase in permanent residency fees, alongside higher visa costs
Studio Ghibli releases a musical diorama based on a touching anime scene from My Neighbour Totoro
Kirby Cafe gets even cuter with new summer menu and dishware you can take home[Photos]