As Senegal’s players shine on the field, famous anime anthem asks if their hearts are shining too.


So far, the Senegalese soccer team has a lot to be happy about at the World Cup. Playing in the contest for just the second time ever, and the first since 2002, Senegal’s win over Poland and tie against Japan in group play has earned it advancement to the Round of 16, which has led to some joyous, crowd-pleasing dancing by the team.

https://twitter.com/buitengebieden/status/1010633513614430214

But watching the team dance, Japanese Twitter user @Aly_M_Ary couldn’t help but be reminded of something outside the world of sports. The big smiles, the matching outfits, all of the members stepping and swaying in unison, their eyes shining bright as they work hard towards their shared dream…doesn’t it start to sound just a bit like the story of a group of idol singers?

To make sure, @Aly_M_Ary spliced in the audio of a bubbly idol anthem, and the results are surprisingly effective.

For the uninitiated, that’s “Kimi no Kokoro ha Kagayaiteiru Kai?” (“Is Your Heart Shining?”), the first single from Aquors, the band of schoolgirl idols that serves as the focal point of anime hit Love Live! Sunshine!!

@Aly_M_Ary seems to have even put a lot of care into cuing the song up where he did, as at the 13-second mark the green-shirted goalkeeper pumps a fist in time with the beat of “Kimi no Kokoro ha Kagayaiteiru Kai?”

The Love Live! Sunshine!! fan also put together a second mashup, this time using Aquor’s “Happy Party Train.”

Of course, some Love Livers prefer the songs of μ’s, the original idol unit from the franchise’s pre-Sunshine!! era. @Aly_M_Ary is happy to oblige them as well, selecting the group’s “No brand girls.”

Of course, the ease with which Love Live! songs match the Senegalese team’s dancing is pure coincidence, with the actual musical accompaniment being more along these lines.

Still, with anime music being a passion of at least one Senegal supporter, it’s surprising to see how often Japanese animation is finding its way into the World Cup fan experience.

Source: Twitter/@Aly_M_Ary via Jin