Luffy and crew return to the City of Angels this summer.
Luffy and his One Piece cohorts are always ready to set sail for new adventures in places they’ve never been before, and this summer that spirit is guiding them to Dodger Stadium for a collaboration with Major League Baseball.
When the Los Angeles Dodgers face off against the Chicago White Sox on July 3, not only will it be the eve of Independence Day, it’ll also be One Piece Night. The stadium will be decked out in special decorations featuring the cast of the hit anime/manga, and there will also be a number of One Piece “activations” set up around the venue, some of which will be distributing an exclusive One Piece Card Game card illustrated by series creator Eiichiro Oda himself.
Luffy’s pitch being a “strike”-type attack is a clever bit of wordplay, and another cool design detail is the combination of his banded straw hat and the Dodgers’ iconic LA-logo cap. Speaking of headwear, while giving away baseball caps at the stadium is a long-standing fan-appreciation night fixture, on One Piece Night the first 40,000 fans in attendance will receive, appropriately, straw hats with both the Dodgers and One Piece logos.
This marks One Piece’s third sports stop in the City of Angels, following their team-ups with pro football’s Los Angeles Rams in 2023 and pro basketball’s Los Angeles Lakers in 2024. One Piece’s affinity for the city might have something to do with it being where Toei Animation’s American HQ is located (unlike the just-announced Netflix One Piece Lego sets, the sports collaborations are specifically for the anime/manga arms of the franchise). It’s also hard to ignore that the presence of Shohei Ohtani on the Dodgers’ roster has turned pretty much all of Japan into Dodgers supporters, so the partnership is sure to please home-country One Piece fans too.
It’s worth noting that the Rams and Lakers both won their One Piece games, and this season the Dodgers have had two anime-related success stories, winning games featuring Pokémon’s Pikachu and the Sailor Moon theme song, so hopefully Luffy will lead them to victory too.
Source: Major League Baseball via Anime News Network/Ken Iikura-Gross
Top image: Instagram/toei_animation
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba comes to Dodger Stadium for fan night, first pitch, and drone show
One Piece teams up with the Los Angeles Lakers for pirate anime/pro basketball crossover
Exclusive Super Mario Yoshi figure to be given away at Dodgers Stadium [Video]
One Piece and the LA Rams team up for a special collab game on 3 December
Demon Slayer anime studio creates crossover video with Major League Baseball【Video】
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
Ninja theme park suddenly closes in Japan, shadow warriors undone by shady real estate deals
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
The Japanese government is ending its Cool Japan Fund program
Hiker needs to be rescued from Mt. Fuji two times in two days, but system is working as intended
Masturbatory aid maker Tenga releases officially licensed anime versions in Japan and U.S.
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
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]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
American reporter blown away by cheap food prices at Tokyo baseball stadium, locals less impressed
Sailor Moon theme song plays at Dodgers Stadium. Shohei Ohtani instantly hits home run【Videos】
We tried Dodger Stadium’s Tsukiji Gindaco takoyaki flavor in Japan for its limited release
One Piece fans and Lakers fans to get exclusive T-shirts and posters at upcoming game
One Piece helps lead LA Rams to victory during collaboration event at SoFi Stadium
Why are the Los Angeles Dodgers wearing the caps from Nagoya’s professional baseball team?
Shohei Ohtani amazes Major League Baseball with his impeccable Japanese manners
Ghibli, One Punch, Fullmetal Alchemist artists create hand-drawn Major Leage Baseball anime video
Naruto jerseys coming to Major Leage Baseball theme nights, Hello Kitty to take over a field
Pikachu steals show at MLB opener, baseball stars introduced at Tokyo Dome with Pokémon music【Video】
Shohei Ohtani called liar after saying he met fan who caught home run ball, but it might be a Japanese translation error
One Piece bodybuilding contest in Japan looking for ripped anime fans to dress, pose like Luffy
One Piece teaming up with 5 NCAA basketball teams
Live-action Luffy Inaki Godoy made the voyage to Tokyo for a surprise-filled One Piece Day 2025
One Piece anime/manga creator promises that the series will, in fact, have an ending one day
Times Square taken over by Straw Hat Pirates ahead of One Piece release 【Pics & Videos】