Anime is becoming more mainstream than ever, and the release of the LA Chargers anime NFL schedule just proved it!
The NFL team decided to debut their 2022 season schedule in style, pulling inspiration from several of the most popular anime series available today.
The two-minute twitter video is set to a soundtrack straight from your favorite shonen op. and each clip highlight’s a different weekly opponent with an anime reference.
Check it out for yourself below:
What animes are referenced in the trailer?
Several different anime series make their way into the video and fans are likely to pick up on more than a few fun anime easter eggs from series like Demon Slayer and Attack on Titan. Some of the other major references are pointed out below.
One Piece is brought up multiple times to reference the Las Vegas Raiders.
The LA Chargers play the Kansas City Chiefs twice and are obviously ready for “Mecha Mahomes”, who seems to be a homage to the mecha genre as a whole.
Russel Wilson, who recently signed with the Denver Broncos, can be seen sporting an apron and headband that reads, “Let Russ Cook.” Fans of Food Wars may see the resemblance between his headband and Sōma Yukihira’s.
Here Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals looks quite distressed in this Demon Slayer-style animation.
Naruto makes an appearance as well in week ten when the Chargers take on the San Francisco 49ers.
Even My Hero Academia’s Tokoyami gets some love in week nine when the team faces the Atlanta Falcons.
Are there any other references in the trailer?
While almost everything in the video is an anime reference, there is also a reference to a popular anime-style cartoon from Nickelodeon.
If you guessed Avatar, you would be correct.
Whether or not you consider Avatar to be an anime series, there’s no mistaking this shout-out to the series during the LA Chargers bye in week eight.
