The 2020 Tokyo Olympics have just wrapped up, and we have seen anime and manga references take center stage throughout. The Olympics’ official Twitter even said it themselves, “Did you really think we could have an Olympics in Tokyo without a few anime references?”
One Piece fans, and even the series staff, especially, were surprised and delighted to see tributes to the iconic anime. The One Piece staff thanked the Olympic athletes with messages of gratitude for showcasing their love for the iconic series.
RELATED: Our Favorite Anime References at the Tokyo Summer Olympics
On Monday, long jump gold medalist Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece bent down and touched his fist to the ground during his introduction at the Olympics, imitating Luffy’s Second Gear pose. And on Thursday, Team USA shot putter Payton Otterdahl mimicked Franky’s iconic “Suuuuper” stance.
In response, One Piece staff sent messages of gratitude to both Tentoglou and Otterdahl on their official Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Of course, One Piece hasn’t been the only anime reference to be seen during these Olympic Games. For example, archery bronze medalist Takaharu Furukawa referenced Is the order a rabbit?, and did you hear the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba OP during the closing ceremonies?
If you missed any anime references, check out some of our favorites.
What’s your favorite anime reference that you saw during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games? Share this post and let us know! And stay tuned to Funimation for the latest news on all things anime, this season and beyond.
