There are plenty of anime franchises out there that have a focus on sports, with Haikyu focusing on volleyball, Blue Lock focusing on soccer, and Hajime no Ippo focusing on the sweet science known as boxing. Outside of having anime stories that focus on the worlds of athletes, real-life professionals are falling in love with the anime medium. Recent Olympic games have seen athletes paying tribute to some major series and it appears as though one Major League Baseball player has not only shared his love of One Piece but has done so in a way with a chain that honors Luffy’s ultimate transformation.
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Jazz Chisholm Jr. is currently an infielder/center fielder for the New York Yankees, having previously played for other big-name teams such as the Miami Marlins and the Arizona Diamondbacks. So big has Chisholm’s career been that not only has he been a part of these significant Major League Baseball teams, but he also made the cover of the annual video game, MLB The Show, in 2023. In a new image released by the MLB’s official social media account, Chisholm Jr. has created an expensive new chain that recreates one of Monkey D. Luffy’s most memorable moments in the transformation he gained during the Wano Arc, Gear Fifth.
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Gear Fifth Comes to Major League Baseball
Unfortunately, the cost of this One Piece chain was not revealed along with its internet debut but we have to imagine that the diamond-encrusted anime tribute was quite expensive. The image of Luffy laughing while in his Gear Fifth form has become one of the most recognizable moments in the history of the transformation. With Gear Fifth making the Straw Hat captain a living cartoon, it’s understandable that the invincible form would have Luffy throwing back his head and laughing whenever he can.
One Piece’s MLB Future
Several Major League Baseball teams have had “One Piece Nights” in the past, offering anime fans and stadium-goers alike the opportunity to get exclusive Straw Hat merch. On May 3rd later this year, the Boston Red Sox are once again teaming up with the shonen series for another collaboration. Included in this crossover will be exclusive One Piece jerseys that can make fans both members of the Red Sox and the Straw Hat crew.
While there hasn’t been a time wherein the Straw Hats have been a part of a baseball game in the One Piece series, you might be surprised to learn about a past collaboration that has been somewhat forgotten. The GameBoy Advance game, One Piece: Going Baseball, gathered the Straw Hats, their biggest allies, and biggest villains into a video game that pit them against one another in a series of baseball games. Only released in Japan, the cartridge had to be seen to be believed.
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