'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAB//aAAgBAQAAAAAsf//EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/2gAIAQIQAAAAf//EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/2gAIAQMQAAAAP//EACMQAAIBAwEJAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQFEwAGBxIhIzJSYsL/2gAIAQEAAT8A3a3m20VxwWyCthmFrmop5cgBkdpMmZfDtCcPrpdtKGRQ7Wghm5nqg/Ov/8QAGhEBAAEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgABAwQSIf/aAAgBAgEBPwA41tjZU7P/xAAYEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgADIv/aAAgBAwEBPwA2uuRP/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Zion Williamson, an avid anime lover, has revealed his new Jordan Brand cooperation with the Japanese manga series Naruto. The upcoming Jordan Zion 1 x Naruto partnership will bring together the heavily-admired ninjas and the younger generation of basketball players in the footwear fold.
With a simple logo lock-up showcasing the Jumpman Insignia and Naruto Uzumaki calmly hitting a between-the-legs slam dunk, Zion Williamson teased an official association with the globally popular anime Naruto.
The New Orleans Pelicans powerhouse is engaging in these new sneaker collabs during his break from action following a recent injury.
The Naruto initiative was unveiled by the Jordan Brand on Twitter.
Zion Williamson’s Jordan Zion 1 will be Naruto-inspired sneakers
Zion Williamson has always been vocal about his love for anime, particularly Naruto. His mother Sharonda Sampson publicly disclosed that she and her son watched it together during a 2019 in-game interview.
Unveiling his latest association, Zion wrote:
"Excited to share this story with the world. The [Jordan] Zion 1 x Naruto Collection is inspired by our parallel paths of overcoming adversity. Stay tuned!"
Alongside, the Jordan brand’s official Twitter account also posted a similar snapshot of the Jumpman emblem with Naruto Uzumaki captioning the image, "The Shinobi Way."
As of now, no official images of the footwear have been revealed, which has piqued the interest of both sneakerheads and Naruto fans alike.
What else do we know about the popular Naruto manga series?
Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto manga series was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 to 2014, resulting in 72 volumes. It is one of the best-selling manga series of all time, with classics such as Eiichiro Oda's One Piece, Gosho Aoyama's Detective Conan, and Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, with over 250 million copies sold worldwide.
The manga was adapted into two anime series by Studio Pierrot and Aniplex: Naruto, which aired from 2002 to 2007, and Naruto: Shippuden, which aired from 2007 to 2017. There are approximately 700 episodes in total between the two.
On Hulu and Crunchyroll, you can watch all of the timeless Naruto episodes.
How busy has Naruto been in terms of collaborations and launches?
The Naruto franchise's new deal with Jordan Brand isn't the only recent collaboration. Hello Kitty and Chococat, dressed as Naruto Uzumaki and his nemesis Sasuke Uchiha, respectively, were recently launched by Sanrio as part of a unique set of vinyl figures. Pre-orders are presently being accepted for the figurines, which are priced at $94.99.
Earlier this year, Mizuno, a Japanese sportswear brand, worked on a Naruto-themed line of sneakers inspired by the anime's three major characters, Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha.
