For those who want to explore Japan, especially the Kansai region and Osaka areas, in the spirit of one of the world’s most popular anime franchises, look no further! JR West, one of the largest transportation companies in the country, has announced an all-new collaboration with One Piece, kicking off a specially designed One Piece-themed shinkansen!
Operating on the Sanyo Shinkansen line, this exclusive bullet train is operating between Shin-Osaka and Hakata in Kyushu, with advertisements and promotional materials showcasing the applicable map in the same style of One Piece’s iconic pirate and map style. The route features a total of 19 stations, including many major cities throughout such as Kobe, Himeji, Hiroshima, and more.
For the collaboration, a number of different One Piece-themed advertisements and art were released, particularly a fun logo combining the classic One Piece design with one featuring a shinkansen, conductors outfit, and other train-related motifs. A poster and special art was also released, featuring the Straw Hat Pilots running alongside the newly decorated Shinkansen against the sea.
The highlight of the collaboration is the exclusively designed Shinkansen bullet train, dubbed the Setouchi Blue, which is painted a brilliant sky blue with different One Piece motifs attached all across it. On top of different characters and ships from the series, there are also different islands and waves across the train at various points.
The collaboration is set to kick off in Spring 2025, with a number of additional One Piece collaborative trains set to be revealed in the future. More information can be found on the official website here. To the grand line!
