Konami’s eFootball has had its fair share of anime collaborations in the past (like Blue Lock, Captain Tsubasa, and Yu-Gi-Oh! ), but its latest Naruto Shippuden collab trailer has famous football players like Neymar Jr., Takefusa Kubo, and more mimicking poses and moves from Masashi Kishimoto’s popular ninja series. These gestures likely won’t be used in-game as they would be considered illegal, but they will be featured on the limited-edition cards that players can earn (or buy) during the event.
As far as collab trailers go, this one is on the longer and more production-heavy side, and is a must-watch even if you’re not a fan on eFootball. Despite how cringey it may seem, there’s something beautiful about seeing players in Naruto-inspired garb amidst some hard-hitting CGI. Itachi/Luka Modrić’s Mangekyo Sharingan effect deserves special mention, as do the giant renders of Kurama and Sasuke’s Susanoo. It makes you wonder how Konami was able to get so many of them to channel their inner ninja (or if all of them are Naruto fans).
By comparison, the Blue Lock and Captain Tsubasa collabs have the players in their natural element (seeing as the two are football-based series). The Yu-Gi-Oh! collab trailer, on the other hand, only features Neymar Jr. as he readies his cards while dressed as the Dark Magician. It should be worth mentioning that Neymar Jr. is a fan of anime and manga, and even sports a tattoo of Dragon Ball’s Goku on his lower back.
Though some are happy about the game’s anime representation, others feel like Konami has lost the plot and finally gone off the deep end. While the eFootball x Naruto Shippuden collaboration campaign only runs from April 30 to May 14, I have a feeling that people will remember this particular trailer long after the collab is over.
eFootball is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5, Android, iOS, and Windows (Steam).
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