McDonald’s is shaking up the world of fast food with an original rebrand of its iconic golden arches inspired by a popular anime trend.
The move will see the global burger giant turn its ‘M’ backwards and adopt the name WcDonald’s, in a nod to a fictional fast food chain that regularly appears in television shows and anime films.
Although the anime-inspired rebrand is only temporary, it has received a vociferous response from manga lovers around the world, with many taking to social media to express their excitement over the official arrival of a WcDonald’s from the real life.
And it’s not just the network’s brand that’s getting a makeover in honor of the new anime tribute, which was officially unveiled today.
McDonald’s is turning its iconic M in WcDonald’s upside down and anime fans are rejoicing at the announcement.
The brand pays tribute to the anime illustrators who have created the fictional version of the golden arches, called WcDonald’s in many films and shows of the genre.
In addition to the logo and name changes, McDonald’s, or WcDonald’s, also launched a new sauce, Savory Chili WcDonald’s Sauce, which comes complete with manga-themed packaging.
The Savory Chili WcDonald’s Sauce, which will be available for a limited time, includes ingredients of ginger, garlic, soy and chili flakes and the food chain recommends pairing it with its 10-piece WcNuggests.
And to celebrate the temporary relaunch in true style, the network will also premiere a series of four manga shorts, in partnership with Japanese manga artist Acky Bright.
Acky has created an illustrated cast of characters, including a regular named Hashirune, a prankster Mr. Bev, and a WcDizer 3000 robot.
Acky shared in a McDonald’s press release: ‘I had a great time partnering with McDonald’s to help make WcDonald’s a reality for manga fans who have a genuine love for the brand.
“From the details of the various Crew characters to the plot of the manga itself, I loved being able to use my artwork to bring the dynamic and vibrant world of WcDonald’s to life for people around the world.”
McDonald’s has also partnered with iconic animation house Studio Pierrot, which created the famous anime series Naruto, to bring the illustrations to life in its weekly episodic shorts.
McDonald’s has also partnered with iconic animation house Studio Pierrot, which created the famous anime series Naruto, to bring the illustrations to life.
Every Monday, starting February 26 and running through March 18, foodies can scan the code provided in their WcDonald’s bag to watch the latest episode.
The first episode is titled The Race to WcDonalds, the second is Love from Across the Booth, the third is WcNuggets Space Frontier 3000, and finally, The Wisdom of the Sauce.
McDonald’s chief marketing officer Tariq Hassan said: “Anime is a big part of today’s culture and we love that our fans have been inviting us into the conversation for years.”
Every Monday, starting February 26 and running through March 18, foodies can scan the code provided on their WcDonald’s bag to watch the latest episode, which will cover the action, romance, mecha and fantasy subgenres.
The first episode is titled The Race to WcDonalds, the second is Love from Across the Booth, the third is WcNuggets Space Frontier 3000, and finally, The Wisdom of the Sauce.
When it comes to the inspiration behind the golden arches that choose the world of anime as their muse, Director of Marketing and Customer Experience Tariq Hassan shared in the press release: “Anime is a big part of the culture current and we love that our fans have been inviting us into the conversation for years.
‘The universe of WcDonald’s is a reflection of what the fans have created.
“It honors their vision and celebrates their creativity, while authentically bringing it to life in our restaurants for the first time.”
McDonald’s released an anime teaser on social media featuring its new cast members enjoying fries and chicken nuggets and was captioned: “Everything’s about to turn upside down…”
In the clip, the overlay text reads: “Studio Pierrot: From the creators of the world’s most iconic anime… and the creators of the world’s most iconic French fries… a new world emerges… 2.26. 24″.
The video ends with the McDonald’s electric sign experiencing a technical problem.
The teaser garnered over 32,100 likes and 834 comments, and many foodies were excited about the collaboration.
One person wrote: “I don’t know what this is but I’m in.”
Another person added: “As someone who works at McDonald’s AND watches anime I’m really excited bro what the fuck.”
The teaser garnered over 32,100 likes and 834 comments, and many foodies were excited about the collaboration. One person wrote: “I don’t know what this is but I’m in.”
A third commenter wrote: “McDonald’s Isekai wasn’t on my 2024 bingo card, but I’ll definitely take it.”
‘McAnime,’ one person added enthusiastically.
‘This is very funny. McDonald’s follows the path of anime and manga. WcDonald’s,” another person commented.
One person wrote: “I’m going to eat some fries while watching this anime.”
McDonald’s will also create a ‘WcDonald’s Immersive Dining Experience’ from March 9-10 and foodies will be able to literally step into a multi-sensory version of the new brand in Los Angeles.
Interested guests can create a reservation through Openable starting February 28.
McDonald’s is also celebrating three anime artists who created WcDonald’s artwork by giving them grants for their future projects.
They will also receive a one-on-one tutoring session with Acky Bright himself.
WcDonald’s will be available in more than 30 global markets.