Just in time for the official start of the new NBA season, the Crayon Shin-chan anime is collaborating with NBA star Rui Hachimura in an episode that will air on November 4 titled “Buriburi Hachimura Special.” The part of the episode featuring Hachimura is titled “Buriburi Zaemon no Bōken: Uchū Dunk-hen” (Buriburi Zaemon’s Adventure: Space Dunk Volume).
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１１月４日（土）の放送は#八村塁 × #クレヨンしんちゃん
✨夢のコラボが実現‼️🏀
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八村塁❌しんのすけ❌ぶりぶりざえもん🐽が、ダンク🏀で地球🌏を救う⁉️お見逃しなく～⛹️♂️
くわしくは…👇https://t.co/KM2o1OvQrU pic.twitter.com/peprCczU5D— クレヨンしんちゃん【公式】 (@crayon_official) October 27, 2023
The episode will take place in a Los Angeles-like town (Hachimura currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers), where Shinnosuke is super hungry, and he calls on Buriburi Zaemon. Zaemon, in turn, calls on Hachimura, who has been so engrossed in his basketball practice that he hasn’t eaten in eight days. The three are wolfing down a large amount of hamburgers together when they see on TV that a meteorite named BEN-KI is headed toward Earth.
The anime’s official Twitter account had previously teased on October 23 that Shinnosuke was on an “urgent” business trip to the United States, featuring a video of Shinnosuke himself dancing in front of California-based Bang Zoom! Entertainment studio.
— クレヨンしんちゃん【公式】 (@crayon_official) October 23, 2023
You can even watch Hachimura in the recording booth, where it was his first time ever doing dub work.
— クレヨンしんちゃん【公式】 (@crayon_official) October 28, 2023
Hachimura told TV Asahi that his family are big fans of Crayon Shin-chan.
© BIGHIT MUSIC & HYBE, 臼井儀人／双葉社・シンエイ・テレビ朝日・ADK
Hachimura isn’t the only celebrity getting the Shin-chan animated treatment recently though. K-pop group TOMORROW X TOGETHER enter the animated world for their latest collab as well.
The idol group appeared in the October 28 autumn episode titled “Aki mo Takenawa SP” (Autumn is in Full Swing Special). In the episode, Shinnosuke, Misae, and Himawari are enthusiastic MOA (the name of the band’s fans) and join in on the “Happy Fools Challenge.” The dance challenge blew up on social media, with even SUGA from their sibling group BTS adding his spin to the dance.
The group, who have released singles and promoted their music in Japan, dubbed themselves in Japanese.
Some lucky fans could also win illustrations signed by all members in a special giveaway commemorating the unique team-up.
The cheeky five-year-old has had otherworldly visitors visit him before, with Hello Kitty famously appearing in the show’s first episode of the Reiwa era in 2019. The collaboration included crossover goods and an appearance in the March 2019 issue of the Shin Crayon Shin-chan (New Crayon Shin-chan) manga.
Sources: Comic Natalie (link 2), Crayon Shin-chan anime’s website (link 2)
