Football players often unwind or use their travel time to watch their favourite show/series on Netflix. In recent times the world of football has seen a rise in anime fandom.
Some players like Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate find inspiration in anime, making it an inspiration in day to day life, while others like Aubameyang channel their fandom into celebrations.
Another player who’s known for bringing out an anime related celebration is Dominic Solanke.
Solanke has been making headlines in this department, all thanks to his anime inspired celebrations, bringing his passion for Japanese animation into football.
The English striker recently made his return to football after an injury, opening his tally for new club Tottenham against Brentford.
He followed up the Brentford performance with goals against both, Qarabag and Manchester United through the week.
Apart from opening his scoring, Solanke continued a tradition of using his goal celebrations to pay homage to anime characters, a habit he developed during his time at Bournemouth.
Playing away from home against Man United, Solanke bagged the third goal in minute 77 to seal the victory, and followed it up with another anime celebration.
Solanke joined his hands together, locking the fingers of his right hand between those of his left, in a move/technique known as Hollow Purple – that recalls Satoru Gojo, a character from Jujutsu Kaisen. This celebration once again captured anime lovers’ attention.
The Hollow Purple technique represents a unique fusion of two fundamental techniques within the series: Cursed Technique Amplification (Blue) and Cursed Technique Reversal (Red).
Gojo uses Hollow Purple as one of his peak abilities during intense battles. Its introduction highlights both Gojo’s strength and the intricacies of the cursed techniques in Jujutsu Kaisen universe.
Only a few days prior to dropping this celebration, Solanke took things up a notch with a reference to Attack on Titan, one of his all-time favorite anime series.
The celebration came after the striker bagged the third goal against Qarabag FK in Tottenham’s opening Europa League fixture win on Friday.
He bit his hand, mimicking the transformation trigger of Eren Yeager, the protagonist of the show. In Attack on Titan, Eren bites his hand as a means to transform into a powerful Titan, and Solanke’s recreation of this moment was a subtle nod to fans of the anime.
Like we’ve mentioned before, this isn’t the first time Solanke has incorporated anime into his celebrations. During his stint at Bournemouth, Solanke went a step further, using props to elevate his goal celebrations.
After scoring against Brentford in a tightly contested 2-2 draw, he donned a mask worn by Obito Uchiha, a key character from Naruto.
Dominic Solanke, The Bournemouth player from the Premiere League, celebrated his goal against Brentford FC with the iconic Akatsuki Tobi mask from Naruto. pic.twitter.com/fIO7lQ7GBU
— Anime News And Facts (@AniNewsAndFacts) May 11, 2024
Over the years, he has also paid tribute to characters from series like Demon Slayer and One Piece, consistently making references that anime fans can appreciate.
This true love for anime was revealed to some lengths in an interview Solanke did with Tottenham, where he discussed his favourite series – including Solo Leveling, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Attack on Titan in the list.
Talking about anime, Solanke had this to say, “It’s something that I love, I love it a lot.”
He also shared how he first got into anime at the age of seven or eight, when it became a core part of his childhood.
Solanke has now found the back of the net in three consecutive games, and given his form there might come a time where he may soon run out of anime moves to pull off.
Fans from both football and anime eagerly await Dominic Solanke’s next move, as his anime-themed celebrations merge these two worlds, captivating audiences and creating a unique bond that resonates across both realms.
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