If you stop by McDonald’s for a snack in the coming weeks, the packaging may look very different.
Starting Monday, participating McDonald’s locations around the world will be getting a mini makeover inspired by anime lovers. The manga-inspired acquisition, cheekily dubbed the “Wicked Donald” featuring its upside-down golden arches, will see the chain move into the animated series, according to a release from the Chicago-based burger giant. It’s said to hint at how it’s seen in some of the most iconic movies and shows.
“Anime is a big part of today’s culture, and we’re thrilled that our fans have invited us into the conversation over the years,” said Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, McDonald’s U.S. said Tariq Hassan in a release. Made by fans. We respected their vision, celebrated their creativity, and brought it to life for the first time in a restaurant. ”
This temporary change will last until March 18th.
While some may be skeptical, many anime lovers are overjoyed, as evidenced by social media.
One user on social media platform
Another said the anime’s packaging was “appropriate.”
For a third user, the change seemed like a return to childhood.
“McDonald’s incorporation of anime and manga brings tears to the eyes of 90’s kids,” one user commented.
As part of the transformation, McDonald’s collaborated with renowned Japanese artist/illustrator Akki Bright to create and design custom Wakudon’s packaging for the menu items. For a limited time, customers will receive manga-inspired packaging featuring characters from the Wakdonald crew sketched by Akki himself, the release states.
McDonald’s also partnered with animation production company Studio Pierrot to produce the first official WakuDonalds anime, a four-episode short about WakuDonald’s Sauce and WakuNuggets.
Every Monday from February 26th to March 18th, the following shorts celebrating anime’s four biggest subgenres: Action, Romance, Mecha, and Fantasy will drop at WcDonalds.com or via code in WcDonald’s Bag will be done.
Along with the packaging changes, some new menu items will also be introduced.
One is “Savory Chilli Wc Donald Sauce,” which the release states is intended to be paired with WcNuggets (aka Chicken McNuggets).
According to a release, one McDonald’s store will host an “immersive dining experience” inspired by “an isekai anime subgenre.”
According to officials, “WcDonald’s Immersive Dining Experience” will be held in Los Angeles on March 9th and 10th. The dining experience will be “multisensory” and a “cross-genre fusion of entertainment and cuisine,” the release added.
