Summary
- Japan introduces themed One Piece bullet trains on the Sanyo Shinkansen line with unique designs.
- Bullet trains have unique character-like qualities, and themed trains are rare but popular.
- The first design, Setouchi Blue, features exterior One Piece characters, with interior theming and special merchandise being planned.
Japan is famous for many things – Pokémon, Mt. Fuji, cherry blossoms, ramen, bullet trains, and One Piece, to name a few. And the good news for people traveling around Japan who are fans of One Piece, both domestically and from abroad, have something new and exciting to look forward to. Joining the ranks of huge names like Hello Kitty and Neon Genesis Evangelion, a new series of bullet trains has been announced that are going to be themed after One Piece.
Japanese news source PR Times dropped the news earlier this week, releasing plans and images for not just one but three new One Piece bullet trains. Because the news is so new, not many details are available yet, and only one of the three train designs has been revealed. This is what has been released so far about the upcoming One Piece bullet trains.
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Bullet Trains, Explained
And Why a One Piece Themed Train?
If you saw the 2022 action comedy Bullet Train, you will have an (exaggerated and not entirely accurate) idea of what a bullet train is already. Bullet trains, better known in Japan as “Shinkansen,” are Japan’s high speed railway system. They connect most of Japan’s biggest cities across several different Shinkansen lines. Each of the Shinkansen also has a name and a unique design, and unsurprisingly, they have been given character-like qualities. Because of the high interest in the bullet trains among children and adults alike, plenty of special merchandise exists for each train line, and there are regular collaborations between anime characters and Shinkansen lines for goods.
However, an entirely themed bullet train is rare. So far, the only otaku-themed trains have been the Hello Kitty and Neon Genesis Evangelion trains, though both were extremely popular when they were running. One Piece is arguably the most popular and beloved anime in Japan now, though, and has a massive following internationally as well. That makes it the perfect choice for a themed Shinkansen, as there are no shortage of fans willing to pay money to experience it.
Casey Baseel of SoraNews24 describes this business decision well, writing,
Anime/manga franchise One Piece is a seafaring saga, following the exploits of protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew. Really, though, at its core One Piece is about the spirit of adventure and
[sic]
allure of making exciting discoveries in new places, regardless of the method of transportation you use to get there.
The cost of creating these bullet trains is likely astronomical, but JR West will have no problem getting it back. One Piece fans from all over are going to flock to ride this themed train when it does open, bringing money not only to the train line but to some of Japan’s less visited southern cities as well (more on that below).
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The One Piece Bullet Train Details
What Has Been Revealed So Far
As stated above, there are very few details about the One Piece bullet trains other than that they are coming. What we do know is that it won’t actually be running to Tokyo. The One Piece train will travel on the Sanyo Shinkansen line, connecting Shin-Osaka and Fukuoka stations. There are 17 other stops along the line between those two major cities, all serviced by the Sanyo Shinkansen as well. They include other famous cities like Hiroshima (which may have a surprising One Piece connection) and Kobe.
The One Piece bullet train will have theming both inside and out. So far, the first design has been revealed, which is called “Setouchi Blue.” The name refers to the Setouchi region of Japan, which the bullet train goes through. This Setouchi Blue design is predictably bright blue, with One Piece characters along the sides. Though no interior designs have been revealed yet, JR West has said that the theming will extend inside the train as well. Finally, there will also be special merchandise for the trains, and some stations along the route will also have theming.
Setouchi Blue is only the first design, and JR West has announced that there will be two additional One Piece designs coming. No timing has been revealed yet for the other two designs, so while all three may be running at the same time, they may switch out after a time. For now, Setouchi Blue is set to hit the rails sometime next spring.
Catch up on One Piece on Crunchyroll.
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- Release Date
- October 20, 1999
Sources: SoraNews24, PR Times