A collaboration with a classic manga character highlights the L.A. Galaxy’s Japanese Heritage Night.
By TOMOKO NAGAI and JUN NAGATA
RAFU STAFF WRITERS
The L.A. Galaxy of Major League Soccer held a special Japanese Heritage Night on May 23 during its match against Houston Dynamo FC at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson.
Although the match ended in a 1-1 draw, the event attracted members of the Japanese American community and soccer fans alike, who enjoyed activities centered on Japanese culture, the club’s Japanese players, and a collaboration with the popular manga series “Captain Tsubasa.”
As part of the celebration, the Galaxy offered a Japanese Heritage Ticket Pack that included an exclusive Captain Tsubasa-themed scarf. Before kickoff, fans gathered around a special booth on the stadium concourse featuring displays and activities related to the iconic soccer manga.
Children from the local Japanese-language soccer academy Crecer & Nexes also attended the match as a team outing. According to parent chaperone Yoshiko Okamoto, the visit served as a celebration following the conclusion of the club team’s spring league season. She described the academy as “now the largest Japanese-language soccer academy in the South Bay” and spoke about the children’s enthusiasm and dedication to the sport.
Carlos, a Los Angeles resident who visited the Captain Tsubasa booth, said the series was one of his favorite manga and credited it with inspiring his love of soccer.
“It’s one of my favorite manga. Watching it when I was young was what made me love soccer,” he said.
Carlos grew up watching the Spanish-language version of the anime, which aired in the U.S. during the 1990s.
“Back then, there were hardly any soccer anime available here,” he recalled. He spent time browsing the manga volumes and collectible figures on display, visibly enjoying the nostalgia.
The evening also doubled as a Star Wars Theme Night. Fans could purchase a special ticket package that included a bobblehead of Grogu, popularly known as Baby Yoda. Throughout the stadium, many attendees could be seen carrying their commemorative giveaways, while others arrived dressed in elaborate costumes inspired by the franchise.
Outside the stadium, the supporters’ group Outlawz, one of the Galaxy’s most active fan organizations, operated a booth in the fan engagement area. Along with building excitement among supporters, the group hosted a shochu tasting event.
“We call this event a tailgate party,” said Outlawz leader Manny Martinez. “A Japanese company sponsored the shochu. We’re grateful that they helped introduce Japanese culture to visitors and added to the excitement surrounding the match.”
Since its founding in 2019, the Outlawz have supported the Galaxy at every match, beating drums, waving flags, and leading chants. For Japanese Heritage Night, members displayed banners written in Japanese and wore happi coats with “Galaxy”(ギャラクシー) and “Outlawz” (アウトローズ) written in Japanese.
On the field, Joseph Paintsil opened the scoring in the 27th minute from an assist by Miki Yamane. Houston equalized in the 41st minute, and the match ended 1–1. Yamane started at right back and played until the 67th minute. Maya Yoshida did not see action.
Behind the goal, the Japanese-language banners displayed by the Outlawz stood out prominently. Leaders wearing happi coats emblazoned on the back with the kanji characters 百二十 (120), representing supporters’ Section 120, led chants and songs that inspired loud support from the crowd throughout the match.
After the game, selected fans participated in an autograph session with Yoshida and Yamane, giving supporters an opportunity to meet the Japanese stars in person.
The event brought together Japanese culture, pop culture, and soccer for a memorable evening, with the stadium energized from start to finish.