McDonald’s is lovin’ the boost it’s seeing from embracing anime, so much so that it’s doubling down on the popular Japanese comics.
On the heels of its massively successful temporary rebranding of select locations from McDonald’s to WcDonald’s—a meme in anime that renamed the chain and flipped the famous arches to avoid copyright issues—the chain has teamed up with the anime series Jujutsu Kaisen to roll out its first-ever garlic sauce.
Starting July 9, fans can use the company’s app to order the condiment, which was inspired by the Black Garlic Sauce served in McDonald’s Japan. And since it wouldn’t be a promotion without some sort of collectible, the sauce will come in eight separate packets, each featuring a different character from the series—Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, Nobara Kugisaki, Satoru Gojo, Kento Nanami, Suguru Geto, Mahito, and Sukuna.
Those names might not mean anything to you, but while some customers might argue McDonald’s is courting a niche audience, the enthusiasm of anime fans really cannot be overstated.
The new garlic sauce (and packaging) can be obtained with any order of McNuggets—and ordering it will also unlock a 30-day trial of the Crunchyroll streaming service, where customers can watch as much anime as their hearts desire, including Jujutsu Kaisen.
McDonald’s will debut the sauce cover designs on NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace’s car this Sunday.
The fast-food chain turned heads in February by embracing the anime meme and its temporary rebrand. It even opened a physical WcDonald’s location in Los Angeles, which it described as “a multi-sensory dining experience.” And, of course, it introduced a new sauce—Savory Chili WcDonald’s Sauce—to accompany its McNuggets and other menu items.
The company also partnered with animation house Studio Pierrot to produce the first official WcDonald’s anime.