This is the concept of this charter flight. The globally popular "ONE PIECE" and JAL teamed up to create the "ONE PIECE x JAL Wano Country Flight - The Legendary Crane and the Sky Adventure" tour charter, which took place on July 30, 2022. Thanks to everyone's support, we would like to share with you the tour, which was a huge success.
The concept of this charter flight is based on the "Wano Country Arc" currently airing in the anime "One Piece," and the plane is designed to look like a large crane large enough for people to ride on.
On this day, the sky was a perfect blue to match this worldview, and customers gathered at the domestic check-in counters at Narita Airport, and an uncontainable sense of anticipation was already filling the air.
Thousand Sunny and Wano Country-style flight attendants will welcome you
The first thing that caught the customers' hearts at the check-in counter was the gift of original goods exclusive to this charter. The flight certificate with an illustration of "ONE PIECE", a cute tote bag with Luffy and Chopper, stickers with concept art, and other goods that "ONE PIECE" fans will love were packed into the bag.
Once you pass through security and enter the boarding gate, you will be greeted by the pirate ship "Thousand Sunny" on which the Straw Hat Pirates board. You will feel as if you have entered the world of "ONE PIECE" in an instant.
Charter guests also stopped in front of the Thousand Sunny, taking photos and peering inside the ship with bright smiles on their faces.
This charter flight also had cabin attendants dressed in kimono on board, in keeping with the image of Wano Country. Even at the boarding gate, cabin attendants dressed in traditional Japanese attire welcomed the passengers and took commemorative photos. On this day, many passengers were seen wearing kimonos and yukatas. The appeal of a round-trip charter flight is that you can enjoy the flight while immersed in the world of the concept.
In another area of the boarding booth, we were able to take commemorative photos with the pilot. Not only the children, but also the adults seemed excited to be experiencing something they rarely get to experience on a regular basis.
There was also a message board where passengers could freely express their feelings before boarding and their thoughts about "ONE PIECE." The board was filled with people's thoughts about the trip and illustrations of characters, and it seemed to convey everyone's excitement.
What I wanted to express was the "bonds between friends" and the "world of One Piece."
The charter flight this time is "JL5656". In fact, this number also has a meaning. It was named "5656 (Gomu Gomu)" after the Gomu Gomu fruit that Luffy ate. Behind the detailed design, even such details were the passion of the JAL staff.
The person who spearheaded this charter was Mikumi Ito, a member of JAL's in-house venture team "W-PIT." Ito is such a big fan of "One Piece" that she calls it her "textbook for life." She aimed to make the plan a reality, with the desire to "convey the importance of the bonds between friends and acting on one's own will depicted in the work to JAL as well."
The project began about two years ago. At a time when many events were being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to create an event that everyone could enjoy.
"We have prepared an atmosphere that will allow you to feel like you are in Wano Country, including food inspired by the country and hospitality from flight attendants dressed in kimonos, so we hope that everyone on board will feel like they are traveling in the world of One Piece with the Straw Hat Pirates."
JAL staff's hospitality on the ground before takeoff
As the flight time approached, we boarded the bus and headed to the aircraft. Under the bright sun, JAL staff saw us off. The banner read, "Full air rudder! Let's go!" and it sounded like Luffy's voice.
In addition, mop art was drawn next to the gangway. Under "ONE PIECE x JAL" was drawn the straw hat, which symbolizes the work, and Mount Fuji, which will fly over during the charter flight. The customers were impressed, exclaiming, "Wow!" even before the flight began.
The plane I flew on this time was an international Boeing 767-300ER. Each seat has its own monitor, and the headrest covers are original with concept art. These headrest covers are one of the gifts given to customers.
Enjoy the in-flight meal with dishes featured in the series
At 3:15pm, it was finally time for the giant crane to take off. At this point, Luffy made an in-flight announcement to the passengers.
"Wow, what kind of huge bird is this? It's amazing, how many people are on board? Maybe you guys want to ride it and fly up to the sky too? Well then, come on an adventure with us! I'm looking forward to it. Alright, let's go!"
After takeoff, the first thing we were greeted with was a gift of original coasters with the Straw Hat Crew on them. A flight attendant dressed in a kimono handed out the coasters while greeting each and every passenger. They were handed out randomly from five types, and the two reporters won coasters with Luffy and Jinbe, and Nami and Usopp.
"It smells delicious!" Luffy exclaimed as a special menu prepared by Sanji, the chef of the Straw Hat Pirates, arrived at their seats. Sanji also greeted them before the meal, saying, "Today's menu, as you all know, is a special menu that uses plenty of fresh ingredients from Wano Country. Moreover, it's a masterpiece that we made together with everyone from Wano Country! Please enjoy this luxurious meal in the sky to your heart's content."
The Japanese cuisine served in business class is the "Shogun Gozen" menu, which is centered around oden and sukiyaki inspired by the characters of Wano Country, as well as milder flavors such as sashimi and simmered dishes.
The Western dish is "Tsurumaru Takaraben," with the main dish being a truffle cheese hamburger steak that tastes like meat on the bone.
The economy class "Colorful Sky Bento" includes soba noodles and millet dumplings that appear in the series, making you feel like you're really in Wano Country. All the dishes had a refreshing summery taste, making it a satisfying lunchtime that you wouldn't expect to find yourself in the sky.
A quiz tournament will also be held to impress "ONE PIECE" fans
After the meal, a digest of the anime's first episode and all the previous ones was shown on the monitor, getting the fans excited.
A quiz competition related to "ONE PIECE" was also held on the plane. 14 multiple choice questions were asked, ranging from a beginner's question of "Who is holding a drink in the illustration on the boarding pass?" to a question that any fan would know, "In the SBS of Volume 76 of the manga, if the Straw Hat Pirates had a job other than pirates, who would have been the flight attendant?"
Among them, the most difficult question was, "What order did Nami use her techniques in after the raid on Onigashima?" This was a very niche question that had even the most avid One Piece fans scratching their heads.
Customers who answered 7 or more questions correctly out of 14 were given a prize. Many people received a prize, probably because the cabin attendants gave them hints during the flight.
As the scheduled landing time of 6:30 p.m. approaches, a final message is received from the chopper.
"It went by so quickly. I don't like the heat either, but everyone should be careful not to get fatigued in the summer. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Thanks for today!"
A one-of-a-kind charter experience will become a special memory
After leaving the aircraft by bus, we arrived at the baggage inspection area, where we were greeted once again by the Thousand Sunny. Below us, in the baggage claim lane, souvenirs for passengers were flowing.
Only the recipient will know what gift they will receive.
Mukaigo, who said that all three of them are fans of "One Piece," said, "One Piece music was playing throughout the flight so I could really feel the atmosphere, and it was fun to hear the character conversations that you can only hear here." He also said, "I was happy that I got to watch a bit of the anime." He seemed satisfied with the experience that he was only able to have on that day.
Wearing colorful yukata robes, Oishi and Kojima, who became friends through One Piece, enjoyed the day. "The food was delicious. I was especially impressed with the cold chawanmushi," and "It was my first charter, but it was so much fun that I'd like to go again," they said, making it seem like a special day.
JAL plans not only collaborations with works like this one, but also a wide variety of themed charter flights, including countries and regions, food, music, and more. Please take a look at the diverse programs. Your usual flight is sure to become a special experience.
Ⓒ Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Fuji Television, Toei Animation
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The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
