Noah Lyles, the Olympic 100m gold medalist, has become a sensation in Japan for his love of anime. After his thrilling victory, where he narrowly beat Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by just five-thousandths of a second, Lyles celebrated in a unique way.
He mimed the famous kamehameha attack from Dragon Ball,” a gesture that quickly earned him the nickname “world’s fastest anime fan.”
The 27-year-old Lyles has always been open about his passion for Japanese pop culture. He loves comics and cartoons like “Dragon Ball,” a global hit from the 1990s.
At the Olympic trials in June, he even showed off his Yu-Gi-Oh! cards to the cameras, delighting fans who share his enthusiasm for anime.
In Japan, the reaction to Lyles’s celebration was immediate and enthusiastic. The Daily Sports newspaper called him “mankind’s fastest otaku,” a term used for hardcore fans of anime and manga. This nickname was picked up by other media outlets as well.
Social media was also buzzing with admiration for Lyles. Anime fans remembered how he paid tribute to Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, who passed away earlier this year. Lyles had expressed his sorrow on social media, saying that Toriyama’s work had a profound impact on his life.
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Lyles’s victory and celebration resonated with fans worldwide. One fan on the social media platform X commented, “I’m sure this kamehameha didn’t go unnoticed by Toriyama-sensei.”
The influence of anime is not limited to Lyles. The French men’s fencing team also paid homage to “Dragon Ball” by making kamehameha gestures after winning bronze. Additionally, Brazilian volleyball player Darlan Ferreira Souza has a tattoo inspired by “Haikyu!!,” a popular anime about high-school volleyball.
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Haikyu fans were thrilled to see the tattoo, which features a slogan from the series. One fan on X wrote, “So happy to know ‘Haikyu!’ is traveling worldwide. Hope it will continue to inspire volleyball players across the world.”
Noah Lyles’s celebration has shown how deeply anime has impacted people globally, from athletes to fans. His love for Japanese pop culture has brought him closer to fans worldwide, earning him a special place in the hearts of anime enthusiasts everywhere.
