Liverpool have confirmed they will wear special calligraphy-inspired shirts for their final pre-season game in Asia when they face Yokohama F. Marinos on Wednesday.
The Reds have teamed up with their official publication partner, Kodansha, to design a one-off kit that features names and numbers styled in traditional Japanese calligraphy.
The jersey design was created in collaboration with Riu Akizuki, a well-known Japanese calligrapher, and uses the artistic style of Shodō, which translates as “the way of writing.”
We use a brush, ink and paper to express feelings and presence through each stroke, said Akiko Kamiya, deputy director of Kodansha. It’s not about making perfect letters, but writing with intention.
Each name and number will be uniquely hand-styled, combining elegance with emotion in a way that reflects the spirit of Japanese calligraphy and the harmony of a football team.
Alongside the unique characters, the kits will also feature a ‘Diogo J 20’ patch as part of Liverpool’s ongoing tributes to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva. The emblem will appear throughout pre-season, including games in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Anfield.
It’s a quiet gesture of respect and imagination – delivered from Japan to Liverpool, added Kamiya.
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This isn’t the first time Liverpool and Kodansha have worked together. Earlier this year, they launched a manga-inspired fashion collection mixing football heritage with Japanese comic art. That range is now available in Japan, both online and in a pop-up store in Tokyo.
The calligraphy shirts are a one-off for this game only and form part of a growing cultural exchange between LFC and their Japanese fanbase.
