• by Teresa Buyikian , July 2, 2024

Japanese anime has become a global sensation. According to a recent Polygon survey, 42% of Gen Z Americans watch anime shows weekly (for comparison, only 25% of the same demo follow the NFL).

So it comes as no surprise that McDonald’s has teamed up with the hugely popular anime series “Jujutsu Kaisen” for an app-only special offer for fans.

The QSR giant will launch a new Special Grade Garlic Sauce, available exclusively on the McDonald's app beginning July 9. The sauce is inspired by the Black Garlic Sauce served in McDonald’s Japan locations, with “notes of garlic and soy sauce, balanced with a slight tangy sweetness,” per the brand.

The “Jujutsu Kaisen” series, based on the multimillion-selling Magna series, depicts the story of Yuji Itadori, a young boy with tremendous physical strength, though he lives an ordinary high school life. He is guided by sorcerers to fights evil curses on his high school classmates.

Earlier this year the Guinness World Records announced that “Jujutsu Kaisen” was the “world's most in-demand anime series.” According to the announcement, “global demand for the supernatural series is rated at 71.2 times greater than the average TV show.”

The sauce container packaging will have one of eight collectable lids, each depicting a popular character from “Jujutsu Kaisen” -- including Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, Nobara Kugisaki and Satoru Gojo.

Along with the Special Grade Garlic Sauce, those who request it through the app will also receive 30-day free trial of Crunchyroll, an snime streaming service where customers can watch full episodes of "Jujutsu Kaisen" or any of thousands of other anime offerings. Crunchyroll is available in over 200 countries worldwide on 15 platforms, and also offers anime fan events, theatrical releases, games, consumer products, collectibles and manga.