From Animation Fantasy to Restaurant Reality: McDonald's Embraces Anime Culture with Immersive WcDonald's Campaign

The fictional WcDonald’s restaurant that has captured anime enthusiasts’ imaginations across countless series and films is stepping out of the screen and into the physical world. Starting February 26, McDonald’s is launching an ambitious cross-media initiative that transforms the beloved anime trope into an authentic brand experience spanning more than 30 countries globally.

The Culinary Innovation: Savory Chili Sauce Takes Center Stage

At the heart of this anime-inspired campaign lies a bold gastronomic experiment—a new Savory Chili WcDonald’s Sauce crafted to mirror the dynamic energy of anime heroes. The sauce combines traditional Asian flavors: ginger, garlic, and soy base with a subtle heat from chili flakes, creating a flavor profile that energizes every bite. Available for a limited period, the sauce pairs seamlessly with the specially branded “WcNuggets” (rebranded Chicken McNuggets) or complements any menu selection, encouraging customers to explore new taste combinations.

Visual Storytelling Through Manga-Inspired Packaging

Renowned Japanese manga artist Acky Bright has created custom packaging that extends the WcDonald’s universe beyond the meal itself. Each package becomes a gateway to an expanded narrative, featuring meticulously designed WcDonald’s Crew characters sketched by Acky. By scanning QR codes embedded on the packaging, customers unlock weekly digital manga installments introducing a diverse cast: Hashirune (the loyal regular), Mr. Bev (the comedic crew member), WcDizer 3000 (a mecha character), and additional supporting characters that populate the WcDonald’s ecosystem.

“The collaboration allowed me to blend my artistic vision with a brand that already resonates with manga fans,” Acky Bright commented on the partnership. “Every character detail and narrative element was crafted to authentically represent the vibrant, imaginative world that WcDonald’s symbolizes.”

Four-Part Anime Series: A Genre-Spanning Adventure

McDonald’s partnered with Studio Pierrot, an acclaimed animation studio, to produce the first official WcDonald’s anime—a four-episode miniseries released weekly from February 26 through March 18. Each episode represents a distinct anime subgenre, offering varied storytelling approaches:

Episode One: “The Race to WcDonald’s” (February 26 release) showcases an action-packed rivalry where two competitors undertake an epic journey to reach the restaurant, celebrating themes of competition and determination.

Episode Two: “Love from Across the Booth” (March 4 premiere) shifts to romance, exploring unexpected connections between characters who discover that the sauce and WcNuggets mirror the perfect relationship dynamic.

Episode Three: “WcNuggets Space Frontier 3000” (March 11 launch) ventures into mecha territory, deploying a team of pilots tasked with defending the last WcNugget against mysterious threats in a futuristic setting.

Episode Four: “The Wisdom of the Sauce” (March 18 finale) concludes with fantasy elements as three heroines navigate a mystical realm seeking the source of the legendary sauce before it vanishes permanently.

New episodes synchronize with manga releases on WcDonalds.com and via QR code scanning.

Experiential Dining: The Immersive Los Angeles Experience

Extending the fantasy-to-reality concept, McDonald’s is constructing a fully immersive dining venue in Los Angeles for March 9-10, drawing inspiration from isekai anime narratives. The WcDonald’s Immersive Dining Experience combines 360-degree projection mapping, interactive tabletop projections, and a curated menu of WcDonald’s-themed items to create a multisensory environment where diners become characters within the anime world. The experience directly echoes scenes from the episodic shorts, deepening engagement with the broader campaign. Reservations opened February 28 exclusively through OpenTable.

Supporting Creator Communities

Recognizing that fan creativity fueled WcDonald’s from its inception, McDonald’s is investing in emerging anime artists. Three selected creators receive project development grants, local McDonald’s celebrations, and exclusive mentoring sessions with Acky Bright, institutionalizing recognition for the artistic community that organically developed the WcDonald’s concept years before its official adaptation.

From Subculture to Mainstream Collaboration

This campaign represents a significant shift in how major brands engage with anime culture. Rather than superficial licensing, McDonald’s constructed a layered ecosystem—combining limited-time menu innovations, collaborative packaging, professional animation production, live experiences, and community investment. The February 26 launch signals the beginning of a multi-month activation that acknowledges anime’s position within contemporary entertainment and validates the creative contributions of fan communities that originated the WcDonald’s concept years ago.

For McDonald’s USA, the initiative demonstrates how legacy brands can authentically participate in passionate fan cultures without diluting their identity, instead amplifying existing enthusiasm through strategic investment in storytelling and creator partnerships.