Naomi Osaka revela Bleach was behind her viral Wimbledon outfit

Naomi Osaka has been turning heads at Wimbledon for more than just her tennis, after arriving on court in a stunning white kimono inspired by Japanese culture. Now, the four-time Grand Slam champion has revealed another unexpected influence behind the viral outfit, saying it makes her feel like she’s stepped straight out of Bleach.

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Osaka returned to Wimbledon this year looking to continue her resurgence following her return to the WTA Tour. The popular tennis player has enjoyed a strong run at the tournament, with her performances on grass matching the attention she’s received for her eye-catching fashion choices.

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Before her opening match, Osaka immediately caught fans’ attention by walking onto court wearing an elaborate white kimono-inspired outfit, with photos and videos quickly spreading across social media.

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After making her entrance in the custom kimono, Osaka explained to press that the outfit was designed to celebrate both her heritage and one of her favorite movie characters.

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“When I think about that, I think about my cultures, my heritage, which is Japanese and Haitian. Then, if I dive deeper into Japanese culture, I think about the most iconic silhouette, which for me is a kimono. You don’t have to see the color of a kimono to know that it is a kimono.”

She continued: “[Lucy Liu’s character] has an all-white kimono, and I remember thinking that was really cool and amazing.”

Osaka revealed that the look was partly inspired by Lucy Liu’s O-Ren Ishii from Kill Bill , with the all-white outfit serving as her own interpretation while still paying tribute to Japanese culture.

Following the overwhelmingly positive response to her outfit, Osaka also revealed another source of inspiration that anime fans were quick to appreciate.

Naomi Osaka on her Wimbledon Kimono: "The kimono… we had to get it from Japón… there's this anime called Bleach. It's one of my favorites. I don't want to bore you, but anyway, I feel like I'm channeling a character from that whenever I wear the kimono in that way." 🇯🇵❤ pic.twitter.com/6wOXhvrmJD

“The kimono… we had to get it from Japón… there’s this anime called Bleach . It’s one of my favorites. I don’t want to bore you, but anyway, I feel like I’m channeling a character from that whenever I wear the kimono in that way.”

Bleach is one of the biggest anime and manga franchises of all time, following teenager Ichigo Kurosaki after he gains the powers of a Soul Reaper and is tasked with protecting the living world from supernatural threats. Throughout the series, Soul Reapers wear traditional black robes, while one of the anime’s most iconic transformations sees Rukia Kuchiki unlock her Bankai, appearing in an elegant flowing white kimono.

Osaka’s Wimbledon outfit closely resembles Rukia’s Bankai form, with both featuring long white robes and a similarly graceful silhouette, making it easy to see why Bleach was on her mind when she stepped onto Centre Court.

The outfit hasn’t distracted from her tennis either. Osaka is enjoying her best-ever run at Wimbledon after stunning world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to reach her first Wimbledon quarterfinal, where she’ll face Karolina Muchova as she continues competing.