McDonald's is temporarily ditching its famous golden arches.
The 'M' branding is known across the globe, but the fast food giant is swapping its arches for... urm, bridges?
The chain is renaming itself as WcDonald's - and anime fans will understand why.
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The new look is a temporary manga-inspired makeover and gives the nod to the fictional fast food chain that has long appeared in anime films and TV shows.
In fact, WcDonald's dates all the way back to the 1980s when it made its first appearance in the franchise, Cat's Eye.
It's since appeared in well-known anime like Sally the Witch, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie and InuYasha (to name a few).
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The real-life version of WcDonald's was introduced today (February 26) and will last through to March 18 in more than 30 global markets.
WcDonald's restaurants will also have anime-inspired packaging which has been designed by Acky Bright.
A Savory Chili WcDonald’s Sauce is also being introduced.
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Speaking about the new collaboration, McDonald's USA Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer Tariq Hassan said in a release: "Anime is a huge part of today's culture, and we love that our fans have been inviting us into the conversation for years.
"The WcDonald's universe is a reflection of what fans have created. It honors their vision and celebrates their creativity, while authentically bringing it to life in our restaurants for the first time ever."
Elsewhere, there will be four official WcDonald's anime shorts.
McDonald's has teamed up with animation house Studio Pierrot to produce the animation.
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The first one, The Race to WcDonald's, is available today, with the following three being released on March 4, March 11 and March 18.
You can access the programme via WcDonalds.com, or via the code on the WcDonald’s bag.
If you were hoping for a full blown WcDonald's experience, there will be a WcDonald’s Immersive Dining Experience available in Los Angeles between March 9 and 10.
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It's described as 'a multi-sensory dining experience' with 'genre-bending fusion of entertainment and food'.
The press release further details: "Guests will be transported into the WcDonald's universe through 360 projection mapping and immersive tabletop projections inspired by the four WcDonald's anime episodic shorts - all while enjoying a set menu of WcDonald's items.
"Fans can reserve their spot exclusively on OpenTable starting Feb. 28 by searching 'WcDonald's Immersive Dining Experience' on the OpenTable app or website."
Topics: Anime, Food and Drink, McDonalds
Niamh Shackleton