A huge statue of Ado in a football kit opened to the public in Shibuya's Miyashita Park today, bringing the singer's collaboration with the Japanese national team to a whole new level.

Back when Ado was announced as ‘Creative Partner’ for Samurai Blue in December 2025, the strategy seemed simple enough. Using the vocals and likeness of one of the most popular artists in Japan right now would surely be enough to court attention for a sport that’s often overlooked in favor of baseball and even horse racing domestically, but what function does a giant statue serve exactly?

One answer may be that the Adidas flagship shop is located on the ground floor of the Miyashita Park building. Encouraging fans to come and check out the statue might lead to further kit sales, as well as generating social media buzz. The display is open until July 28 alongside a free football pitch for anyone to use.

It looks like Japan might actually have a good run this year. BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton actually predicted that the team would emerge as the winners of their group over Tunisia and Sweden before the tournament began, given their strong performance over such powerhouses as Germany in 2022. That being said, one of their star players is missing due to injury.

With regard to the statue, the only comment Ado had on the situation was "W-Wow."