Megan Thee Stallion’s third studio album, “MEGAN,” showcases her love for anime and manga, featuring nods to Jujutsu Kaisen and other renowned series.
The album centers on the theme of renewal, as Megan overcomes the challenges stemming from a 2020 incident and its legal aftermath involving Tory Lanez.
In a fitting display of inner strength, Megan confronts critics on tracks like “Otaku Hot Girl.” This bold song draws parallels between her skills and the “Limitless” ability of Jujutsu Kaisen’s Satoru Gojo, highlighting her pop culture savvy and lyrical prowess.
“Otaku Hot Girl” opens with Adam McArthur, who voices Yuji Itadori in Jujutsu Kaisen’s English dub, delivering Yuji’s famous line from episode 2, “For Myself,” but this time swapping Jennifer Lawrence’s name for Megan Thee Stallion’s. The song transitions into a chorus about being untouchable like Satoru Gojo. Megan teases, “Can’t touch me like Gojo / Look good in all my photos / Just landed in Kyoto.” It’s Megan at her best, boasting about her untouchable status in hip-hop while weaving in vivid references. The sparkling beat samples JJK’s commercial bumper jingle, light and airy as Megan’s bars are fiery and precise.
Reminiscent of the iconic battle between Gojo and Sukuna in episode 5, “Curse Womb Must Die 2,” the lyrics evoke images of Gojo gracefully dodging attacks, much like Megan evades shade and subliminal disses from rivals. “Chou ii onna / When I walk by, they stop / He don’t run from me / ‘Cause he wanna get caught in my domain expansion / H**s want my technique, couldn’t be like me / With a Sasuke sharingan,” Megan raps, referencing one of Sasuke Uchiha’s most powerful techniques.
MEGAN’s Eastern influences extend beyond “Otaku Hot Girl.” The album features Japanese rap artist Yuki Chiba on “Mamushi” and a cosplay extravaganza in the “BOA” music video. In the video, Megan tests three teenagers drawn into a life-or-death game, reminiscent of classic isekai anime like .hack//sign and Sword Art Online. The video’s main inspiration comes from One Piece’s “Snake Princess,” Boa Hancock, which also inspires the track’s title. Megan dons a revealing pink outfit, Boa’s signature hairstyle, and a battle staff similar to Hancock’s weapon, Salome.
Between Tekken and Mortal Kombat-themed fight scenes, Megan dances in colorful outfits paying homage to Japanese arcade games like Dance Dance Revolution and SEGA’s Space Channel 5. With nearly 10 million views on YouTube, “BOA” proves that anime and manga characters can be translated to film in a sophisticated way without looking costumey. Most recently, Megan’s impeccable cosplay was featured in an Amazon Prime Day advertisement, showcasing her in a super kawaii outfit purchased from the online retailer.
