(NEWS) TOKYO, Japan, 2026-Aug-3 — /Travel PR News/ — ANA is adding a playful pop-culture layer to domestic travel in Japan with the launch of a specially designed Chiikawa Jet, scheduled to enter service in late October 2026.
The collaboration brings together All Nippon Airways and Chiikawa, the popular manga and anime character series created by illustrator Nagano. According to details released by ANA, the aircraft will operate on domestic routes in Japan and will feature Chiikawa alongside seven other characters, including Hachiware and Usagi.
The aircraft selected for the collaboration is a Boeing 767-300, registration JA609A. Its exterior design will show the characters surrounded by motifs inspired by scenes and seasonal details found across Japan throughout the year.
For travellers, the appeal is not only the aircraft livery. ANA is building the collaboration into the onboard experience as well, with limited-edition inflight items designed to make the journey feel distinct from a standard domestic flight.
Domestic Economy Class passengers on the Chiikawa Jet will see themed headrest covers featuring the characters shown on the aircraft. Limited-edition beverage cups will also carry a design pattern featuring Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi. ANA notes that these inflight items are for use during the flight and may vary depending on the aircraft’s operational status.
Special collaboration goods are also planned, featuring Chiikawa and friends dressed in ANA uniforms. Further details, including the product lineup and release timing, will be announced later.
The launch fits well within Japan’s long-running tradition of character-led travel experiences, where airlines, railways, hotels and regional destinations use popular cultural figures to make journeys more memorable and collectible. For families, fans and domestic travellers, a themed aircraft can turn a routine flight into part of the trip itself.
Chiikawa has grown from a manga series on X, formerly Twitter, into a wider entertainment franchise spanning books, merchandise, collaboration cafés, corporate partnerships and television animation. The anime has aired on Mezamashi TV on the Fuji TV network since April 2022, while the film Chiikawa: The Secret of Mermaid Island was released in Japan on July 24, 2026.
The collaboration also gives ANA another way to add personality to its domestic network. As Japan’s largest airline, ANA already operates a broad domestic and international route system, but themed aircraft offer a more emotional point of connection with passengers, particularly those drawn to character culture and limited-edition travel experiences.
The Chiikawa Jet is expected to begin flying in late October 2026, with exact schedules and launch details to be published on ANA’s official website once finalised.
For ANA, the project is a light-hearted addition to the travel experience. For Chiikawa fans, it offers something more specific: the chance to see familiar characters carried across Japan, not only on screens and merchandise, but on the aircraft itself.
The Chiikawa collaboration also fits into ANA’s broader history of using themed aircraft to connect aviation with Japanese pop culture. Earlier in 2026, ANA unveiled the Red Pokémon Jet as the first aircraft in its ANA × Pokémon 30th Anniversary Special Project, with additional Green and Blue Pokémon Jets also planned. That long-running Pokémon partnership has become more than a branding exercise for the airline, giving passengers a sense of playfulness, nostalgia and collectability around the travel experience.
By adding Chiikawa to this wider tradition, ANA is extending a familiar strategy into another highly recognisable part of contemporary Japanese character culture. These collaborations help make domestic flights feel more memorable, particularly for families, fans and leisure travellers, while reinforcing ANA’s image as an airline that uses design, storytelling and limited-edition onboard details to add personality to the journey.
