Liverpool’s kits have been the subject of much scrutiny during pre-season so far.

Ordinarily, the Reds would be playing in a new shirt at this time of year, as they prepare to start afresh.

However, owing to the Coronavirus pandemic elongating Nike’s contract at Anfield, Liverpool are still sporting last season’s edition.

Adidas will come into effect on Friday August 1st, but until then, Liverpool will be wearing their 2024/25 Premier League-winning kit.

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Although there is not long to wait until next year’s efforts are unveiled, the Reds still have a match to play in the meantime.

And though they will be wearing last season’s shirt during the friendly against Yokohama F.

Marinos on Wednesday, the kits will have some special additions.

Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

During Saturday’s friendly in Hong Kong, fans will have noticed that the players’ shirts featured some special, golden lettering on the back.

Although the names and numbers were very difficult to make out, the custom design was impressive.

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And, according to Liverpoolfc.com, the Reds are doing something similar when they take to the field for their first ever friendly in Japan in Yokohama on Wednesday.

Liverpool will wear ‘unique, special-edition shirts’ for the match, with name and number sets designed in collaboration with renowned Japanese calligrapher Riu Akizuki.

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“This piece is more than just east or west, or writing versus drawing,” said Akiko Kamiya, deputy director of Kodansha Ltd, one of Liverpool’s partners who have overseen the project.

“It is a quiet gesture of respect, imagination and connection – delivered from Japan to Liverpool.”

With Liverpool in Japan for the first time ever in pre-season, it feels only right that the Reds do something special to mark it.

These custom name sets are just a small way of doing that, but it will likely mean a lot to supporters in the country to see Liverpool collaborating with Kodansha in this way.

The company publish manga magazines, a style of Japanese graphic novels which have become increasingly popular in the West.

They have been partners with Liverpool since 2021, and in April this year launched a collection of clothing and accessories inspired by the Reds.