Instagram/@khleothomas
Anime enthusiast Khleo Thomas, also an actor from “Holes,” was bestowed with a very limited Cuadro Yu-Gi-Oh × Nike set. The actor and influencer expressed his appreciation for the Joey Wheeler-themed Air Max 95s and merchandise along with the nostalgic association to the iconic manga-anime series, basically, slipping into Real World Anime by Nike, Konami, and Slush.
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This one had to be Christmas morning to a ’90s kid with Thomas doing backflips out of happiness. Thomas opened up what many would call a holy grail for a gajillion fangirls and fanboys: a large manga-style box filled with Duel Monsters world merchandise. The shoewhore in the limelight: Joey Wheeler Air Max 95s, the real-life version of the “Air Muscle” sneakers Joey wore in the original Yu-Gi-Oh manga.
“It is absolutely amazing,” Thomas said, barely able to contain his joy. He showed every detail—the “King of Games” patch, the Yu-Gi-Oh logo of 1995 printed on the heel, a small sketch of Joey Wheeler inside the shoe. To Thomas, this is far more than just a celebrity freebie; this is culture. “Yu-Gi-Oh meant so much to a generation,” says Thomas, humming the theme song.
The commentaries by viewers were a mixture of envy and humor. One said, “Bro is a example of live ya truth and be true to who you are and you get fly ish” in respect to Thomas’s sincereness. Another fan joined the commentary with a Yu-Gi-Oh-style diss, “Where the KAIBA shoes at? Joey was a 3rd rate duelist with a 4th rate deck.” Such forums are typical: Fun, nerdy, and laid down in earnest.
Not everyone basked in praise, though. One raised casting a little shadow on the reality of influencers: “OH. MY! THAT IS AWESOME! 🤯 While you just got a care package with EVERYTHING!…Real fans (like you) have to enter into a raffle at the drop with hundreds of scalpers.”
Another offers, more straightforward, “This is the first time I hated on you,” basically telling him, “I used to love you for a long time, but now that you got everything I have been dreaming about, I am somewhat jealous.”
Thomas has always demonstrated his love for anime and gaming, and this package’s spirit seems something he gladly endorsed. Thomas gave thanks to Slush, Nike, and Konami several times, emphasizing how much it means to him. For the fans, this is a win: Someone who grew up alongside the shows they loved realizing a fantasy. For the brands, it’s a win for aging nostalgia marketing that really accesses the premium thing, yet respectfully.
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In the end, Khleo Thomas’s unboxing means much more than just the shoes. It’s about fandom, memory, and a few very weird intergenerational crossings forged by pop culture. Whether a dueling pro trying to summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon or the one who immediately jumped out of the room and ran like crazy to watch Toonami, this one strikes a heartstring. Now, the guy with the patch-covered jacket is already ahead in the duel.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
