WIND AND SEA Enlists Rodney Greenblat for PaRappa the Rapper 30th Capsule

Rodney Greenblat’s PaRappa artwork didn’t just inspire a collection - it got center billing. WIND AND SEA’s Spring/Summer 2026 capsule, created to mark the 30th anniversary of PlayStation-era cult classic PaRappa the Rapper, rolled out first at an Ikebukuro PARCO pop-up on February 13 and landed across WIND AND SEA flagship stores and online on February 14.

The capsule wears its Heisei-era roots loud and proud. Stupiddope put it bluntly: "Three decades after its debut reshaped the language of rhythm games and character-driven design, PaRappa the Rapper returns to the cultural foreground through a collaborative Spring 2026 capsule from WIND AND SEA." The collection draws directly from 1990s Japanese pop culture while translating that visual logic into contemporary streetwear, with original artwork by Rodney Greenblat credited throughout the drop. Hypebeast calls Greenblat "the game's legendary illustrator," and his art runs across the assortment rather than sitting as a single logo.

The Ikebukuro PARCO activation on February 13 leaned into spectacle and nostalgia. Hypebeast reported character appearances from PaRappa and PJ Berri at the pop-up, and Stupiddope said fans could explore the capsule there before the full release at WIND AND SEA flagships and online the following day. The staging matched the capsule’s intent: a celebration rooted in the game’s world and its visual identity, not a generic IP slap.

Product-wise the drop covered nearly every streetwear base. Sources list graphic hoodies, baseball shirts, jerseys, track jackets, track pants, sweatshirts, beanies, tote bags, and graphic tees across the capsule, while Hypebeast highlighted accessories that read like collector bait: "Chop Chop Master Onion" black obi belts, plush keychains, and aurora-finish pouches. Shortlist’s reporting on WIND AND SEA’s related projects confirms the label’s appetite for full-range collections that mix apparel with tactile accessories, and the PaRappa capsule follows that blueprint.

This anniversary capsule sits beside, but is distinct from, WIND AND SEA’s earlier three-way collaboration with the NBA and PaRappa. Shortlist described that separate drop as launching on August 30, 2025, featuring team-themed illustrations for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Oklahoma City Thunder, and priced between ¥3,300–¥35,200 JPY. That pricing and team-focused design narrative belong to the August 2025 release and are not conflated with the February 2026 anniversary capsule.

Stupiddope framed the project as more than nostalgia: "When approached with care, nostalgia can function as a bridge rather than a retreat, connecting generations through shared visual language and emotional memory." WIND AND SEA’s execution put Rodney Greenblat’s original work front and center, translating PaRappa’s rhythm, color, and optimistic energy into hoodies, shirts, and accessories that nod to Heisei-era aesthetics while landing in WIND AND SEA’s contemporary retail rotation. The result proves a well-curated game collab still has teeth when the original illustrator is in the room.