<p>Japan's three-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka has inspired a new manga character to appear in an issue of Nakayoshi magazine next month, the publishers announced on Sunday.</p>.<p>Osaka, who is the world's highest paid female athlete, is a fan of both manga and anime and took to social media to welcome the character.</p>.<p>Her sister Mari Osaka is assisting with the character's creation.</p>.<p>"Growing up reading manga/watching anime was something that bonded me and my sister immensely so this is really exciting for both of us," Naomi Osaka wrote on Twitter alongside a picture of her character, complete with tennis racket and pink hair.</p>.<p>Nakayoshi said in their Tweet that the new manga, entitled 'Unrivaled NAOMI Tenkaichi', will be released in their December 28th magazine.</p>.<p>A previous attempt to depict Osaka, who has a Japanese mother and Haitian father, as a cartoon character misfired, when sponsor Nissin depicted her with pale skin and light brown hair, creating public outcry.</p>.<p>The noodle company removed the commercial and apologised to Osaka and said they had not intended to 'whitewash' her.</p>.<p>Japan has traditionally seen itself as a racially homogenous country, although several successful mixed-race athletes like Osaka, sprinter Asuka Cambridge and baseball pitcher Yu Darvish, are challenging that image.</p>
<p>Japan's three-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka has inspired a new manga character to appear in an issue of Nakayoshi magazine next month, the publishers announced on Sunday.</p>.<p>Osaka, who is the world's highest paid female athlete, is a fan of both manga and anime and took to social media to welcome the character.</p>.<p>Her sister Mari Osaka is assisting with the character's creation.</p>.<p>"Growing up reading manga/watching anime was something that bonded me and my sister immensely so this is really exciting for both of us," Naomi Osaka wrote on Twitter alongside a picture of her character, complete with tennis racket and pink hair.</p>.<p>Nakayoshi said in their Tweet that the new manga, entitled 'Unrivaled NAOMI Tenkaichi', will be released in their December 28th magazine.</p>.<p>A previous attempt to depict Osaka, who has a Japanese mother and Haitian father, as a cartoon character misfired, when sponsor Nissin depicted her with pale skin and light brown hair, creating public outcry.</p>.<p>The noodle company removed the commercial and apologised to Osaka and said they had not intended to 'whitewash' her.</p>.<p>Japan has traditionally seen itself as a racially homogenous country, although several successful mixed-race athletes like Osaka, sprinter Asuka Cambridge and baseball pitcher Yu Darvish, are challenging that image.</p>