Dubbed the next Usain Bolt, Noah Lyles has taken the world of track and field by storm—both with his speed and his larger-than-life personality. A six-time world champion, Lyles holds a personal best of 19.31 seconds in the 200 meters, making him the third-fastest man in history over that distance. He also ran a wind-assisted 9.83 seconds in the 100 meters at the 2023 World Championships, proving he’s a serious force in the sprinting world.

But beyond the medals, records, and jaw-dropping performances, Lyles stands out for more than just his times. With his colorful fashion sense, custom-painted nails, and magnetic charisma, he’s always been one to keep fans guessing. Especially from 2024, he even pulled out the Exodia card at the US Olympic Team Trials in Eugene. Let’s dive deep into details: Noah Lyles’ love for anime.

Noah Lyles’ known hobbies and passions outside athletics

Noah Lyles may be known for blazing down the track, but there’s so much more to him than just sprinting. Off the track, he’s a man of many talents—and passions—that go far beyond athletics. In addition to dominating the sprints, Lyles has a deep love for music, art, anime, video games, and fashion. He’s even carved out a creative identity as a rapper, performing under the name Nojo18—a pseudonym that nods to his love for anime. “Nojo18” isn’t just a fun side project either. Noah Lyles’ full-length album was released in 2020 on Spotify and other major streaming platforms.

One of his standout moments as an artist came when he performed his hit track “Souvenir” live in front of a stadium packed with athletics fans. Joining him on stage was Olympic pole vaulter Sandi Morris, who also features on the track alongside the band Baba Shrimps. It was a crossover of sports and sound that perfectly captured Noah Lyles’ vibrant, multifaceted personality.

But his creative interests don’t stop at music. Lyles has also expressed a passion for painting and building LEGO sets—quiet, thoughtful hobbies that show a more introspective side to the high-energy sprinter. And of course, none of this has taken away from his brilliance on the track. His 2019 season remains one for the books—highlighted by a thrilling victory over Justin Gatlin to win the 100m Diamond League in Zurich. But what is Noah Lyles’ relationship with anime?

Evidence and insights on Noah Lyles’ relationship with Anime

Noah Lyles has never been one to shy away from making a statement, and that extends far beyond his sprinting. One unforgettable example? When he stepped onto the track at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, he had striking silver hair. But this wasn’t just a fashion choice—it was a tribute to one of his biggest inspirations: Goku from Dragon Ball Z.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Lyles explained, “In Dragon Ball Z, Goku’s final stage, or form, is Ultra Instinct.” He further added, “His hair turns silver/grey. I’m ready to go. I’m ready to make the team. I’m in my highest state.” That level of commitment to anime culture isn’t just for show. Lyles is a true enthusiast of both manga (Japanese comic books) and anime (animated series and films), often diving deep into these fictional universes with genuine excitement.

During an Instagram Live chat with Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky, Lyles shared more about his favorites. “My favorite anime is Full Metal Alchemist. There are two versions—Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I truthfully like both versions for different reasons, but I usually watch Brotherhood more,” he said.

And when it comes to manga, he’s just as passionate. “And then my favorite manga is called Cage of Eden. It was one of the first long mangas I ever read. And I got, like, truly into the world,” he recalled. “I was staying up late—and this is when I was in middle school—and I was reading this from 9 pm to 3 am when I was supposed to be sleeping.”

From hair color tributes to all-night manga reading marathons, it’s clear that anime and manga aren’t just hobbies for Lyles—they’re a big part of what makes him who he is. In fact, in March 2024, Lyles took to Instagram to honor the late Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, revealing the personal impact the series had on him. “If you ever wondered why I put my hands together, stretched out in front of me, it’s because Goku did,” he wrote. “This is the great effect that the creation of Akira Toriyama has had on my life.”

How does Pop Culture influence Noah Lyles’ personality and style?

Noah Lyles isn’t just a sprinting superstar; he’s a full-blown pop culture enthusiast, and he wears that badge with pride. In a 2024 episode of Spotify’s Everybody Wants To Be Us, Lyles opened up about how fantasy fiction and anime aren’t just passing interests for him—they’re a core part of who he is. “I feel like I bridge a lot of gaps when it comes to music, when it comes to fashion, when it comes to being quirky,” he said, expressing his love for everything beyond the lane lines.

But what truly caught fans’ attention was his candid admission, Noah Lyles called himself a geek. “I’m a geek,” he confessed, fresh off his Olympic triumphs, taking a well-earned breather before diving back into training. He didn’t stop there—Lyles clarified exactly what he meant. “Nerds and geeks are different. Nerds are more intelligent; I feel like geeks are just more obsessed with a specific cultural thing. So I’m a geek.”

That obsession? It clearly includes anime. And it’s not just talk—he lives it. Following a dominant victory in August 2024, wrapped in the American flag and grinning from ear to ear, Lyles posed in a familiar sight for fans of anime the world over: the famous “kamehameha” assault from Dragon Ball. It was a quintessential pop culture-encounters-the-podium moment that illustrated how much Lyles’ hobbies inform not only his personality but even Noah Lyles’ style and comportment on the global scene.