5 best anime sneaker collabs of 2022
The sneakerheads and otakus have always paid the most attention to anime-themed sneaker collaborations. Every year, the footwear community welcomes numerous anime sneaker collaborations, and this year has been no exception. These collaborations have undoubtedly rocked the sneaker world.
All the well-known shoe brands, including Converse, Jordan, and Vans, debuted anime ventures this year. Thanks to the brand, fans can embrace their favorite anime characters. The top five anime sneaker collaborations that excited the footwear industry are listed below for otakus who want to learn more about the trending anime collaborations of 2022.
Sailor Moon x Vans and four other popular anime sneaker collabs of 2022 that thrilled the sneaker world
1) Naruto x Jordan Zion 1
Undoubtedly one of the year's most well-known anime-sneaker partnerships is the Naruto x Jordan Zion 1. In addition to being a worldwide release of Nike's highly coveted Jordan Zion line, it included one promo colorway for an added Jordan 200E and three entirely distinct Zion 1 colorways for the main release. Additionally, the duo released a sizable apparel line with items that matched each colorway, making the selection widely available to Naruto fans across the globe.
Each of these styles features color schemes and design approaches that are specific to a particular character from the "Big 3" series. The "Kyuubi" adequately depicts Naruto's "Nine Tails" and "Sage of Six Paths" modes, two of the main characters' most prominent transformations, using shades like Electric Yellow, Alpha Orange, and Black.
The color scheme for "Sage of Six Paths" makes use of the similar white and black dots that appear in the character depiction of the Sage of Six Paths, a deity-like ancestor of the Shinobi. Next, the "Nine Tails" portrays the "One/Four/Eight Tails" adaptation of Naruto with jagged lines as well as dynamic designs in orange and black.
Lastly, the "Jonin" combines the same colors found in the outfits of the highly-ranked Jonin Shinobi, who plays military commanders in the series: olive green, navy, and white.
Each pair was marked with a price tag of $130 and was offered by the Nike’s SNKRS app and some of the brand’s select retail shops.
2) Pokemon x Converse
Although Pokemon and Converse already partnered in January 2022, their May 2022 collaborative edition drew everyone's attention due to its distinctively minimalistic interpretation of the anime sneakers. For this partnership, four pairs of Converse All-Star Chuck Taylors were made to stand in for the now-famous classic Pokemon - Pikachu, Eevee, Piplup, and Mewtwo.
Each Chuck Taylor features a pixelated game character that is based on a primary color from the Pokémon design on the tongue tab. Another important feature is a little textbox with the character's name, height, weight, and Pokédex code located underneath the heel.
Converse went against the grain of most brands, favoring minimalism as opposed to large statement pieces. In spite of this, every pair of Chuck Taylors is easily distinguishable for the Pokémon that it stands for, making this collection special despite its subtlety.
Multiple sizing options for these footwear pieces were offered by the Swoosh-owned sneaker label. All four colorways were purchasable for around $76 (¥ 9,900).
3) One Piece x Vans
Vans, the popular skateboarding label and staunch defender of artistic expression, announced a partnership with the Japanese anime series One Piece. A range of footwear and clothing will be released to celebrate the wonderful bond.
Fans may relive the stories from the Vans x One Piece collection, which chronicles the quest for the One Piece of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew. Vans' iconic Sk8-Hi Punk Hazard, which features a 360-degree graphic wrap from the lateral side of the footwear, symbolizing the fiery side of the island, to the medial side, depicting the frozen side, stands apart from the rest of the collection. Each Straw Hat Crew shoe is decked out in the signature Vans checkerboard designs.
The Vans Classic Old Skool with the iconic devil fruit, which bestowed many of the protagonists in the story's unique superhuman abilities but also made them unfit for swimming, is another highlight of the assortment.
This collection's Vans Classic Authentic, which has a jute cloth top and all-over embroidered with distinctive One Piece insignia to honor the Straw Hat Cap, was influenced by the traditional Americana nautical design.
With the infamous Wanted posters of "Cat Burglar" Nami on the Skate Sk8-Hi in Orange and "Demon Child" Nico Robin in purple on the Skate Old Skool, the One Piece vibe is also present in the Vans Skate Classics collection. The One Piece insignia is wrapped around the outsole of both designs.
On November 11, a line of shoes and clothing will be offered online and at Vans stores. Stay tuned for the pricing details of this collection.
4) Jujutsu Kaisen x Dolce & Gabbana
In the realm of manga and animation, Jujutsu Kaisen is on course to become one of the "Next-gen Big 3." Fans have drawn comparisons between it and contemporary masterpieces such as Hunter x Hunter due to similar captivating plots, extensive superpower systems, endearing characters, and superior animation.
Jujutsu Kaisen is steadily growing its presence in anime and modern culture. Additionally, in 2022, they took their first steps into the realm of high-end sneakers and clothing. They did this by working with the Italian-born luxury fashion company Dolce & Gabbana.
The Jujutsu Kaisen x Dolce & Gabbana Lineup featured eight streetwear ensembles for eight characters, including two that featured brand-new sneakers with the characters' accents. Megumi Fushiguro and Togi Inumake, two of the series' key characters, wear two different colorways of the D&G Daymaster Sneakers.
The Jujutsu College School emblem, which is embossed on the outer side of the upper and is a clear nod to the school that any fan would know, is the most striking feature in addition to the brilliant, eye-catching colors.
Despite not being worn by any characters, the white D&G NS1 Sneakers were also made available as a part of the collection. Along with Jujutsu Kaisen hangtags, it has Jujutsu College color schemes and a more subdued school emblem.
On May 2, the wider release of the Jujutsu Kaisen x Dolce & Gabbana collection took place in Japan. The Portofino sneakers sported by Yuji were priced at $860 (¥ 108,900), while the Nobara Kugisaki Ankle boots were marked at $915 (¥ 115,500). Finally, the Daymaster Sneakers "Character color" was marked for $1026 (¥ 129,800), and Gojo’s Space sneakers were priced at $1174 (¥ 148,500).
5) Sailor Moon x Vans
This spring, Vans and Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon joined forces for a unique partnership that was guided by the cherished stories of friendship, justice, and love from the anime. Sailor Moon and the Sailor Guardians' tales are depicted on an action-packed line of shoes, clothing, and accessories in legendary Vans styles.
The sneaker collection comes in a variety of styles in the women, men, and children's categories. The Sk8-Hi Stacked integrates materials with satin patches and overlays made of sleek leather, which are accented with a bow and a brooch from Sailor Moon's transformations. Models have translucent heels and toe bumpers emblazoned with Sailor Guardian planetary motifs and colorful gradient sidewalls. With respect to the series' noted characters, The Sailor Guardians and Tuxedo Mask appeared on the Authentic shoes.
The stunning patch print of the Old Skool Patchwork illustrates the excellent anime. Each Sailor Guardian's unique colorway of Vans' distinctive Checkerboard design is featured on the Sailor Guardian. The Sailor Guardian planetary images then reappear in another Old Skool style, this time with a starry nighttime theme. A ComfyCush Slip-On featuring Sailor Guardians and the Dark Kingdom completes the adult footwear line-up.
Fans can choose from various styles for ladies, men, and children in the collection's apparel range. This apparel and accessories range offered tees, sweatshirts, panel caps, and backpacks. All of these items were loaded with the series’ imagery.
The Sailor Moon x Vans collection was released on June 10. The items ranged from $17 to $180 for apparel and footwear pieces.
These were some of the best anime collabs that we received in 2022. Fans interested in copping the above-mentioned collection items can surely visit the respective brand’s website. Moreover, check these items with their partnering retail outlets in case they aren’t available on the official brand store.
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Priya Majumdar