The worlds of manga and sneakers connect once again thanks to Asics and the Naruto Shippuden franchise.
Calling once again on Sébastien Abdelhamid, TV host and sneaker, manga & video game enthusiast, the Japanese brand offers us a 2nd collaboration on one of the most popular manga of recent years.
After a collaboration in 2022 on the GEL-1130 and GEL-Lyte 3 models featuring the characters: Itachi, Sasuke & Kakashi, the duo have opted for a model of the moment: the Asics Gel-NYC.
As for the theme of this new partnership, this time Sébastien chose the hero himself, Naruto.
Keen to share a story through his design, he puts forward the story of the famous ninja, who conveys universal values such as friendship, courage and self-sacrifice.
The pair's look is directly inspired by the Manga's Arc Pain and Naruto's hermit mode. It features a black ripstop upper with red leather and black suede overlays.
The Asics logo on the side is outlined in silver with orange contours. The design is directly inspired by Naruto's pants and cape.
Then the lacelock is directly inspired by the scroll carried by the character, the flames visible on the heel echoe those on the bottom of his cape, and the Konoha plate adds a jewel-like touch to the laces if wanted.
In terms of well-known manga logos, the Uzumaki logo appears on the tongue of the right foot, while a Kyubi claw (the famous nine-tailed fox) is featured on the left heel at the back.
This special edition of course includes a special box and a sole branded with the name of the franchise.
As if that weren't enough, Asics and Sébastien have also included a small bag of accessories as a bonus, with stick-on patches and a mini pouch for fans of the Japanese manga.
In terms of sizing, the Asics Gel-NYC is generally true to size. It can fit a little small for some people. I can personally wear my regular size or half size up, both are fine.
Like most Asics, this pair is very comfortable thanks to Gel technology & the brand's running expertise.
The Naruto Shippuden x Asics Gel-NYC - Courir Exclusive released early during Paris Games Week (Limited stock). Then the pair was available on December 9th & 10th at special popup store in Paris.
The official drop happened online on Courir only on Monday December 11th at a retail price of 170€.
It dropped one week later in selected physical Courir stores.
This edition is also confirmed to drop on the Asics webstore in Europe & the UK.
A US drop was also confirmed by Sébastien Abdelhamid himself. Stay tuned for more info.
Check our full release page to find all the shop links & enjoy our exclusive pictures above and below.