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Nike's New Basketball Manga Sneaker Collab Is A Total Slam Dunk
posted on by Bamboo Dong
With the global popularity of Takehiko Inoue's basketball manga Slam Dunk, it seems natural that one day, he and his characters would find themselves working with Nike on a new pair of Jordans. Prominently featuring protagonist Hanamichi Sakuragi, the two sneakers pay homage to the sports hero with limited-edition designs and manga-paneled shoeboxes.
The Air Jordan VI sneakers feature Sakuragi's jersey number embroidered on the outside heel, red uppers, and iconic scenes from the manga.
The Jordan Super.Fly3 sneakers feature all-new illustrations that continue Sakuragi's story, which is extended on the box. According to Inoue, he imagined that in the 18 years after the end of the manga, which saw Sakuragi sidelined with injuries, the character was recovering from injury, still working out, and still thinking of himself as the "genius" he was in high school basketball.
The collection also features a red t-shirt with Sakuragi's number 10, a white t-shirt with an illustration of the character, and a baseball cap with a Slam Dunk illustration under the bill and shout-outs to Sakuragi's jersey number and high school.
Takehiko was honored to work with Nike, saying "I have been hugely inspired by Michael Jordan's game, as well as his attitude... At first, he was someone from a different planet—he could stay in the air longer than anybody else. Then I began to see him as someone who always encourages you to set a vision and challenge yourself to achieving it."
The collection will launch globally on November 1, with Asian markets getting an early October 18 release. The Air Jordan XI sneakers will retail for $250, while the Jordan Super.Fly 3 will retail for $185.
Thanks to Elle Emme for the tip!
