A while back, anime fans looking to combine their hobby with a penchant for fashionable footwear got the chance to do just that when a line of Evangelion loafers went on sale. But while Eva is one of the most popular animated series to ever come out of Japan, it’s not every anime fan’s cup of tea.
Some prefer their stories a little more red-blooded, or their character designs a little beefier. We also imagine a preference for shoes with laces was a sticking point for some shoppers.
Thankfully, you can check off all three of those boxes with these new Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure sneakers.
Over the nearly 30 years since its start, dozens of heroes and villains have come and gone in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures. Without fail, though, the franchise’s spotlight always falls on flamboyantly fashionable characters. The cast has inspired real-world hairstylists before, and now the series is serving as inspiration for a tie-up between shoemaker Converse and anime fashion company 2 PM Works (the same label that produced the snazzy Attack on Titan totebag and shawl).
The Jojo’s shoes aren’t nearly as ostentatious as some of the outfits sported by the series’ characters, though. As a matter of fact, from a distance they could pass for a fairly ordinary set of kicks, which is probably no bad thing.
A closer look, though, reveals a number of nods to the franchise that unmistakably mark the wearer as a serious fan.
For starters, the back of each shoe is embroidered with the upraised palm mark that also adorns the cap of Jotaro Kujo, the third of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures’ revolving protagonists. As you thread up the special sneakers, you’ll also notice that the top eyelet is fashioned after Kujo’s star-shaped family crest.
Hirohiko Arakai’s Jojo’s manga is especially well-known for its visual rendering of sound effects and battle cries, which have become so iconic they’re even included in video game and anime adaptations. As such, the shoes need them too, and the sides of the shoes are covered with Jotaro’s trademark shout of “Oraora!” written in Japanese as オラオラ.
The most obvious connection to the series is the shoes’ insoles, which are illustrated with pictures of Jotaro and his supernatural alter ego/combat partner, Star Platinum.
The shoes are available in women’s sizes 3.5 to 5 and men’s 6.5 to 11.5, although oddly enough sizes 10 and 11 are unavailable. 2 PM will be taking orders on its website (men’s here, and women’s here) from May 16 until June 15. With a price tag of 11,000-yen (US$108), they’re a bit on the expensive side, but if you missed your chance to ride the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures train last year, this is probably your best chance to express your love of the series in a mobile fashion.
Source: IT Media
Images: 2 PM Works