Pinch us please. We never thought this day would come. An official collaboration between THE basketball shoe brand from Nike and one of the most popular basketball manga ever made.
No we’re not talking about Kuroko no Basket. Think something older and even more iconic, especially to Malaysians. Yes, it’s Takehiko Inoue’s Slam Dunk. The collaboration between Nike and Takehiko Inoue doesn’t just cover the Air Jordans only as a full range of products will be available. This (as can be seen in the image above) includes two Air Jordans, two t-shirts and a cap, all with Slam Dunk inspired designs.
The collaboration shows that Nike does seem to understand its Asian audiences and this is also part of Nike’s effort to push the brand even further into the Asian market. Picking Slam Dunk as the manga to collaborate with is pretty smart as it is known as THE basketball manga throughout Asia, inspiring many a young boy to pick up the game (including at one point, this now very unfit writer). Of course the apparels are going to get their fair share of popularity but what’s really going to really popular will be the Air Jordans themselves.
The two kicks getting the Slam Dunk inspired treatment are the Air Jordan VI and Jordan Super.Fly 3. The Air Jordan VI has a red upper with manga inspired imagery as well as Slam Dunk main protagonist, Hanamichi Sakuragi’s jersey number 10 on the side while the Jordan Super.Fly 3 has a black upper with new Slam Dunk imagery especially made for the sneakers. They’re not just stopping with the kicks either as the imagery is also extended to the shoe boxes, so don’t be throwing them boxes away.
So how much can we expect to fork out for this highly anticipated kicks? You can expect to pay around US$185 to US$250 for them according to Nike. How about when? The collection should be out in selected Asian markets since 18 October while the rest of the world can expect a November 1 release.
In case you’re too young to know Slam Dunk or you just need a refresher, the manga by Takehiko Inoue focuses on Hanamichi Sakuragi, an outcast delinquent who joins his high school basketball team to prove himself, after being rejected by a girl. His addition and misadventures in the world of basketball eventually bring his high school team to be one of the top basketball contenders in Japan. The manga which ran from 1990 to 1996, is one of the most best selling mangas in the world, with 120 million copies sold in Japan alone, and has enjoyed massive popularity in Asia.
Source: Nike
