MADFOOT! X Naruto sneakers

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MADFOOT! X Naruto Sneakers
MADFOOT! X Naruto Sneakers

In Japan, it’s not unusual to see popular brand names release a product or a line of products based on a particular animated series. Footwear company MADFOOT! did so earlier this year with their crossover staring the one and only ninja, Naruto. These limited edition high-tops will keep you comfortable even on the most arduous S-Rank missions.

MADFOOT! went all out with the design of these sneakers. The box is a colourful combination of the orange-and-black ninja performing a variety of break-dancing manoeuvres over a background of Tokyo’s glitzy Shibuya ward. These same Naruto patterns are placed on the sneakers themselves over a white or black backdrop (dependant on the pair you buy). The image quality on the sneakers is not that impressive — you can see the individual dots on the design which looks a bit like some really old colour comic books.

The toecap is made with a firm orange fabric; feels a bit like canvas. Just above, there’s a miniature version of the Konohagakure head plate which fits in well with the black laces. A black Naruto Shippuden logo on a white background is stitched into the top of the tongue. Running up the heel of the shoe is a bar of orange and black with red swirl, reminiscent of the back of Naruto’s jacket. The outsole has a herringbone pattern in the character’s trademark orange and black colours with a MAD logo in the middle. This shoe has Naruto’s colour scheme down to a pat: the inside is lined with a soft, yellow fabric, most likely for the aspiring hokage’s hair.

Overall, the shoes are decent. Aside from the quality of the Naruto images on the shoes, they’re pretty comfortable and fit well. I dropped ¥5,100 JPY (which was marked down from ¥8,925 JPY) for a pair in size 28.5 (equal to size 10½ here in Canada and the United States) through Japan’s Rakuten online shopping web site.

 

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