In the 1940’s the then basketball players of Japan were but a small force, however thanks to Mr. Onitsuka they were to soon benefit from having shoes to play in which improved their game no end. Believed to represent one of the most difficult challenges in shoe design at the time, it didn’t take him long to get to grips with a basketball shoe and to produce one of the first of its kind for the Japanese market.
In the 1950’s already having kitting out a nation, Onitsuka took his shoes a step further. Copying natures grip expert the octopus, his suction cup sole proved just too good and kept player firmly stuck to the floor. A few minor tweaks and movement was restored and the new range of trainers with suction cupped shoes rapidly gained popularity.
The 1960’s saw the creation of the RUNSPARK DS SP, the first track shoe to offer interchangeable running spikes perfect for all weather running and to give runners a chance to gain an advantage when the weather went squirrelly. The development of their Limber Leather made the trainers the choice for comfort. So highly renowned were their trainers that a copy of their famed Corsair shoe came on to the market courtesy of Phil Knight starting off his new venture, Nike.
Throughout the 1970’s the popularity of Onitsuka Tiger shoes soared, helped along the way by the emphatic double gold winner Lasse Virén in the 1976 Olympic Games in the 5000M and 10,000 M events. On the court they still held their own however for jogging their new range of super thick soled shoes provided the best shock absorption of any shoe, and they became the shoe of choice for the joggers the world over. In 1977 Onitsuku Tiger joined forces with Asics bringing two sporting greats together and widening the range of footwear on offer.
Today Onitsuka Tiger and Asics command the field of running, providing some of the best running shoes on the market. 2006 saw Onitsuka Tiger pull in an incredible 171 billion Yen mostly through their footwear range and the brand continues to thrive at Asics. The range of the famed Mexico 66 shoes is still produced along with a host of other styles for which the brand is famed.