Onitsuka Tiger

For most people, yes. The Mexico 66 is the brand's most famous line, and its fans praise the slim, low-profile silhouette, the suede-and-leather construction and clean stitching that feel built to last. The honest trade-off is cushioning: these are deliberately thin and light, so they shine as an everyday style shoe rather than a long-walk performance trainer. If you want a timeless retro sneaker more than maximal comfort, it earns its keep.

They share a parent. Onitsuka Co., Ltd. was founded in 1949 by Kihachiro Onitsuka, then merged with two other companies in 1977 to become ASICS Corporation — so Onitsuka Tiger is now sold as a lifestyle brand of ASICS. Within that portfolio, ASICS leans toward sports performance while Onitsuka Tiger holds the premium, retro and designer-collaboration position. Think of Onitsuka Tiger as the heritage style line and ASICS as the performance engine.

Start with the build, since Onitsuka's reputation rests on uniform, clean craftsmanship — rough, uneven or fragile stitching is a red flag. Check that labels are securely sewn rather than easily peeled, look at the toe shape and the sturdiness of the sole, and make sure the famous Tiger Stripes sit cleanly. The safest route is simply buying from an authorised retailer or the brand's own store rather than a marketplace seller you can't verify.

Begin with the Mexico 66. It's the model that introduced the brand's signature Tiger Stripes, debuting two years before the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, and it remains the most recognisable and versatile shoe in the lineup. It pairs with almost anything, which is why it keeps resurfacing as an "it" sneaker — a strong, low-risk entry point before you explore the rest of the range.

The crossed stripes began as engineering, not just decoration. The design — two vertical lines intersecting a pair of lines that emanate from the heel — was introduced with the brand's "Olympic Line" after years of gathering suggestions from top athletes, and it was meant to reinforce the shoe as well as mark it. The first shoes to wear those Tiger Stripes were the Mexico 66, which is why the motif is so tied to that model.

It's Japanese, founded in 1949 by Kihachiro Onitsuka, who set out to make better sports shoes. His first product was a strap sandal that flopped, but by 1952 he had developed a basketball shoe — using cups and small spaces in the sole — that became popular across Japan. That early obsession with how athletes actually move is the root of the brand's whole heritage.

Yes, and it's one of the brand's most remarkable chapters. In the early 1960s Phil Knight contacted Onitsuka Tiger, convinced its shoes had a market in the US, and in 1963 received his first shipment of Tiger shoes. He and coach Bill Bowerman each invested $500 to form Blue Ribbon Sports — the company that later became Nike, Inc. For years Blue Ribbon Sports imported and sold Onitsuka shoes in America before the two parted ways.

It was relaunched as one. ASICS brought Onitsuka Tiger back in 2002 to ride the vintage-sneaker trend, repositioning the heritage shoes as lifestyle pieces. A cultural boost came in 2003 when Uma Thurman wore gold Onitsuka sneakers with black stripes in Kill Bill, and by 2007 the brand had opened 23 standalone stores. Today its positioning is premium and design-led rather than purely athletic.

Yes. The brand stopped operating in the US in 2023, but reopened its online US store in August 2024, so you can shop it stateside again. It has also been expanding globally as a lifestyle label — in 2025 it opened a flagship on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris with a modern Japanese design aesthetic. Buying through the official store is also the surest way to guarantee authenticity.

It has leaned into collaborations as part of its premium positioning. In 2008 it launched a premium series called Nippon Made, and in 2015 it partnered with US design company Bait on a Bruce Lee series. These special projects, alongside its designer tie-ups, are central to how the brand differentiates itself from the more performance-focused ASICS line.

They're comfortable in the right context. The slim, lightweight build that gives the Mexico 66 its sleek look also means thinner cushioning than a modern running shoe, so reviewers tend to love them for everyday around-town wear and shorter stretches on your feet. If you plan to be walking for hours, you may want an insole or a cushier alternative — but for style-forward daily wear they hold up well.