by Nike has announced a special edition Air Max 95 based on the footwear worn by Katsuya Jonouchi, a character in the TV anime ” Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters. ” It will be released at “Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters” is a TV anime series based on the manga “Yu-Gi-Oh!” serialized in “Weekly Shonen Jump” by Kazuki Takahashi. It is a popular work that depicts the protagonist, Yugi Muto, and other duelists as they engage in the card game “Duel Monsters.”
The animation, produced by Gallop under the direction of Kunihisa Sugishima, aired for a total of 224 episodes from April 2000 to September 2004. In 2025, more than 25 years after Katsuya Jonouchi (known as Joey Wheeler in English) captured the attention of anime and sneaker fans worldwide, Nike will release a special edition Air Max 95. It faithfully recreates the footwear featured in “Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters.” Two colorways are available: the global Nike Air Max 95 QS YGO “Joey” and the Japan-exclusive Nike Air Max 95 QS YGO “Jonouchi.”
The global “Joey” colorway features different shades of blue throughout, incorporating logos, scars, and the Air unit on the lateral forefoot that are reminiscent of the series. The Yu-Gi-Oh! logo appears on the outsole, while graphics inspired by Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters cards adorn the heel. The sockliner also features an image of Jonouchi and his Red-Eyes Black Dragon as a symbol of friendship.
The Jonouchi colorway, meanwhile, is gray-based, reflecting the fact that Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters was originally a manga and then adapted into an anime. Both colorways come with a special collaborative trading card, the first collaboration between KONAMI and Nike. Also, to coincide with the release of the Nike Air Max 95 QS YGO, a Nike Destroyer Jacket and T-shirt featuring the school emblem of Domino High School, where Jonouchi and his friends attend in the series, will be released.
The jacket, modeled after the Duel team uniform, features a heavy wool varsity jacket with premium leather sleeves, 3D embroidery, a satin quilted lining, and a chenille patch with two brands for customization. It features graphics of the two brands on the front and a “Red-Eyes Black Dragon” design on the back. To coincide with this collaboration, a trailer featuring Japanese and English voice actors from the anime series has also been produced to introduce the footwear.
The Nike Air Max 95 QS YGO and apparel will be available for three days only at the “House of Duel – Domino Town Duel Game Hall -” event in Harajuku, Tokyo, starting September 5th (in-venue purchases will be by lottery). The Japan-exclusive “Jonouchi” colorway and apparel will be available at select Nike retailers in Japan from September 12th. The “Joey” colorway will be available on SNKRS (Nike’s sneaker app) and at select Nike retailers worldwide on the same day.
TV anime “Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters” x Nike・Nike Air Max 95 QS YGO “Joey”: 27,060 yen (tax included)・Nike Air Max 95 QS YGO “Jonouchi” 27,060 yen (tax included) House of Duel – Dominomachi Duel Game Hall – Overview ・Venue: 6142 (6-14-2 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) ・Dates: September 5th (Friday) – September 7th (Sunday) (C) 2020 Studio Dice / SHUEISHA, TV TOKYO, KONAMI.
