The ASICS METASPEED™ TOKYO Runner Series Begins Global Launch July 25

Despite its recent success with the SportStyle division, ASICS continues being a performance-running company. Since 2021, the Japanese institution has been offering athletes of all types footwear under the METASPEED™ umbrella, with both SKY and EDGE models delivering a different ride for varied preferences.

Over the last year, the brand has tweaked its pinnacle product for the marathon enough to warrant an off-shoot style of the mainline METASPEED™ SKY and EDGE. The first proposal, marked Paris, arrived in the lead up to the 2024 Summer Olympics in the French capital. Its sequel is named after Tokyo, and was announced following a first place finish in the Men's 2025 Boston Marathon, and second place finish in the Women's 2025 London Marathon.

Akin to previous editions, the METASPEED™ SKY TOKYO and METASPEED™ EDGE TOKYO cater to two distinct running styles: stride and cadence.

Each offering positions its full-length carbon fiber plate at different heights within the premium midsole foam carrier to better suit athletes' way of running. ASICS' TOKYO series introduces FF LEAP™ cushioning, which the company claims is its "lightest, softest and bounciest foam ever used." FF TURBO™ PLUS foam also joins the mix.

The debut METASPEED™ RAY TOKYO only features the all-new FF LEAP™ foam.

Developed at the ASICS Institute of Sport Science, the METASPEED™ RAY TOKYO is amongst the lightest marathon-oriented racing shoes currently on the market. The pair weighs just 4.55 ounces (129 grams) in a U.S. Men's size 9, beating the industry-leading Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2 by .25 ounces.

According to ASICS, its all-new silhouette is "designed for athletes who [prioritize] a bouncy, weightless ride." An official press release for the design doesn't mention anything about the ultra-responsive midsole being suboptimal for racing after a certain number of miles, as is the case with Adidas' lightest racer, but it's likely the emphasis on minimal weight makes the METASPEED™ RAY TOKYO less durable than its SKY and EDGE counterparts.

ASICS' new racer draws its name from a ray of light, as well as 零 ("rei"), the Japanese word for "zero." The silhouette's fast-oriented, featherweight build gives life to the name.

The team at ASICS coupled the responsive FF LEAP™ foam with a Matryx® upper to achieve high-level performance and reliability at the lightest weight possible. A minimal carbon plate was also utilized to propel athletes forward while shaving some weight in the process. An innovative Dynamic Drop Structure enhances the model's running experience.

Not included in any previous METASPEED™ offering, the Dynamic Drop Structure is enabled by a non-standard insole that works with the full-length FF LEAP™ foam midsole to change the drop from feel to forefoot while running. Essentially, the lightweight cushioning compresses more at the front of the shoe when force is placed onto it, increasing the drop to greater than 5 millimeters. This results in a higher heel-to-toe difference that further propels the stride forward.

An ASICSGRIP™ outsole rounds out the package.

Enjoy official photos of the METASPEED™ TOKYO trio ahead. Pairs of the METASPEED™ SKY TOKYO and METASPEED™ EDGE TOKYO are scheduled to release via ASICS.com on Friday, July 25. The lighter METASPEED™ RAY TOKYO launches on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Pricing for each model hasn't been announced as of yet.

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