Japan's Mysterious ZUTOMAYO Band Has An ASICS GEL-Kayano 14 Collab on the Way

Despite its popularity across the globe, ASICS is proudly a Japanese company. The sportswear juggernaut continues to tap into its cultural sensibilities to produce footwear and apparel that celebrates Japan's history, industries, interests, and figures. Ahead of spring, the brand has partnered up with ZUTOMAYO, a largely faceless band formed in 2018, on at least two pairs of the iconic GEL-Kayano 14.

To the uninformed, Zutto Mayonaka de ii Noni (also stylized as ZTMY) is a secretive musical act that's taken over not only the Japanese Billboard Top 100 but also youth popular culture over the last seven years. The band occupies the rock and J-Pop spaces, and has captivated audiences with a number of story-driven, artistic animated music videos (AMV) that enable fans to speculate about the folks behind ZUTOMAYO.

The mysterious band was founded by ACAne (ACAね, pronounced “A-ka-neh”), a "faceless" musician and graphic designer that was inspired by Eve to pursue music full-time back in 2017. Although most people don't know who she is (she's been tracked down on Reddit), ACAne is a superstar. Her lead vocals for the band she founded – which translates into English from Japanese to read "I wish it was midnight all the time" – have become the soundtrack to countless fans. Her attention to visuals hasn't gone unnoticed, with ZUTOMAYO's official YouTube channel currently boasting 910.4 million views.

Over the last year, ACAne's group has launched a full-on fashion brand that's sold via ZUTOMAYO MART. Apparel and accessories bring the band's expansive world of characters and aesthetic to real life. ASICS' collaboration with Acane and team present the ZUTOMAYO universe in sneaker-form for the first time, delivering an experimental, colorful take for longtime and new fans alike.

The retro GEL-Kayano 14 is no stranger to complete overhauls, but ZUTOMAYO's vision breathes new life into the 17-year-old design unlike many collaborators have. The running-informed upper opts for a lifestyle-focused construction that sees vector branding on the profiles reimagined with a semi-translucent plastic that creates a jelly-like finish. Non-standard loops appear near the vamp, across the sides, and at the Achilles' heel, enabling a bungee lacing system to run the length of the shoe. Silver lace dubraes read ZTMY, as does the patch embroidered onto the right shoe's footbed. One of the band's many Nira characters appears on the right insole, too.

If you watch any of ZUTOMAYO's AMVs, you'll notice right away that colors are important. The ASICS sneakers collaboration isn't any different. 'Cream' and 'Black' tones set the stage across both styles for vibrant hits of purple and green. The contrasting finishes bear some resemblance to Buzz Lightyear and Emperor Zurg from Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 2. Together, both pairs deliver experimental takes on a popular silhouette while simultaneously showcasing ACAne's knack for creativity.

Enjoy official photos of the GEL-Kayano 14 duo for ZUTOMAYO below. Firm ASICS.com release details haven't been disclosed by either party as of yet, but pairs should land across Japan by April to coincide with the band's next batch of tour dates. The collaborative style should retail for $160.

For more sneaker news, check out the rumored UNDEFEATED x Nike Air Max 95 collection.