MSCHF's big red Astro boots take inspiration from one particular anime

May 2024 · 3 minute read

Yet again, a pair of radical shoes has taken the internet by storm. MSCHF has teased a pair of big red boots, causing a commotion among fans. The footwear takes inspiration from one anime character in particular.

This isn’t the first time the Brooklyn-based art collective has released a viral product or made the headlines. Back in the summer of 2021, MSCHF was taken to court over a pair of collaborative shoes made by famous rapper Lil Nas X.

The sneakers, known as ‘Satan Shoes’, featured Nike’s classic swoosh logo, and drops of real human blood in the soles. After selling out in less than a minute when they first released, the shoes caused a huge stir for the rapper and MSCHF.

The Satan Shoes sparked outrage for numerous reasons, with Nike taking the art collective to court. The lawsuit was eventually settled.

Now MSCHF is back with a fresh, less bloody product. Some big red boots.

MSCHF big red Astro boots

Surprisingly, the art collective’s latest footwear expands beyond the realm of trainers and into something far more experimental. The shoes, dubbed ‘Astro boots’, or those big red boots, are inspired by the beloved anime character Astro Boy.

Astro Boy is the titular character from the huge Japanese franchise. The original manga series was written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka in 1951.

Since then, the character has starred in three different anime series and multiple films. The latest release, a 2009 CGI film titled Astro Boy, showcased what the character has to offer.

The character is a young robot boy, in several adaptations, created by a doctor to replace his deceased son. With powers like super-strength, super-intelligence, and all the built-in weapons to match, Astro uses his powers to help others and save the world.

Like any good superhero, Astro wears a distinct outfit, most notably his powerful, jet-fueled boots. The shoes give him the ability to fly and soar through the clouds.

The big red boots are the basis for MSCHF’s latest footwear endeavor.

Almost a perfect replica, MSCHF’s big red boots are a life-size, wearable model of the character’s shoes, made out of red EVA foam. The boots are mid-calf in height and lack the usual MSCHF branding.

A sneak peek at the Astro Boots

One Twitter user in particular, Steve Natto, a sneaker influencer, got the chance to wear the boots. Sharing his weird, yet enthusiastic footwear experience on the site, Natto adores MSCHF’s latest creation.

The shoes arrived in a huge red box. This compelled Natto to compare the shoe size, proclaiming “They’re bigger than my head!”.

MSCHF’s big red boots have also appeared on Instagram.

Although the company has not officially released the shoes, it’s clear by social media users’ reactions, they are bound to be popular.

Twitter can’t get enough of the Astro boots

Like many of their products, the MSCHF big red boots have already provoked controversial reactions from Twitter users.

While some users appreciate how fun they are, others simply hate them:

https://twitter.com/dameandconfused/status/1622310025883435018?s=20

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some of you are lying about liking those mschf astro boy boots

— ronan (:3 っ)っ♏︎ (@23bugz) February 6, 2023

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Love them or hate them, it looks like the MSCHF Astro Boots are the next fashion trend for footwear, and anime, fans.

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