At “NEXT ATOM for the future Produced by #AAAA” project conducted by a textile trade company Moririn under the supervision of Tezuka Productions, Noriyuki Misawa presents the world view of Astro Boy in the form of shoes. With profound respect to the great manga artist Osamu Tezuka and under the slogans of “Next Astro boy-Our Coming 20 Years” and “Astro Boy for the Future,” this art piece commemorates the 60th anniversary of the first animation of Astro Boy.

“However, I heard that the bomber’s pilot saw it clearly. Out of the bombardment smoke, hundreds, thousands of lights in the shape of Astro flew out and assaulted the bombers.”

When Astro finds himself in the Vietnam War, in a village about to be bombarded by the US bombers, he learns a woman is giving birth soon and saves the village using his last energy left. The baby is born safely, but Astro runs out of energy. As the very last moment, Astro asks the villagers to ship him to Japan, which they did by first bringing Astro to Saigon. The day after, bombers strike the village again, and everyone dies. However, at that moment, thousands of “lights” in the shape of Astro, who is not there, fly out of the smoke to attack the bombers.
From “The Angel in Vietnam” in the Astro Boy Chronicles

This phenomenon is not explained, nor does it influence how the story develops. Unlike mighty Astro as commonly recognized, here, something that resembles willpower is depicted. More than half a century has passed since this time in history, but our present is still not free from conflicts. Having been emotionally influenced by the Russia-Ukraine War, Misawa was inspired by this scene in Astro Boy, and portrayed the “hundreds, thousands of lights in the shape of Astro” in the form of a shoe to produce this Astro Heel.

With the unique form representing the A in Astro Boy, Misawa presents a novel contour of shoes that nobody has seen before. “Astro Boy is a character everyone knows in Japan, and it’s been influential even today in numerous ways,” says Misawa, “and as I was facing this gigantic icon, I wanted to make something that is as innovative and as long-lasting in its influence.” Going beyond a design of single art piece, it aspires to become a part of repertoire of future shoemaking as the “A-Heel.” The rainbow color is also a reference to Salvatore Ferragamo’s legendary Rainbow Sandal, made in 1938. For Misawa, Ferragamo is one of the shoemakers he respects the most, and the Rainbow Sandal inspired him to make shoes like that one day. Confronting the iconic motif of Astro Boy and exploring ways to respond through the medium of shoes, this endeavor and his long-time longing crossed paths, materializing in the Astro Heel.

Needless to say, a rainbow is a symbol of piece, friendship, and diversity, and has become more important than ever now. In Kyiv, a statue that commemorated the friendship between Ukraine and Russia was located under a rainbow-shaped monument. However, the statue was removed soon after the invasion of Russia started. Misawa says he remembers the news and was conscious of it when producing these shoes. Although “thousands of lights in the shape of Astro” does not describe any colors, by giving them the color of a rainbow, Misawa gives another layer of significance to the shoes as an embodiment of hope for peace, unchanged from the time of the Vietnam War to the current Russia-Ukraine War.
Misawa describe the shape of the Astro Heel as also an arch or bridge ̶perhaps between Astro’s light that shined in Vietnam in 1969 and us in 2023, or between the questions Astro Boy asks us repeatedly-What does it mean for humans to make thing? What is life?-and those of us who live in the time of AI. By uncompromisingly exploring and expanding the boundaries of shoes, the Astro Heel masterfully delivers Astro Boy’s universal message.

[Overview of the Astro Heel]
Size: length approx. 21 cm x width approx.10 cm x height approx. 17 cm
Material: mainly natural leather
Price: JPY 176,000 (tax included)
Availability: 20 pairs (each work is numbered on the bottom)
Timeline: the work will be delivered about 2 months after payment.
Shipping of JPY 1,320 will be charged (shipping may vary according to the destination).
Note: this product is for appreciation only. Please note that it cannot be worn as shoes.

[How to order]
Please email contact@noriyukimisawa.com with your name, phone number, address, email address,
and desired payment method (credit card or bank payment). We will get back to you via email with more details.

The outsole has an iconic design that is only used on the Astro Heel Art Edition, and the stitching is applied to each layer of the main body. And on the toe area of the shoe, the light of Astro boy is expressed in detail using the “gold relief leather ” technique that Misawa inherited from the late legendary artist.

The Astro Heel Art Edition is a one-of-a-kind work of art created by Noriyuki Misawa, based on his Astro Heel design and concept.

[Overview of the Astro Heel Art Edition]
Size: length approx. 21 cm x width approx.10 cm x height approx. 17 cm
Material: mainly natural leather
Price: JPY 880,000 (tax included)
Availability: 1 pairs (each work is numbered on the bottom)
Note: this product is for appreciation only. Please note that it cannot be worn as shoes.

[How to order]
Please email contact@noriyukimisawa.com with your name, phone number, address, email address,
and desired payment method (credit card or bank payment). We will get back to you via email with more details.