Matt Varga Despite being one of the true pioneers of the manga genre, Doraemon hasn’t quite been licensed out on the global scale that similar franchises like Hello Kitty have been. Perhaps it’s high time for those winds to change, however, as images of a Doraemon Converse collection have surfaced, spread across four colorways of the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star.
The collection can comfortably be split into two halves, the first relying on the actual text. On a multicolor Converse All-Star, snippets from the covers for the original 45 volumes combine into a mosaic that engulfs the uppers. In the black-and-white edition, it’s a more creative approach — some of the most famous individual cels come together for a similar effect, but the wide range that Converse and Doraemon pull from means that no two pairs will wear exactly the same pattern.
If you prefer your fandom to be a bit more understated, look to the off-white All-Star, largely reading as a run-of-the-mill variation on the classic model save for Doreamon’s face peeking out from the midsole on the lateral side and a logo tag on the tongue. To close out, Doraemon and Converse serve up mismatch aesthetics with a blue and pink pair, keeping the same “peekaboo” theme but splitting each shoe between the two vibrant shades across the outside and interior sidewalls.
Given that Converse Japan often operates as its own entity, the Doraemon Converse collection may just remain exclusive to the franchise’s home country. If you’re in range for this collab, however, you’ll have the chance to cop an accompanying accessory capsule with tote bags, shoulder bags and backpacks dropping alongside. The full capsule releases on April 30th. You can catch official images of all four shoes included below.
