[Update 12 Jun 2023] Great news! The MSCHF Big Red Boot will see an official restock via MSCHF online and MSCHF Sneakers App on Tuesday, 13 June 2pm ET. Take this chance to decide if it’s finally time to get your hands on one of the most viral shoes of 2023.

[Update 7 Feb 2023] “Some men just want to watch the world burn,” said Alfred Pennyworth. And that’s exactly what MSCHF seems to be up to. Living up to their name, challenging conventions with the most divisive ideas contrived. Come 16 February, they’ll deliver the Astro Boy-inspired Big Red Boot for US$350. Find it on mschf.com then, 11am. Till then, enjoy the campaign images featuring Sarah Snyder!

Be it the “Jesus Shoes” where they filled an Air Max 97 with water from the River Jordan, or the infamous AC.1 that is basically an orthopaedic shoe, MSCHF has never failed to grab headlines, good or bad. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, MSCHF is a design collective that sells viral internet stunts in the form of products.

MSCHF borders on the thin line of unconventional and cynical. Some of their creations have hit absolute peak internet fame, such as the aforementioned “Jesus Shoes”. Others, however, have landed them in hot soup—such as their follow-up Air Max 97 collaboration with rapper Lil Nas X, which resulted in a lawsuit with Nike.

This time around, MSCHF is opting for something less controversial. Looking to the shores of Japan for inspiration, MSCHF recently teased their latest creation, the Big Red Boots, inspired by the legendary manga and anime character Astro Boy. Sure enough, within a day of posting, they have gone viral on social media.

Astro Boy’s red boots are as iconic as can be when it comes to the world of manga. Dating back to 1952, the Mighty Atom was a serialised manga that ran for 16 years, creating over 112 chapters over the course. Decades after, Astro Boy is still a cultural icon worldwide, with different forms of collectibles modelled after the character still prevalent up till today.

MSCHF’s recreation of Astro Boy’s red boots is basically a 1:1 model, even encapsulating the enlarged lip collar to retain its cartoony feel. Utilising red EVA foam to create the mid-calf boot, it’s pretty much as realistic as it can get.

Underfoot, the ribbed outsole presents the design collective’s only branding on the boot, with “MSCHF” engrained into both sides of the shoe.

This eye-catching rendition of Astro Boy’s boots is sure to turn heads if you so dare to rock them. While they might raise a few eyebrows, these MSCHF Big Red Boots are sure to be a conversation starter online or offline. Stay tuned for more information if you’re an Astro Boy fan!

In other not-so-wacky news, check out our incoming collaboration with Japanese label WIND AND SEA.