Ah, Red-Haired Shanks. The all-powerful legend. The carefree jokester. The inspiration behind one of the shoes in One Piece x Puma‘s sneaker collaboration. (Naturally, his most important claim to fame.) One Piece fans the world over love the character of Shanks (or at least are begrudgingly charmed by him). And now, as mentioned, they can declare their allegiance to One Piece‘s Red-Haired Pirate Crew and its captain by donning Shanks’ colors in PUMA shoe form. Of course, if red is not your color, the One Piece x PUMA collaboration will also let you come aboard with the three other One Piece Emperors, Luffy, Buggy, or Blackbeard. But Nerdist was lucky enough to get a closer look at the Shanks PUMA shoe. And so, let’s dive deep into the ins and outs of the One Piece sneaker.
Jump to: One Piece References in the Shanks PUMA Shoe // Are the One Piece PUMAs Comfortable? // Where Can You Buy the One Piece PUMAs?
One Piece References in the Shanks PUMA Shoe
One Piece fans are probably wondering just how these PUMA shoes relate to the series itself. And that is an important question. Personally, I love nerdy fashion that’s both aesthetic and referential. And these Shanks PUMAs certainly accomplish that goal for me. The Shanks shoes are subtly fannish in both big and small ways but restrain themselves from going too far overboard. And that keeps this One Piece Puma sneaker looking fashionable and gorgeous.
Jump to: The Box // The Colors // The Scars // The Jolly Roger // Shanks’ Pants Design From One Piece Film: Red // The Puma Belly Coin // The Wanted Poster // The Man Himself!
One Piece‘s Map Decorates the PUMA Box
Before we see the shoes, we already know that this One Piece x PUMA collaboration is going to be great. The box and wrapping paper that house the Shank sneakers are both One Piece-themed. After all, we can’t set sail to be King of the Pirates without a map. And this shoe box will help us find our heading.
The Colors of Shanks’ One Piece PUMA Shoes
Well, he ain’t called Red-Haired Shanks for nothing! One Piece is known for its colorful assortment of hair colors, and Shanks is no different. But, of course, Shanks’ hair isn’t actually pure red; it’s really more of a wine color—a fitting choice for a pirate. Happily, PUMA nails the exact shade of the captain/Emperor’s tresses in its homage to Shanks. Dark red is the main color of this One Piece PUMA shoe, and if you look at side-by-side images of Shanks and his PUMA, it really is like the sneaker has been dyed to match. We love it.
The Shanks shoes also have a silvery white streak running through them. And that nicely represents both the natural draw of a pirate to something shiny and the fact that Shanks’ main outfit includes a white shirt. At times, Shanks’ eyes are also depicted as silver throughout his franchise appearances(although the color sometimes changes). So in a way, this silver streak is actually a fairly deep cut.
Of course, in the world of One Piece, silver can also refer to the flash of a sword. And that makes a lot of sense, too, since the turquoise green piping on this One Piece x PUMA shoe actually represents Shanks’ saber, Gryphon. Gryphon is known for its famously green (and long) hilt. This is another super fun color choice.
These Puma Sneakers Show Off Shanks’ Scars
Red-Haired Shanks has a very specific set of scars that graces his face. Three long, vertical marks pass straight over Shanks’ left eye but don’t affect it. One Piece fans will know that the pirate Blackbeard gave Shanks these scars before the start of the series proper. However, the circumstances of Shanks’ scarring remain mysterious. Still, as far as Shanks goes, it’s somewhat of a trademark part of his character’s design.
In an incredibly fun, if you know, you know, kind of way, Shanks’ three scars are embroidered onto the heel of his One Piece x PUMA shoe. We love seeing this obvious reference done in a very deft way.
The Red-Haired Pirates’ Jolly Roger Symbol
Having a unique Jolly Roger is very important to the different pirate factions on One Piece. After all, Luffy would tell you, the Jolly Roger sets the tone for a ship and its pirate crew. While PUMA could have simply used the general One Piece logo on all of its shoes, the Red-Haired Pirates and Shanks’ specific Jolly Roger feaures throughout the sneaker. Like Shanks, the Red-Haired Pirates’ Jolly Roger has three long scars running over its left eye. On the One Piece PUMA, Shanks’ Jolly Roger can be found on the tongue of the shoe and on the back of the right heel. (Sharing a location with the PUMA logo on the left heel.)
The shoe even gets the specific design of the swords decorating the skull right. Seeing the perfect miniature replica of Shanks’ Jolly Roger on the PUMA makes for a delightful surprise.
The Design of Shanks’ Pants From One Piece Film: Red
Now this One Piece x PUMA collaboration really cuts deep in its franchise references. I admit, I squinted for quite a while at the paisley-like design that decorates the shoe. It was incredibly hard to place the origin of the pattern. But eventually, it came to me. The pattern references the design on Shanks’ pants from the movie One Piece Film: Red. Wild.
One Piece Film: Red actually centers Shanks and his adopted daughter Uta, in its story so it makes all the sense in the world for his PUMAs to refer to it. But still, that is quite a slice into the world of One Piece. Well played, PUMA.
One Piece‘s Belly Gone PUMA
What’s a pirate shoe without a little pirate booty? In One Piece, the going currency for pirates is the Belly coin (also known as Berry, Beli, or Beri). The One Piece collaboration with Pum features a Puma-fied Belly that hangs from the edge of the sneaker. Instead of the iconic One Piece “B” decorating Belly, now there’s a “P.” Guess Shanks and co. will need to get after “Pelly,” now.
Shanks’ Wanted Poster Appears on the PUMA Shoes’ Tongue
Wanted posters are also a big deal for One Piece‘s pirate set. Getting a wanted poster means you’re in the club, and the higher the bounty, the better. Shanks, naturally, is an incredibly wanted man. And in a fun surprise, when you go to put on your PUMA, you’ll find a glittery version of Shanks’ One Piece wanted poster on the tongue. The mini-wanted poster even details the iconic text “Wanted—Dead or Alive.” The Marines have signed off on it as well, of course. The PUMA even contains the swirls that decorate One Piece‘s official wanted posters. Of course, the sneaker gets Shanks’ going rate exactly right. That’s 4,048,900,000 Belly/Pelly, please.
The Man, Himself!
Surprise! Shanks himself makes an appearance on his shoe. Yep, there he is, grinning up at you from your right PUMA sneaker, leg hair and all. It’s a fitting final Easter egg twist for the One Piece x PUMA collaboration. We love that the last One Piece reference you find when you go to put on your shoe is Shanks in the flesh (kind of). Just go easy when you step on him.
Are the One Piece PUMA’s Comfortable?
Yes! The One Piece x PUMA collaboration has yielded a shoe that is fabulous but also functional. The external suede is soft, the interior lining is smooth, and your foot feels well-supported in these sneakers. 10/10 would wear on adventures across the high seas.
Where Can You Buy the One Piece x PUMA Shoes, Clothes, and More?
The One Piece x PUMA collaboration is available on PUMA’s websites. It contains shoes, clothing, and more. Although some pieces have sold out online, it’s also worth checking local stores to see what’s in stock. And hopefully, with great demand, the One Piece PUMA shoes will return for another season. ( Much like the One Piece live-action.) We also hope more characters beyond just One Piece‘s Emperors will be featured in future collaborations. Zoro and Sanji PUMAs, we NEED those.