This isn’t just a Japan souvenir shoe, people abroad genuinely love it. One reviewer in the US called them the lightest, most comfortable shoes she’s ever worn, adding that they show “superb Japanese quality.” Reviewers from Australia and Mexico echoed the same thing in their own words, calling them their new favorite shoes and praising how cute and light they are, straight out of the box.
The design leans into its retro running heritage. The SERRANO is built on a thinner, lower-profile sole than Onitsuka’s more famous Mexico 66 line, inspired by 1970s track spikes, with an upturned toe and soft, cushioned feel. Multiple reviewers specifically praised how light and easy to walk in they are for long stretches, with one former New Balance loyalist saying this pair made her reconsider her go-to brand.
Size up, especially if you have a wider or higher-instep foot. This comes up again and again in reviews: buyers who normally wear a certain size consistently found this pair fit better a half to full size larger. One reviewer who normally wears 26.5cm sized up to 27.5cm and said the soft upper and laces made the larger size fit perfectly, not loose.
The color in person can look slightly different from the product photo. One buyer who ordered the Oyster Grey/White colorway said it looked more beige in the listing photo but arrived a true grey. She still kept them and loved the color in person, so it’s more a heads-up on lighting in product photos than a quality issue.