The Nike Air Max 95 Steps Into the Yu-Gi-Oh! Universe

Originally posted on Sneakers on SI | By Rashad Grove | Last updated Aug 12, 2025 2:57 PM ET

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Joey Wheeler is known for being the beloved underdog character and the best friend of the protagonist, Yugi Mutou, in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Anime and manga series. Along with his exploits in the popular series, Joey Wheeler is beloved for the sneakers that he wears, his signature Air Max 95s.

More than two and a half decades since his anime debut, Nike has announced the release of the Air Max 95 QS YGO in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Air Max 95, which is based on Joey Wheeler’s iconic footwear from Yu-Gi-Oh!

When it comes to the design of the Air Max 95 QS YGO, it replicates the original vision seen in Yu-Gi-Oh!, and it speaks to more than two and a half decades of Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom and the silhouette’s enduring influence on Japanese and global sneaker culture, mirroring the animation from the anime adapted from the manga, while adding new, contemporary design details.

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The global “Joey” colorway honors the iconic Yu-Gi-Oh! protagonist, who wears the Air Max 95 in the series.

The silhouette has shades of blue, paneling, lace loops, and scratch marks mirroring Joey’s sneakers in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Also, there’s a hidden Air unit to match the look from the original series.

A second “Jonouchi” colorway, available only in Japan, applies a similar treatment to a grayscale silhouette that reflects Yu-Gi-Oh!’s beginnings and anime adapted from the mang

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The exclusive packaging includes a custom, playable Nike x Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Cards, marking the first time a brand has joined KONAMI to co-create official Trading Card Game cards that feature within the dueling game.

Additionally, Nike and Yu-Gi-Oh! will release a collaborative apparel collection that includes a Nike Destroyer Jacket in “Blue Void/Off White” (priced at $200) and two Nike Solo Swoosh T-shirts in “Black” and “White.”

The Nike Air Max 95 QS YGO and complementary apparel will be available globally in the “Joey” colorway September 12 at SNKRS and select Nike retail partners.