Air Jordan 23 “Takehiko Inoue” sneakers sample: Design details and more explored

The Jumpman label’s Air Jordan 23 model recently emerged in a fresh Slam Dunk-inspired makeup titled “Takehiko Inoue.” The detailed look at the sneakers was shared by a sneaker aficionado, @solesupreme, via his social media account.

As stated in the detailed caption of his post, this Air Jordan 23 “Takehiko Inoue” is a sample design that was originally created for the Asian market. Later, this idea was canceled. Therefore, these Takehiko Inoue-inspired sneakers never arrived in the market.

For those unaware, Takehiko Inoue is a 57-year-old Japanese manga artist, and Slam Dunk is one of his creations. Slam Dunk is a Japanese manga that chronicles the Shōhoku High School basketball squad. The figures of the manga series were portrayed sporting sneaker styles of that period, notably Air Jordans and Nike Basketball styles. This anime was serialized from 1990 to 1996.

The Nike Air Jordan 23 “Takehiko Inoue” colorway is just a sample sneaker design that is unlikely to be launched for fans.

Slam Dunk x Nike Air Jordan 23 “Takehiko Inoue” colorway features the manga artist inspired makeup

The design team creates various designs during the creation of any sneaker before releasing the finished product. Many sample designs remain unreleased and have not been approved for release, including the recently released sample of Slam Dunk x Air Jordan 23 "Takehiko Inoue."

The recently appeared Air Jordan 23 rendition honored the creator of Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue. These pairs were part of 2008-09 regional releases, as revealed by @solesupreme.

The top section of the footwear is majorly covered in black tone. This bold black part is woven on the midfoot panel and toebox using contrasting multicolored threads. Multicolored stitching integrates with the mudguard, while letters positioned on the midfoot articulate Takehiko Inoue's moniker.

The insole displays an anime illustration of a character adorned with a Jordan 23. Jade-hued paneling extends from the sole section to the toe area, as well as forefoot edges. The layout is completed with a tonal black and jade outer sole unit.

The heritage of the Jordan 23 sneaker style is underlined on the brand’s website in the following text:

“For the the brand's 23rd shoe, homage was in order and failure was not an option. Tinker Hatfield and Mark Smith led the charge. The result, a sneaker worthy of the Air Jordan name. It's style was sleek, its performance cutting-edge and perhaps best of all, sustainability rankings for the AJ XX3 soared. The Air Jordan XX3 was crafted with an unprecedented amount of detail and care. Thoughtful touches brought it to life - MU's thumb print on the tongue, DNA-inspired stitching, his autograph on the toe.”

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Sneaker lovers are encouraged to stay in touch with Swoosh’s site for timely updates on the other Jordan releases of 2025.

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