METASPEED Tokyo announced at Tokyo:Speed:Race
ASICS is hosting the first edition of the Tokyo:Speed:Race on May 3, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan. On the day before this World Athletics-sanctioned race, the Japanese brand revealed their new race day shoe lineup, the METASPEED Tokyo lineup featuring 2 updates to existing products and a completely new shoe. We are breaking down all the specs, numbers and what to expect in the below article.
METASPEED Sky Tokyo and METASPEED Edge Tokyo: the streak continues
After the original METASPEED released in 2021, the METASPEED+ released in 2022. Following this, the METASPEED Paris Series released in 2024. Now, there is a fourth version in the METASPEED family with the METASPEED Tokyo series. ASICS revealed this new iteration of the franchise at an event held in Tokyo, Japan, with global media and influencers gathered around the brand’s top executives and some of brand’s most famous athletes like Eilish McColgan, Bashir Abdi and Nadia Battocletti.
As with the previous iterations of the METASPEED family, there are two shoes. The METASPEED Sky Tokyo and the METASPEED Edge Tokyo. The Paris series was honouring the Paris Olympics, and the Tokyo series will now share with the whole world the excitement that is building around the upcoming 2025 Tokyo World Championships.
Pursuing its concept of stride versus cadence, ASICS confirms the two household names with the Edge and the Sky remaining the two key shoes of the lineup. The METASPEED Sky Tokyo is the shoe for stride runners, who increase their stride length more proportionally to their cadence. The METASPEED Edge Tokyo is the shoe for cadence runners, who increase their cadence more proportionally to their stride length.
The brand new METASPEED RAY is the lightest globally available shoe at 129g (4.5oz)
But unlike for the previous METASPEED Series editions, the new METASPEED Tokyo series comes with a third shoe on top of the METASPEED Edge and the METASPEED Sky. Taking on the new “hypershoe” category launched with the adidas Evo 1, most brands are coming up with sub 200g race shoes. ASICS have joined the party with the METASPEED RAY.
Taking its name from the Japanese for 0, the RAY weighs in at just 129g. Weight has been saved in 4 key areas:
Upper – The Matryx upper is lightweight and very durable. It has featured on many race and trail shoes and comes with a proven pedigree.
Midsole – A single piece FF Leap midsole works alongside a thick insole which allows for the removal of glue and a second layer of foam to sandwich the carbon plate.
Plate – The carbon plate has been minimised to allow for a smaller surface area while retaining the same level of propulsion.
Outsole – Still ASICSGIP but thinner, lighter and more strategically placed.
This sounds like a very promising entry into the hypershoe market. Which elites will we see trialling the shoe first?
Key takeaways
Releasing on July 25, 2025, the new shoes all feature the brand new ASICS FF Leap foam which is 15.2% lighter, 13.7% bouncier and 30% softer.
The METASPEED Edge and Sky both feature Motion Wrap 3.0 as an upper material which promises added lightness and a more secure lockdown.
The METASPEED RAY promises to be the lightest commercially available shoe when it is released.
ASICS’ METASPEED Sky will have a lower layer of FF Leap with a top level of FF Turbo for stability.
Meanwhile, the Edge will have the reverse. The bottom layer will be the FF Turbo while the FF Leap will be right underfoot.
The runner profile of the Edge and Sky remain the same. Stride runners who land more forefoot will be catered for by the Sky. On the other hand, cadence runners will have the more curved plate which is closer to the road.
2 responses
I am a cadence runner that forefoot strikes, should I go for the shoe better suited to my higher cadence or foot strike pattern?
A tricky question to answer as everyone has different preferences. There have been a few answers coming from the team.
For me, I am a very high cadence runner with a forefoot strike and I really enjoy the Metaspeed Sky. When increasing the pace, my cadence increased by about 5 – 10% but stride length increases by about 50%.
Ivan, who is another high cadence runner but with a midfoot strike, prefers the Edge as one of his top marathon shoes at the moment.
Alex probably has the best advice, see if you can get a test in both on a treadmill at a running shop. They are two shoes which feel very different and a lot will come down to personal taste.
Good luck in finding the right shoe and let us know how you got on.