Ohtani’s Green Dream: The Exclusive New Balance 990v6 I’ll Never Get My Hands On

I still remember staying up till 3 AM five years ago, bleary-eyed but determined, trying to score a pair of limited-edition sneakers online only to see that dreaded “SOLD OUT” message flash across my screen. That familiar sting of sneakerhead disappointment is tingling again today as I write about Shohei Ohtani’s upcoming New Balance 990v6—a shoe that’s got me seriously considering buying a plane ticket to Japan.

Yep, you read that right. Ohtani’s first lifestyle collab with New Balance is dropping exclusively in Japan, and I’m already feeling that FOMO creeping in.

The Shoe That’s Making Me Question My Travel Budget

So what’s the big deal about these sneakers? Well, for starters, they look absolutely gorgeous. The 990v6 features this rich forest green color that reminds me of those perfect pine trees I saw hiking in Oregon last summer. That deep green is paired with navy blue accents that just scream “classy but sporty”—kinda like Ohtani himself.

The white framing around the shoe pops against those darker colors, and there’s this slightly yellowed, aged midsole that gives it that perfect “I’m not trying too hard” vibe. You know, the kind of shoe that makes people ask, “Where’d you get those?” as you pretend you didn’t spend three months’ coffee budget on them.

My wife would definitely roll her eyes if she knew I was seriously contemplating international travel for a pair of sneakers. Again.

Why Japan? Why Must You Torture Me, Shohei?

Word around the sneaker community is that these special 990v6s are dropping to celebrate the MLB’s Tokyo Series. Makes sense, right? What better way to mark baseball’s presence in Japan than with a Japan-exclusive shoe from the country’s biggest baseball superstar?

There’s also speculation that the colorway might be a nod to Ohtani’s time with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. I’ve spent too many late nights watching highlights from his Japan days, and I gotta say, there’s something poetic about him paying tribute to his roots this way.

But still… did it have to be Japan-exclusive? My collection has a Shohei-sized hole in it now that I’m painfully aware of.

Mark Your Calendar (If You’re in Japan)

These coveted kicks are set to release on March 17th, likely priced around $200 or 30,000 Yen. That’s actually pretty reasonable for a signature athlete lifestyle shoe these days. Last month I paid nearly that much for a pair that didn’t even have a famous person’s name attached to them—just because they were “limited edition.” My bank account still hasn’t forgiven me.

I’ve already texted my one friend who lives in Tokyo, subtly (okay, not so subtly) hinting that I’d be eternally grateful if he could somehow snag a pair in size 10.5. He hasn’t responded yet, which probably means he’s either asleep because of the time difference or he’s ignoring my transparent attempt to use our friendship for sneaker gain.

The First of Many?

What’s particularly interesting about this release is that it marks Ohtani’s first lifestyle sneaker project with New Balance. He signed with them back in 2023, but this is his first foray into the casual footwear space. Given how New Balance has been absolutely crushing it with their athlete collabs lately, I’m betting this won’t be the last Ohtani lifestyle shoe we see.

Maybe—just maybe—the next one will be available stateside, and I won’t have to pretend I need to “visit Japan for cultural reasons” while my real agenda involves camping outside a Tokyo sneaker store.

The Painful Wait

As March 17th approaches, I’ll be doing what all sneakerheads do when they know they’re about to miss out on something special: constantly refreshing sneaker blogs, watching unboxing videos from lucky Japanese buyers, and trying to convince myself I didn’t really want them anyway.

Who am I kidding? These Ohtani 990v6s are going straight to the top of my “The One That Got Away” sneaker list. Right next to those Travis Scott Jordans from 2019 that still haunt my dreams.

If anyone reading this happens to be traveling to Japan in mid-March and feels like doing a solid for a desperate sneaker enthusiast, my DMs are open. I’m not above begging at this point.

Until then, I’ll be here, admiring from afar and plotting how to justify an international flight for a pair of shoes to my financial advisor (aka my much more sensible spouse).

The sneaker game can be cruel sometimes. But we keep coming back for more, don’t we?