It did not have a well known shoe that could compete and help represent the company like some of its competitors from Adidas or Puma.

[2] It released the shoe two years before the Olympics in order to build buzz and the success of the athletes in competitions led to more athletes and even the Japanese national team using the shoes during the games.

The shoe became popular after its use in the Bruce Lee film, Game of Death, where he wore a yellow and black pair.

The shoe would see a second boost in popularity with the release of Kill Bill: Volume 1 where the main character wore them as an homage to Bruce Lee's original film.

The resurgence of the shoe has helped Onitsuka Tiger and Asics compete with companies like Nike and Adidas in the lifestyle market.