History & Evolution: The New Balance '996' Marks Its 35th Anniversary as a Signature Shoe of the Brand!

The New Balance '996' was born in 1988 as the third model in the 900 series developed for road running. Despite its classic design, it's a long-standing crowd-pleaser due to its comfortable fit. Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, we spoke to Shigeyuki Kunii, the creative director of Mita Sneakers and a key player in the sneaker scene, about the historical evolution of the '996' and its significance to New Balance.

The '996' was the First of the 900 Series to Gain Recognition in Japan

The pioneering '990' road running model of the 990 series was launched in 1982 with the slogan “a score of 990 out of 1000”. This was followed by the '995' in 1986, and then the '996' was launched in 1988. Kunii shares his memories of the '996'.

“The '996', which debuted with a timeless design based on the top-of-the-line technologies at the time, ENCAP and C-CAP, has a large fan base.
 
"Although the 990 is now up to the 'v6' model and is getting all the attention, the '996' rose to popularity during the American casual boom of the 90s and has the image of being the first shoe in the 900 series to be recognized in Japan.”
 
Before the debut of the '996', the '576' had a higher profile, followed closely by the 1000 series.

“Japanese consumers tend to gravitate toward the highest-end items, whether it's outerwear or anything else. This led to a surge in popularity for shoes in the 1000 series, exemplified by the '1300'. This was followed by the popularity of the 500 series. Actually, the '576' and '996' were released during the same period. The '576' featured a chunky shape, while the '996' adopted a last called SL-1, giving it a sleeker silhouette than the '576', which divided consumer preferences.
 
"With New Balance shoes in the '576' range and others, color variations like gray would first be released, followed by exclusive colors launched at overseas sports chain stores such as Foot Locker. Similarly, a black and gold version of the '996' was launched, sparking conversation among sneaker buffs.”
 
Either way, for Kunii, the '996' is remembered as the shoe that first established the 900 series in Japan.

The '996' Continues to Evolve with Tuning for the Times

With the release of the Asian 'CM996' from the American-made series and the introduction of the 'MRL996', which features a surprisingly light sole unit 'REVLITE', the '996' has continued to evolve.
 
To Kunii, the Asian '996' has a deeper significance than its American counterpart.

“I started wearing the American-made '996' after I joined Mita Sneakers. At that time, Asian-made shoes had a reputation for being cheaper versions, but when I saw the '996' equipped with 'REVLITE', I realized that it was something that could only be achieved with Asian manufacturing.
 
"The evolution I observed, where New Balance uses its sports technology to modernize the comfortable wear while keeping the classic appearance, increased the appeal of the '996' even more. At that time, I was able to feel the pride of a sports brand and New Balance, which allowed me to find a fresh meaning in wearing the Asian '996'.”

The '996', which celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2023, is getting its commemoration with the release of the Japanese-made 'M996JP', produced by the craftsmen of 'M.Lab' in partnership with New Balance. Despite the price range of 70,000 yen, it sold out immediately in a pre-lottery. '996' holds a special place both for the users and New Balance.