Asics did not "buy" Tiger in a traditional acquisition sense; rather, the company that founded Onitsuka Tiger, Onitsuka Co., Ltd., rebranded and became Asics Corporation in 1977.
The Evolution from Onitsuka Tiger to Asics
The relationship between Asics and Onitsuka Tiger is one of corporate evolution and rebranding, not a typical acquisition. Onitsuka Tiger was the initial sports fashion brand created by Kihachiro Onitsuka's company.
- 1949: Kihachiro Onitsuka founded Onitsuka Shōkai (later Onitsuka Co., Ltd.), a sports shoes company, in Japan. This company was responsible for starting the Onitsuka Tiger brand.
- 1977: Onitsuka Co., Ltd. underwent a significant transformation, changing its name to Asics Corporation. This name change marked a new chapter for the company, which continued to develop and market athletic footwear and apparel, including the heritage Onitsuka Tiger line.
Therefore, Asics is the successor and evolution of the original company that launched the Onitsuka Tiger brand. The brand Onitsuka Tiger continued to exist and was later relaunched as a lifestyle brand under the Asics umbrella.
Key Milestones in Onitsuka/Asics History
To better understand this corporate lineage, here's a brief timeline:
| Year | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Founding of Onitsuka Shōkai | Kihachiro Onitsuka establishes his sports shoes company, launching the Onitsuka Tiger brand. |
| 1977 | Rebranding to Asics Corporation | Onitsuka Co., Ltd. officially changes its name to Asics Corporation. |
This means that the original creator of the Tiger brand became Asics, rather than Asics being an external entity that acquired Tiger. The Onitsuka Tiger brand remains a prominent part of Asics' heritage product lines.
Understanding the Corporate Relationship
It's common for long-standing companies to undergo name changes or corporate restructuring. In this case, the name change to Asics Corporation in 1977 signifies the company's growth and broadened scope beyond just the "Tiger" brand. While Onitsuka Tiger continues to be a distinct product line, it operates under the larger corporate entity of Asics, which itself is the direct descendant of the original Onitsuka company.
- Direct Lineage: Asics is the direct corporate successor to the company that founded Onitsuka Tiger.
- Brand vs. Company: Onitsuka Tiger is a brand, while Onitsuka Co., Ltd. (now Asics) is the company that owns and produces that brand.
This clarifies that there was no acquisition where Asics purchased Tiger; instead, the founding company evolved into Asics.
