Mizuno Morelia Made in Japan
Japanese sports brand Mizuno might be unfamiliar to many football lovers, however the likes of Brazilian power forward Hulk, Japanese star Keisuke Honda and Italian midfielder Thiago Motta wear each different model of Mizuno. Just during last summer's world cup, Motta wore the black & white classic looking Morelia.
A classic heritage boot
Mizuno Morelia trusts in aeon's old recipe of kangaroo leather with minimalistic clear design. No gimmicks there, you can easily compare it to rivals such as Adidas Copa Mundial & Nike Tiempo series. That said, what really makes Mizuno Morelia MIJ version stand out is the fantastic quality that oozes out of this release. Although the boot is really pricey because of fact that the boot is hand made in mainland Japan & a part of limited professional series, a boot enthusiast might not want to miss a chance of owning a pair of extremely elusive release. Mizuno also makes MIJ-versions of the speed model Morelia Neo that might suit speedsters more than this heritage boot. Getting a pair of Mizunos at all in Europe or in North America can be troublesome. First of all, it's hard to get the size right without an opportunity to try out different fits. Needless to say I was lucky to find just the right size with just a guess. Sizewise I'd say Mizunos are roomy and wider set of players because of the spacious fit. I'd say this release can be compared to sizing of Adipure or 11pro.
Regular Morelia vs Morelia MIJ
There are some major difference between the two, but first you'll probably notice there's a variety of different looking Morelias, for instance some models have tongue whereas others don't. A MIJ version lacks the tongue as well. There might also be a difference in the stitching of the boot. The Morelia MIJ has similar crossing stitching like the 11pros which will eventually prevent the leather from streching, even in wet conditions. The MIJ only has firm ground (FG) soleplate with 13 round studs which will work well with newer generations of artificial grass as well.
No matter which Morelia you might or might not end up with, comfort is guaranteed. Same thing with leather as always, it works best if kept in top condition. That means a lot care and clean up. I recommend avoiding too wet conditions, because soaking the boot isn't going to do good with leather and all.
Here's to show a comparison between European size 42 (US 9) cleats. First one on the right is Adidas Adipure IV SL. Next to it is Mizuno Supersonic Wave 2, then Mizuno Morelia MiJ and the last one is a second generation Adidas Adizero F50 leather version. We can obviously see in this photo that the both Adidas cleats have a narrower heel, whereas Mizunos both are a more round at the heel. You can see the Adidas has a slimmer fit due to the sprint frame soleplate.
Here's to show a comparison between European size 42 (US 9) cleats. First one on the right is Adidas Adipure IV SL. Next to it is Mizuno Supersonic Wave 2, then Mizuno Morelia MiJ and the last one is a second generation Adidas Adizero F50 leather version. We can obviously see in this photo that the both Adidas cleats have a narrower heel, whereas Mizunos both are a more round at the heel. You can see the Adidas has a slimmer fit due to the sprint frame soleplate.
Overall score 8,5/10
Mizuno Morelia II FG Japan Edition (not a sponsor site):
