Outstanding but…

Mizuno has had a strong hold on the Japanese soccer world ever since the initial 2011 release of the Morelia Neo series. It is the most popular boot in the Japanese market and absolutely dominates the high school leagues especially. Because of this popularity, Mizuno has always gone with evolution instead of revolution with its most popular boot, with the Morelia Neo receiving quality of life updates. The latest Mizuno Morelia Neo IV Japan has also been given some updates without rocking the boat. The heel has been reshaped, the mouth of the boot has been made to fit around the ankle more closely. The midfoot has been reinforced with an internal cage while the midfoot of the soleplate has been stiffed. Outside of that, the Mizuno Morelia Neo 4 Japan has been kept the same as the previous model. While the boot is excellent, it does make one wonder if they could have done more.

Fit and Feel

The initial impression of the Neo IV Japan from out of the box is very positive. The leather is super soft and the midfoot is nice and pliable as well. The whole boot screams comfort. In the heel there is that wonderful faux suede liner that is always expected of the series. It feels very premium in hand and as one might imagine, the feeling is just as positive when the boot is on feet.

In the Neo IV Japan, the whole foot is wrapped in comfort. While it is narrower than something like the regular Morelia II, the deep lacing system ensures that there is plenty of adjustability for multiple foot types. The heel does an excellent job of locking the back of the foot into place and is an improvement over the previous generation of the Morelia Neo. Other improvements like the reinforced midfoot are less noticeable but they are nice to have all the same.

One of the things that has definitely improved in the past two models of the Morelia Neo series is the amount of lockdown on offer. The zig zag layout of the lacing system (called the Wave Lacing System) is something that more boots should adopt. This pattern allows the laces to better get the foot locked in place during play. Also, the laces do seem to have been improved slightly compared to the previous generation though they are still not as good as the ZeroGlide laces that Mizuno sells separately.

Something else that is appreciated in the Mizuno Morelia Neo IV Japan is the nice insole that is included. It is thicker than other insoles on the market and provides a good amount of comfort without being overly squishy. It is also lined with this somewhat rough top layer that does a good job of gripping the socks. It will not be as grippy as say, the insoles found in the Mizuno Alpha, but it still better than most insoles that are found in the market.

Of course, the star of the show is the premium kangaroo leather forefoot. It is very soft from out of the box and only took half an hour to feel almost completely broken in. It is one of the softest leathers on the market and has a nice balance between being plush without being overly thick. The fit of the forefoot is fantastic and again is designed to fit a majority of foot types. It is always nice when putting on a Mizuno leather boot and the Morelia Neo 4 Japan is no exception to this.

In terms of the fit, like the previous generation they run long enough to go down half a size. This is because they are still using the Engineered Fit Last found on the previous generation, which also ran long. They are snug but not overly so, and soon stretched out to the shape of my foot. So, if you want to buy a pair, go half a size down.

Touch

As one might expect in a boot with some premium leather, the touch on the ball is excellent. It is one of the most barefoot feeling leather boots on the market and is one of those boots that you get out what you put in. There are many boots out that have tried different things to provide a great touch on the ball but a majority of them always seem to fall flat when compared to something like the Morelia Neo IV Japan. While it only just classifies as a speed boot because Mizuno calls it one, this should not take away from the fact that if it is counted as a speed boot then it has one of the best touches on the ball in the market.

The midfoot is interesting in that the Runbird logo has raised ridged to help slightly with the touch on the ball. There is an ever so slight grippiness to touch that is really not noticeable when playing. This is not a bad thing as it still allows the player to have a mostly natural touch on the ball, especially since the BF synthetic leather in the midfoot is so soft and pliable.

Of course, any boot with a natural leather is always a positive when comes to dribbling as there is a more natural touch on the ball. The fact that the kangaroo leather used on the Noe 4 Japan is so supple and relatively thin means that there is a second skin type feel when running with the ball as speed. There are no extra gimmicks but rather than this being a drawback, it is a positive in these boots.

Passing and Shooting

Much like with the touch on the ball, the kangaroo leather allows for such a close feel on the ball that passes feel crisper and more precise. Having such an excellent fit in the midfoot and forefoot also means that there are no weird bugles to worry about when hitting the ball. Pretty much any pass that one could dream of feels easier to pull off because the fit is so good. There is an argument that could made here that perhaps the Morelia Neo 4 Japan could benefit from a grippier surface on the upper, but it can be argued that that would ruin the leather and what the boot is going for.

Since the fit is top notch in the boots, shooting is a fantastic experience as well. This is probably because of the fit that curled shots and crosses feel easier to pull off in the Neo IV Japan, with the toebox fitting so well and not being overly bulky or bulbous. This seems to be a problem with other boots as they look to adjust to the fit with a synthetic upper, but the Mizuno Morelia Neo IV Japan shows why leather is still king.

But while this is all well and good, it is also a similar experience as the previous Neo 3 Japan, with not a lot to differentiate the two boots in this area, small upgrades are well and good, but increase the price between the two does not seem to be justified.

Grip

The price raise is even more mind boggling when looking at the soleplate. Yes, Mizuno has made the midfoot more stable and supportive. But aside from this and the aesthetic change on the soleplate, Mizuno has been using the same soleplate for years now. The studs, while very good on multiple surfaces, last changed with the introduction of the Neo 3 and for some people (myself included) the fore forefoot could use some stiffening up. One idea would be to add in a KaRVO plate, like what was previously done on the Neo II Beta.

They could also extend the “ribs” of the soleplate to the front studs to make the boot have more springback. It would also be nice if the stud shapes were maybe more elongated or had notches in them like the DS Light X Fly series so that they can provide more grip and be slightly more aggressive. In fact, the DS Light X Fly 5 is a great example of how to update a soleplate while staying true to the original concept of the boot.

The Main Issue

The more one wears the Mizuno Morelia Neo IV Japan, the more similar it seems to the Neo III. The soleplate is similar, the fit is similar, and it provides almost the same feeling when playing with the ball. It feels as if the boot could have used more time in development in order to give us a proper upgrade. Now, it is understandable that given how popular the Neo series is, Mizuno are hesitant to change too much, but at the same time, other brands like ASICS are showing that changes can be made while keeping a similar formula.

What is worse is that the price has been raised and for most people there is not a noticeable enough difference between the Neo IV and Neo III to justify paying the extra cash for a new model, especially when the previous series is beginning to become marked down. Sure, this applies more to the overseas market than Japan (where the Neo series always sells out quickly) but if Mizuno want to continue to expand outside their home market, they need to take a look at their pricing structure and not only drop prices somewhat, but to also offer compelling reasons to upgrade to the latest models.

Conclusion

None of this is meant to take away from the fact that the Mziuno Morelia Neo IV Japan is an outstanding boot. In isolation, it is definitely one of the best boots on the market. However, nothing exists in isolation and with the also excellent Morelia Neo III Japan also still being available in a lot of places, there is just not enough reason to justify spending the extra money for the newest model. The Neo 4 Japan is an amazing boot, but so is the Neo III Japan. There is no wrong answer, and I would argue that it is better to save your cash and get the previous generation.

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