The vast majority of jiu jitsu gis in the market today are relatively plain... aside from the logo, maybe some designed patches and nice embroidered details, there's usually not much more to it.

However, nearly every major brand offers at least one gi model with a fully designed interior. The Maeda Brand Akashio Jiu Jitsu Gi has to be one of the coolest we've ever seen. 

Like most of Maeda Brand's products, the exterior of the Akashio limited edition gi is streamlined and elegant. The adornments are never over-the-top, and the patterns and color ways are always very appealing. 

What makes the Maeda Akashio gi special, however, is the interior of the jacket. 

First of all, the name Akashio comes from the Japanese for "red tide", which alludes to this imagery of an ocean stained red by the blood of one's enemies. Kind of badass, right? Playing on that, the main image is from an ancient Japanese painting of two samurai warriors engaged in mortal combat on a pebble beach, into which the distinctive Maeda emblem logo and stamp logo have been incorporated. Across the yoke and the interior of the lower lapel is a pattern depicting seagulls over a blood red tide (patterns are highly popular in Japanese art, fabrics, and general iconography). 

Taken as a whole, the design appears as a work of art... you might even be tempted to frame it and hang it on your wall.

But it's far from being a delicate piece of wall adornment. The Akashio is constructed to withstand even the most rigorous training. The jacket is a relatively lightweight 480 GSM Pearl Weave Plus (a tighter, stronger weave than regular Pearl Weave), the interior sublimated lining is made from Cool Max fabric (a mesh type fabric that's lighter and wicks moisture better than a rash guard liner), and the pants are made from a mid-weight 10 oz cotton drill pants. 

Whether or not you plan on using it, the Maeda Akashio is an excellent addition to your gi collection. We give it a solid 5 stars out of 5. 

Train on. Oss.