Asics was founded in 1949 by Kihachiro Onitsuka, who believed sport could bring hope to children in post-war Japan. The brand's name is an acronym for the Latin phrase "Anima Sana In Corpore Sano" — "a sound mind in a sound body" — a philosophy that still drives everything Asics makes today.

Best known for its proprietary GEL and FF BLAST cushioning technologies, Asics designs running shoes and apparel around real biomechanics research, and continues to champion its "Sound Mind, Sound Body" mission through partnerships that promote movement as a path to mental as well as physical wellbeing.