The new J League aesthetic through the Gamba Osaka logo change

Bright, fluorescent colours, animal designs and unlikely camouflage, the J League has always been used to surprising with its templates. The aesthetics of the league born from the ashes of the Japan Soccer League have always been linked to the 90s, trying to emulate through design and colours what was a golden age for football and the shirts that were produced. As well as the jerseys, the logos are deeply linked to the past, full of details and symbols of Asian culture. They are a far cry from most European club logos, which have opted for a subtractive approach, choosing simpler, more defined and flatter shapes.

The first club in the East to take this path, in line with what is happening in Europe, is Gamba Osaka, which has abandoned crowns, stylised animals and ribbons in favour of a stylised "G" in Juventus style. A design created to make itself known beyond national borders, but which also aims to be a model for the nation and the entire championship, which is still caught up in complex designs. A simple logo, where the initial of the team is placed in the first position, becoming even more important than the team itself.

The J League is still a young league compared to the others but with margins for growth. In recent years, thanks to the expansion of the league, it has managed to train interesting players like Kubo, considered one of the most interesting prospects in the country. Then there is still a legend who is practically a highlander: Kazuyoshi Miura - known to everyone as King Kazu - who at 54 years of age still continues to play and amaze. Not only excellent prospects, but also some great players who have played in the Rising Sun have passed through the J League: from Zico to Iniesta, from Leonardo to a very young Nakata, from Dunga to Hulk, from Lineker to Stojković, passing through great managers such as Arsene Wenger and Felipe Scolari. 

The league of the Rising Sun aims to renew itself, starting from the crazy jersey designs but also through its teams and their logos, which have now become a fundamental asset for every club, as witnessed by the many rebrandings, not only of the teams but also of the national teams.