Mizuno Morelia Neo IV β Japan Unboxing: Black, Gold and the Details That Matter

UNBOXING & DESIGN INSPECTION · My 26.5 cm pair · Purchased November 2023

The gold RunBird catches the eye first. The more interesting detail is what happens around it: stitched leather at the front, a visibly different texture through the midfoot, and a low knit opening. The black-and-gold Morelia Neo IV β Japan looks restrained from a distance, but it becomes a more technical-looking boot as you move closer.

I bought this pair from Japan through Buyee in November 2023 and took these photographs immediately after the purchase. Here, I’m revisiting the unboxing: the packaging, the black-and-gold design and the construction details that distinguish this version. My field impressions will follow in a separate review.

The exact model—and why the full name matters

My pair’s product code is P1GA234050. It matches Mizuno Japan’s black-and-gold Morelia Neo IV β JAPAN listing; the European name is MORELIA NEO IV BETA JAPAN. “Neo IV,” “β/Beta” and “Japan” are all part of the identity. Dropping one can send a buyer to a different version.

Detail	This pair
Model	Mizuno Morelia Neo IV β Japan
Product code	P1GA234050
Color	Black/gold; listed in Europe as Black/Gold/Black
My size	265 mm / 26.5 cm
Outsole listing	Firm Ground (FG)
Purchase	November 2023, imported from Japan through Buyee
Product price	¥30,800 / US$213.76
Shipping	¥5,188 / US$35.91
Product + shipping subtotal	¥35,988 / US$249.67

I paid ¥30,800 (US$213.76) for the boots and ¥5,188 (US$35.91) for shipping in November 2023: ¥35,988 (US$249.67) combined. These are my purchase figures from that time. The subtotal covers the product and shipping; it does not itemize separate proxy fees or import charges.

Buying from Japan: compare the full dollar cost

My buying tip for Mizuno boots is to compare Japanese offers with U.S. prices before ordering. A Japanese listing can work out cheaper, and a stronger dollar against the yen can widen that difference: for an unchanged yen price, more yen per dollar means fewer dollars needed. Check the payment service’s actual conversion and final charges, not just a currency-search result. Buyee’s current fee guidance distinguishes product, service and shipping charges and explains its currency conversion; use the terms for the service you actually choose.

How $100–$150 savings could happen: if the same model, tier, outsole and size costs a hypothetical $350–$400 in the U.S., and the complete Japanese import costs $250, the difference is $100–$150. These are comparison examples, not verified current offers or a claim about this pair’s actual savings. My product-and-shipping subtotal was $249.67 in November 2023; an actual savings calculation would also need any additional charges and a comparable U.S. price from that purchase date.

Before choosing, compare the delivered totals: product price converted at the charged rate, shipping within Japan if applicable, proxy and payment fees, international delivery, and any applicable import charges or tax. Put that beside the U.S. checkout total, including delivery and tax. Confirm the complete product code and size, then compare return and exchange terms. The useful advantage is a lower final cost for the pair you want; an attractive yen sticker price is only the starting point.

Inside the box: a coherent black-and-gold presentation

The lid keeps the presentation simple: black cardboard, gold MADE IN JAPAN lettering and the RunBird below. Inside my box were white tissue, the boots with their retail tags attached, and a black Mizuno shoe bag.

The bag repeats the gold typography on a textured black surface. It is a small visual continuation of the boot rather than a completely separate accessory. For an unboxing, that consistency is more interesting than treating the bag as evidence of extra performance or value.

One detail is easy to misread: Mizuno’s Japanese listing identifies the boots as Japanese-made and the included shoe bag as made in China. The large slogan on the bag should therefore be read as branding for the boot range, not as the bag’s manufacturing origin.

The design works because the gold has a job

The side mark is the main interruption in an otherwise dark silhouette. Its long, low shape pulls the eye from the heel toward the forefoot. The smaller gold details around the back and the silver-colored NEO lettering add another layer without turning the whole upper into a graphic.

To my eye, the gold works best as an outline. It makes the boundary between panels easier to follow, while the black lets the texture changes do much of the visual work. That is a different appeal from a boot whose identity depends on a large printed pattern.

Read the upper in zones, not as one piece of leather

Mizuno’s Neo IV launch explanation specifies washable kangaroo leather at the Beta’s forefoot. The European product description separately discusses its midfoot mesh and updated knit around the opening. That combination matters: calling the whole boot “a leather upper” misses the different construction behind the laces and around the collar.

Curved stitching gives the front of the boot a panelled appearance. Behind it, the surface becomes more regularly textured. The laces and their eyelets sit across that transition. It is a useful way to read the design: first follow the forefoot stitching, then the change beneath the side mark, then the knit at the opening.

The pictures establish those visible boundaries. How they feel against the foot or during a pass belongs in the separate wear review. Even a good-looking seam is not, by itself, evidence of long-term durability.

A low collar, with a distinct rear-quarter profile

The top view is particularly helpful because a side photograph can hide the shape of the opening. Here, the knit rim sits low and follows the heel rather than extending into a tall cuff. The rear-quarter view then shows the contrast between that textile edge and the more structured-looking lower heel.

The reflective-looking section around the lower heel gives this otherwise quiet colorway a sharper finish. It is easy to overlook in a straight side view, which is why I included this rear-quarter photograph. I’ll cover heel hold, rubbing and stability in the field review.

What the specifications add—and what they do not

For P1GA234050, Mizuno lists a mixed-material upper, a normal 2E-equivalent width and approximately 200 g for one 27.0 cm boot. That weight is a manufacturer reference size, not a measurement of my 26.5 cm pair. The width category also does not establish how comfortably it will fit an individual foot.

The European specification labels the outsole Firm Ground, while its description also lists other permitted surfaces. That is a reminder to read the exact manufacturer guidance alongside the venue’s rules. This unboxing makes no traction claim from the studs visible in the photographs. Our surface guide explains how to make that check.

Into Soccer’s unboxing verdict

The strongest part of this presentation is the connection between old and new. The stitched front gives the eye a familiar starting point; the midfoot texture, low knit opening and sharply finished heel keep it from reading as an entirely traditional leather boot. The gold highlights that structure without covering it.

For a buyer comparing versions, the useful takeaway is the complete identity: Neo IV, Beta, Japan, P1GA234050. For someone interested in design, it is the progression from stitched forefoot to textured midfoot to knit opening. Neither requires pretending that an unboxing has already answered the fit question.

I’ll cover my playing impressions separately, alongside photographs from the field. Before ordering a pair of your own, use our cleat-fit guide to plan a real length, width and heel-hold check.

Sources & scope

Prepared November 2, 2026. The purchase details and photographs are from my own pair, bought and photographed in November 2023. Reference specifications were checked against Mizuno Japan’s P1GA234050 listing, Mizuno Europe’s matching model and Mizuno’s Neo IV launch explanation. This article covers the package, visible design and manufacturer specifications; the hands-on playing account is a separate review.