Totally WWII - Imperial Japan Hockey Jersey Concept

Team Imperial Japan is my first entry into the Totally WWII War-Time Hockey Jersey Concepts project.

An important thing to understand here is that this concept theme is not based on any kind of exhaustive research into the hockey history of each country during the war. There were no fabric samples or forensics involved in getting these designs to be historically accurate. Quite simply, this is an American perspective on how I think hockey jerseys should have looked if we fought the war on ice rather than with bombs and bullets. (And no, I'm not a tree-hugging hippie!)

In doing the quick research, the coolest design and inspiration came from the Japanese Zero fighter plane. There is just something about WWII fighters and bombers that are just bad-ass.

Click image for larger view.

At first glance, these designs are distinctively American, and may come off as 70's style, but are actually modeled after the 1945 Saint Paul Saints club. Like I said, this is my movie, so I'm willing to suspend reality a little bit.

The main inspiration for these jerseys was the Japanese Zero fighter plane - as well as other Japanese fighters that people confused with the Zero.

From wikipedia: When it was introduced early in World War II, the Zero was the best carrier-based fighter in the world, combining excellent maneuverability and very long range ... The A6M is universally known as the Zero from its Japanese Navy designation, Type 0 Carrier Fighter, taken from the last digit of the Imperial year 2600 (1940), when it entered service. In Japan it was unofficially referred to as both Rei-sen and Zero-sen; Japanese pilots most commonly called their plane Zero-sen.

So, for me, the strongest image of Japan is that of a dog-fighting Zero.

Another strong Japanese symbol during this period was the rising sun flag. I thought about incorporating that into the front of the jersey, but it just really screamed 1990's third jersey; something that Mike Keenan would have given me SERIOUS shit for!

Oh, and speaking of third jerseys — I thought it would be fun to create a third jersey for Team Imperial Japan based off of a photo I found after I illustrated the original concept jerseys (of course).

How cool is this guy!? Take a look at those spectacles and sweet wang-saver. The little flag on his chest is adorable, but I think if you're going into battle in some WWII rink, you'll probably need the intimidation factor kicked up a notch...Zero style.

As for the third jersey, I think it has a much less obvious "American" design feel to it. And I probably should have illustrated the wang-saver for good measure.

So there it is. My first entry into the Totally WWII hockey jersey concepts. As with the Totally 80's concept, I'm sure this will evolve organically as I get more input from other designers and historians. The deeper I get into this project, armed with more info, I may create jerseys that truly represent those from that era.

I'm not sure which country I'll be unveiling next. It may be Team USA, since I'm finished with the logo and home jersey. Team Nazi Germany is pretty much finished too, but that will be one of the later countries unveiled. (Never reveal the monster at the beginning of the movie.)

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Here are some concepts by a reader named Hockey Week. He had some very good feedback in the comments section of the original Totally WWII post.

Click image for larger view.

Comments

[Veritas1325]

Looks great! I would've loved to have seen a third jersey using the rising sun flag, but I fear that you're right, it would've screamed tacky 90's and Mike Keenan having a coronary about it. Great work...can't wait to see more!

[Dave]

Awesome job! And I don't think you give yourself enough credit, these seemed to require ALOT of research (I would have never though to base it on the paint job of their planes) AND I don't find the designs to be overly American. The way the yokes and stripes are different colors, and not many trims on anything, I think make these your standard international team jersey (not to mention a logo that would make no sense outside of a national team setting).

As for incorporating the rising sun flag into the jersey, the only way I could think you would do that is on the third jersey (or even the primaries) to tilt the stripes in towards the cirlce, so that it looks like when the arms are down the stripes on the sleeves are the rays.

[Veritas1325]

I think the third jersey is my favorite, mainly because it doesn't remind me of the New Jersey Devils, who as a Flyers fan, I hate with every fiber of my being.

[johnny griswold]

Yeah, I quickly nixed the idea of a green primary that matched the color of some of the Zeros I've seen because of the resemblance of the New Jersey Devils (who I hate almost as much as the Penguins).

[Hockey Week]

the only way I could think of to incorporate the rising sun flag was the use of the sleeve stripes. With a player holding a hockey stick, arms bent and slightly in front of his body, you would see the rising sun effect very well on the white. Trying to maintain the effect on the red wasn't as effective, but you definitely get the flag look...and more effectively than the current team Japan jerseys.

Nice concepts, Puckdrawn, the Zero effect is definitely there, and it's done in a simple, classy style, definitely a "modern" look for 1941, which sounds funny considering how old-school this looks today.

[Boomer]

You should go back even further. Post a picture of that Kitchener Rangers alternate from a couple years ago. The one with the WWI soldier. Sweetest jersey ever.
Or better yet, here's the link!
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7ip_2KrNM80/SC4U14mOtvI/AAAAAAAACFk/cNCgXtwgby4/s1600-h/comm_jersey_.jpg

[KS]

I think you could've down more with the alternate jersey. You should've done a throwback to the jersey that goalie's wearing. Would've been wicked.