Founded in Osaka in 1906, Mizuno built its reputation the old-fashioned way: meticulous Japanese craftsmanship, obsessive attention to detail, and a midsole technology so distinctive that runners who love the brand’s wave plate are essentially a subculture unto themselves.

For decades, the brand’s lineup was as reliable as it was predictable. You knew what you were getting with a Wave Rider. It’s a solid, comfy daily trainer for long runs. You knew what you were getting with an Inspire—a lightweight runner that helps you find your get-up-and-go. The problem was that the brand suffered in its own niche-ness, with brand loyalists loving it, but it had a hard time outside of that group.

What’s been happening at Mizuno over the last few years is nothing short of a renaissance.…