Steve Aoki Brings His HiROQUEST Universe to JOOLA’s Latest Limited-Edition Drop

Steve Aoki has played some of the biggest stages in the world. His latest canvas is considerably smaller—and designed to hit a ball.

The Grammy-nominated DJ, producer and longtime racket sports enthusiast has teamed with JOOLA for a limited-edition collection that puts characters and artwork from his HiROQUEST universe onto high-end pickleball paddles and table tennis rackets.

Released October 6, the JOOLA x Aoki HiROQUEST Collection sits somewhere between performance equipment and collectible art. For Aoki, that crossover makes sense. Pickleball and table tennis aren't celebrity cameos in his world; he has been an avid player of both, and his relationship with JOOLA stretches back years.

“JOOLA has been in my corner for years now, on and off the court,” Aoki said. “They've always supported me as a player and as an artist, and that kind of relationship is rare.”

The collection consists of four pieces: two JOOLA x STEVE AOKI Perseus Pro V 16mm pickleball paddles, priced at $349.95 each, and two Infinity Carbon table tennis rackets, priced at $199.95 each.

But this isn't simply JOOLA equipment with Aoki's name stamped across it.

The designs pull directly from HiROQUEST, the creative universe Aoki developed around his music and storytelling. One colorway represents Hiro, the saga's protagonist, while another centers on Hyro, his antagonist. Each purchase also comes with a special JOOLA x HiROQUEST collectible card.

“HiROQUEST has always been about building worlds people can step into,” Aoki said. “JOOLA has been part of my table tennis and pickleball life for years, so bringing Hiro and Hyro onto paddles and rackets feels like the perfect way to merge my love of storytelling, collectibles, and racquet sports.”

HiROQUEST began around Aoki's album HiROQUEST: Genesis and has expanded into graphic novels, manga, trading cards and subsequent albums HiROQUEST 2: Double Helix and HiROQUEST 3: Paragon. Bringing that universe onto the court extends the concept into another part of Aoki's life.

The release also builds on an existing relationship between Aoki and JOOLA that has included work with the Aoki Foundation, his nonprofit organization supporting brain science and regenerative medicine research.

“This collection grew out of years of friendship with Steve and his love for the games,” JOOLA President and CEO Richard Lee said. “Bringing HiROQUEST onto our table tennis and pickleball equipment felt like a natural next chapter for our partnership.”

It's an unusual collision of racket sports, music, art and collectibles—but that's precisely the point.

For a sport like pickleball that has increasingly crossed into fashion, entertainment and celebrity culture, Aoki isn't merely lending his name to the moment. He's bringing his own universe to the court.

The limited-edition JOOLA x Aoki HiROQUEST Collection is available exclusively through JOOLA beginning October 6.

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By Florida Tennis Assistant Editor Alex Binstok. Sources: JOOLA

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