Ic Berlin models inspired by Sumarai Warriors will be Big in Japam

c! berlin has always had a strong connection with japan. the ic! berlin hinge system, which is like a kind of steel origami, has always appealed to the asian taste for elegant, forward-thinking solutions. the problem that ic! berlin encountered very early on is designing glasses to fit asian faces.

ic! glasses are all about comfort and fit, and although each frame can be adjusted to fit the wearer’s face perfectly, making a frame suit an asian face is better approached from the ground up. helping us out this season is ryota nakahira, who has produced four unisex prescription frames, carefully designed for asian faces.

there is an obvious connection between ic! berlin’s modern production of paper-thin, spring-steel frames, and the ancient steel sword production techniques of feudal japan. in honor of this, and the enduring samurai spirit of the japanese people, ryota has named these four frames for samurai warriors.

each of these models has the family crest of the samurai finely engraved on the inside of the frame’s temple, with the exception of ‘izou’, who was a criminal and has no family crest.

isami k.

kondo isami was a swordsman who was also renowned as a scholar, with a fondness for books and knowlege. he was captian of the shinsengumi, a police force responsible for protecting the imperial capitol of kyoto, and later a warrior.

ryoma s.

sakamoto ryoma came from a family of sake brewers. he was bullied at school, and after enrolling in fencing classes emerged as a master swordsman and samurai. he fought for the modernization of japan, and was noted for wearing western footwear with traditional samurai dress.

souji o.

okita soji is famous for his noble character, as well as for his skill. he is the creator of the ‘three-piece-thrust’, whereby he could apparently strike an opponent in three places at once. he was a captian of the shinsengumi, and his only flaw seems to have been a weakness for sweets.

izou o.

okada izou was the son of a peasant, but a natural-born swordmaster who created his own style. he is remembered as one of the most famous assassins of his time, and fought against westernization and foreign influence. this was eventually his undoing, as he was trailed and beheaded. as a criminal, izou is remembered with no family crest.

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