IntoBadmintonFindings drawn from manufacturer specs, community sources (BadmintonCN, Reddit r/badminton, BadmintonCentral, video reviewers), and on-court testing. See our editorial process for the full citation model.
What actually changed
Yonex's Antonsen / Anselm edition of the Astrox 100ZZ is sometimes pitched as a colorway, but the technical sheet shows otherwise. The frame swaps Black Micro Core (used in the Kurenai red and Navy blue editions) for Volume Cut Resin — a resin-system change that lowers frame mass and slightly softens the shaft response. Frame footprint, line-hole pattern, shaft diameter, and shaft length are otherwise identical. Yonex's hand on the dial here is subtle but real, and the on-court reading from BadmintonCN reviewers backs that up.
The numbers
Reviewers' measured 4U samples: Antonsen 88.7g with underbase removed at balance 309mm; Kurenai 89.7g with underbase removed at balance 309mm. Both with 26-28 lb AB string. Unstrung weight ranges 84.6-85.7g across both editions — under-84g samples are rare. Yuan-style shaft hardness (lower = stiffer): Antonsen 8.23, Kurenai 8.09 — meaning the Antonsen is softer by about 0.14 on the scale. That's a small absolute number but a noticeable real-world tier difference. Combined with the slightly lower swing weight, the Antonsen is meaningfully easier to drive.
What this means in singles
Founder firsthand (Rui Su, Division 4 Ireland): I have played the regular 100ZZ Kurenai and found it fast but very demanding — repulsive on contact and tiring across long matches. The Antonsen specs read like the version I would actually play. Lighter swing, slightly more flex, same head-heavy + extra-stiff DNA. For singles where you need consistent rear-court attack across a 21-21 game, the Antonsen edition should reduce fatigue without giving up the marquee 100ZZ feel. The Kurenai remains the right pick if you have time to condition for the stiffer shaft and want maximum power transmission on every swing.
What this means in doubles
BadmintonCN reviewers note that even the Antonsen, with its lighter swing and easier shaft loading, is still a marginal pick for fast men's doubles. The 100ZZ family was built for singles back court and won't beat the Nanoflare 1000Z, Nanoflare 800 Pro, or Auraspeed 100X SE on swing speed and front-court reactivity. If you want a 100ZZ-style frame for doubles, the Antonsen is a more honest fit than the Kurenai because it shaves the swing weight that worked against you in fast exchanges. But your main racket should still be a speed-leaning frame.
Compared to the 100ZZ VA
The Viktor Axelsen edition (100ZZ VA) is a separate variant again — keeps the head-heavy / extra-stiff DNA but with a different shaft tuning that makes it more forgiving than the Kurenai. The current variant ranking from easiest to most demanding is: 100ZZ VA → 100ZZ Antonsen → 100ZZ Kurenai. If you found the regular 100ZZ punishing, the VA is the most accessible. The Antonsen sits between the VA and Kurenai. The Kurenai stays as the no-compromise version.
Buying guidance
Buy the Antonsen if: you like the 100ZZ profile but find the Kurenai tiring across full matches, you compete in singles or back-court doubles, and you want the lightest-swinging 100ZZ available. Buy the Kurenai if: you have the technique and conditioning to load a very stiff shaft, you prize maximum power transmission and pointing accuracy, and you have already played and outgrown the VA edition. Skip the entire 100ZZ family if: you play fast doubles primarily — start with the Astrox 88D Pro 2024 (head-heavy with lower swing weight) or a speed racket like the Nanoflare 1000Z.
Run the finder with singles or back-court attack and we'll score the 100ZZ variants against your level and budget.
Start the finder