Bungeishunju's Comprehensive Sports Magazine 'Sports Graphic Number' Issue 1140 <MLB Opening & WBC Review: Shohei Ohtani Made the World Serious> Goes on Sale Thursday, March 26!

Bungeishunju Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Nariyuki Iikubo) will release the 1140th issue of its comprehensive sports magazine, "Sports Graphic Number" titled <MLB Opening & WBC Review: Shohei Ohtani Made the World Serious.> on March 26.

Comments from Number 1140 Desk Editor, Kohei Tamura Shohei Ohtani previously said this in a Number interview: "Right now, I have the feeling that I am adapting to my environment. As the approach to batting and pitching changes with the times, I feel that I am adapting well to those changes while doing what I want to do within myself" (Issue 1116).

The 6th WBC, where Samurai Japan's dream of winning consecutive titles was dashed in the quarterfinals, became a tournament where we strongly felt the 'changes' in Major League Baseball. Compared to the previous tournament three years ago, various things have changed, including the speed of play, strike zones, rules, equipment, and the use of data. Samurai Japan, which boasted Ohtani—who stands at the pinnacle of the current 'environment'—but was predominantly made up of players playing in the NPB, might have been in a difficult situation with the world's largest gap in adaptation within the team.

This is also vividly chronicled in "Head Coach Makoto Kaneko's Diary" published in this issue. It serves as a valuable document where Coach Kaneko recorded the struggles of Samurai Japan from the Miyazaki training camp in February to the game against Venezuela on March 14.

Furthermore, pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who granted an interview after the tournament, also stated, "The Major Leagues are evolving at about five times the speed of the Japanese baseball world." He says he sees daily how players, especially from Central and South America, are thoroughly dedicated to their diet, sleep, and basic training even more than Japanese players. We could catch a glimpse of this from the meticulous baseball played by Venezuela, the team that won the WBC.

The globally exciting WBC is over, and the 2026 MLB season will kick off. Through the coverage in this issue, we can also see aspects where Ohtani is raising the level of the Major Leagues, such as his rivals, whose MVP bid was blocked by Ohtani, burning with a competitive spirit, and the Blue Jays, competing with the Dodgers for the world championship, pioneering their own path of strengthening. If you read this, you will understand Ohtani's and Japan's current position in the baseball world. It is that kind of feature.

--- Sports Graphic Number Issue 1140 MLB Opening & WBC Review: Shohei Ohtani Made the World Serious. --- [CONTENTS] SPECIAL FEATURES [WBC Finals Report] Text by Ayako Oikawa Venezuela's Stratagem that Sealed the US

[WBC Document] Text by Yuta Ishida Shohei Ohtani "Even After Defeat"

[Special Interview] Text by Keizo Konishi Yusei Kikuchi "To Catch Up to the Majors"

[Heading into the Final Year of His Contract] Text by Koji Sasada Seiya Suzuki "What Needs to be Done Won't Change"

[Towards Being the World's Best in 33 Years...