Bungeishunju's comprehensive sports magazine 'Sports Graphic Number' Issue 1140, 'MLB Opening & WBC Special: Shohei Ohtani Made the World Take It Seriously,' goes on sale Thursday, March 26!

Bungeishunju Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Shigeyuki Iikubo) will release the 1140th issue of the comprehensive sports magazine 'Sports Graphic Number,' titled 'MLB Opening & WBC Special: Shohei Ohtani Made the World Take It Seriously,' on March 26.

Comment from Kohei Tamura, Desk Editor for Number 1140

Shohei Ohtani once said this in an interview with Number:

'I feel that I have adapted to my current environment. As the way of thinking about batting and pitching changes with the times, I feel that I am able to do what I want to do while firmly adapting to those changes.' (Issue 1116)

The 6th WBC, where Samurai Japan's dream of consecutive titles was cut short in the quarterfinals, became a tournament where we truly felt the 'changes' in Major League Baseball. Compared to the previous tournament three years ago, many things have changed, including the speed of play, the strike zone, rules, equipment, and the use of data. While possessing Ohtani, who stands at the pinnacle of the current 'environment,' the Japanese national team—the majority of whom play in NPB—was in a difficult situation with the greatest disparity in adaptation within the team in the world, I suspect.

This is clearly documented in the 'Head Coach Makoto Kaneko's Diary' published in this issue. It serves as a valuable record of Samurai Japan's struggles from the Miyazaki training camp in February to the Venezuela game on March 14, as chronicled by Coach Kaneko.

Additionally, pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who agreed to an interview after the tournament, said, 'Major League Baseball is evolving about five times faster than the Japanese baseball world.' He mentioned that he sees players from Central and South America working more thoroughly than Japanese players on diet, sleep, and basic training every day. A glimpse of this was also seen in the precise baseball played by the champion, Venezuela.

With the exciting WBC over, the 2026 MLB season begins. Through the reporting in this issue, we can see that Ohtani is indeed raising the level of Major League Baseball, as rivals who were denied an MVP by him are fueled by a competitive spirit, and the Blue Jays, who are competing with the Dodgers for the world title, are pioneering their own unique path to strengthening the team. This is a special feature that will help you understand the current standing of Ohtani and Japan in the baseball world.

[Sports Graphic Number] Issue 1140 MLB Opening & WBC Special: Shohei Ohtani Made the World Take It Seriously.

[CONTENTS] SPECIAL FEATURES [WBC Final Report] Text by Ayako Oikawa Venezuela's Strategy to Shut Down America

[WBC Document] Text by Yuta Ishida Shohei Ohtani: 'Even in Defeat'

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

[Toward the Final Year of the Contract] Text by Koji Sasada Seiya Suzuki: 'What I Do Won't Change'

[Toward the First World Title in 33 Years] Text by Brad Lefton Toronto Blue Jays: 'Just Like Japanese Baseball'

[Revealed by a Rival] Text by Ayako Oikawa Shohei Ohtani Pushed the 'Limits' of the Majors

[The Manager's Heart] Text by Yasushi Washida Hirokazu Ibata: 'The Mission I Imposed on Myself'

[Head Coach Makoto Kaneko's Diary] Text by Takashi Akasaka Tested by the Baseball Gods

[WBC Samurai Japan All-Game Detailed Report] Commentary by Takashi Toritani, Text by Yasushi Washida / Yuta Ishida / Yosuke Sai [Quarterfinals] vs. Venezuela 5-8: 'Why Japan's Bait Pitches Didn't Work' [KEY PERSONS] Tomoichiro Sumida: 'Tossed About by Trends' / Shota Morishita: 'Genius Concentration' [1st Round ①] vs. Chinese Taipei 13-0: 'The Two Who Set the Stage for Ohtani's Grand Slam' [KEY PERSONS] Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 'Calculated Curveball' / Shugo Maki: 'The Mood Maker's Spark' [1st Round ②] vs. South Korea 8-6: 'Situational Hitting That Shone in a Slugfest' [KEY PERSONS] Yusei Kikuchi: 'Thoughts Put Into a Hug' / Seiya Suzuki: 'Two Consecutive Home Runs of Calm and Passion' [1st Round ③] vs. Australia 4-3: 'Mistakes and Issues Appearing Early' [KEY PERSONS] Tomoyuki Sugano: 'Splitter for Fighting' / Masataka Yoshida: 'The Cleanup Hitter Functioning as a Cleanup Hitter' [1st Round ④] vs. Czech Republic 9-0: 'Okamoto's Third-Base Defense That Keeps Helping the Pitchers' [KEY PERSONS] Hiroto Takahashi: 'First Start in 3 Years' / Ukyo Shuto: 'The Evolved Specialist' [Record of the Fierce Battle] 1st Round Review

[The True Value of 30] Text by Yuko Tanaka Yuki Ishikawa: 'Carrying Two Personalities'

[The Heart of the Second Year in Italy] Text by Noriko Yonemushi Nanami Seki: 'The Scenery I Saw Because I Came Here'

REGULARS [Thorough Commentary] Text by Jun Ikushima Nishonoseki Stablemaster: 'Sumo, This Technique, This Wrestler' No. 38 - Yoshinofuji

[Bi-issue Serialization] Kasumi Ishikawa's 'I Want to Meet You' (12) Kotaro Kiyomiya: 'It Would Be Great to Hit 30 Home Runs This Season'

BEYOND THE GAME Yasushi Washida: 'The Issue with the WBC is Fairness'

SCORE CARD INTERVIEW [SOCCER] Text by Toshiro Ninomiya Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima): The Penalty Kick Strategy of a Japan National Team Goalkeeper Candidate, Spun with Dignity and Composure

[FIGURE SKATING] Text by Mie Noguchi Amber Glenn: 'There is No Age Limit to Dreams' - Reaching the Big Stage at 26

[HORSE RACING] Text by Ryozo Katayama Yoshihiro Furukawa: The Survivor of the 'Flowering 12th Class.' Has His Prime Arrived After Over 600 Career Wins!?

[PRO WRESTLING] Text by Gantz Horie Hiroto Tsuruya: Martial Arts is the 'Compulsory Education' of the Tsuruya Family. What is the 19-Year-Old's Conviction?

From Overseas Fields MLB: Text by Mamoru Shikama FOOTBALL: Text by Susumu Toyofuku TENNIS: Text by Hidehiro Akiyama

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Media Information Magazine Name: 'Sports Graphic Number' Issue 1140 Release Date: March 26, 2026 (Thursday) *Capital region standard Special Price: 860 yen (tax included) Related URL: https://number.bunshun.jp/