Sadaharu Oh’s “overwhelming aura” that earned him respect in Japan and the U.S. during the MLB Opening Series.

Stars from all walks of life flocked to Tokyo Dome to witness the biggest “SHO-TIME” in history.

The “MLB Tokyo Series 2025” held on March 18-19 came to a close with a whirlwind of excitement.

The triumphant return of five Japanese major leaguers, Shohei Otani (30), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (26), and Akinori Sasaki (23) from the Dodgers, and Seiya Suzuki (30) and Shota Konaga (31) from the Cubs, was extremely unusual. Moreover, all five are key players on the team. More than 40,000 people, who had fought over 1,000 times for tickets, came to see the games to catch a glimpse of these heroic figures.

(A reporter covering the game there) “The opening game on the 18th was especially exciting. Yamamoto and Imanaga were the starting pitchers for the Dodgers and Cubs, respectively, and Otani and Suzuki made full appearances at first and second DH. Former sumo wrestler Konishiki (61) threw out the first pitch before the game, and musician YOSHIKI (59) performed the national anthem for Ryogoku. Boxing world champion Naoya Inoue (31) played a major role in announcing the play ball, and other spectacular performances thrilled the audience.

The venue was also visited by other celebrities from various fields, including Ken Watanabe (65), known as a great baseball fan; actors such as Fuku Suzuki (20) and Ryoko Yonekura (49); comedians such as Takaaki Ishibashi (63), Ogiyahagi, and Chihara Junior (50); and athletes such as Kosuke Kitajima (42), a swimmer. NPB players such as Yusuke Oyama (30) and Takumu Nakano (28) of the Hanshin baseball team also stood out.

The Tokyo Dome was packed with stars not only on the field but also in the stands. Among them, the most eye-catching were the legends of the baseball world. It was Sadaharu Oh, 84, chairman of SoftBank.

After meeting Otani before the game and giving him words of encouragement, Oh went to the field to observe practice. Manager Dave Roberts (52) welcomed Oh and exchanged words with him. Perhaps out of concern for the aging Chairman Oh, it was also impressive to see Roberts supporting him stiffly. Chairman Oh must be a very special person to Roberts, who also has roots in Japan. He showed great respect by bowing and giving a big “ah-ha” (a sports newspaper reporter who witnessed the two on the baseball field).

Even in the midst of the dream festival where superstars gathered, the presence of the legends was exceptional.