Kanna Hashimoto Steals the Show in a Kingdom Costume—Even a Face-Covering Wardrobe Mishap Is Adorable

“I’m frustated”

The person responding to the thunderous cheers, her large eyes opened wider than usual, was Kanna Hashimoto (27).

On August 12, the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers faced off at Tokyo Dome in a crucial battle between the top teams in the standings. The game was a special “Kingdom Night,” a collaboration with the film “Kingdom: The Soul’s Decisive Battle,” and Hashimoto, who appears in the movie, took the mound for the ceremonial first pitch.

“The fifth installment in the series, ‘The Soul’s Decisive Battle,’ surpassed 3.35 million admissions just 26 days after its July 17 release. Box-office revenue exceeded ¥5.16 billion as of August 12, achieving the unprecedented feat of five consecutive live-action Japanese films in the series each surpassing ¥5 billion in box-office revenue.

Kento Yamazaki (31) plays Shin, a Qin warrior who aspires to become the greatest general under the heavens, while Hashimoto plays Karyoten, the strategist of the Hi Shin Unit led by Shin. Just before the first pitch, Hashimoto practiced her throwing under the guidance of Eito Tanaka (27), a pitcher for the Giants.” (Sports newspaper reporter)

As soon as Hashimoto appeared in front of the first-base dugout, Tokyo Dome erupted in cheers. Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the crowd, Hashimoto widened her eyes and flashed an embarrassed smile. Voices from the stands called out, “So cute!” and “She’s incredible!”

The stadium screen showed Ryo Yoshizawa (32), who plays Ei Sei, the king of Qin seeking to unify China, and Yamazaki. After receiving messages of encouragement from the two actors, Hashimoto donned a uniform emblazoned with the name “KINGDUM” and the number “5,” then took the mound wearing the straw cape that is Karyoten’s trademark.

Just as she began her windup, the fluffy straw material suddenly covered her entire face. Undeterred by the mishap, Hashimoto went ahead and threw.

Her all-out pitch bounced once before landing in the catcher’s mitt, prompting another huge roar from the crowd.

When asked how she felt about the first pitch, Hashimoto said:

“I really wanted to throw it without a bounce, so I’m frustrated that it fell just short.” (via Oricon News)

Even so, she gave herself a perfect score:

“But today’s first pitch was done wearing the straw cape, which is part of the ‘Kingdom’ costume, so as a result, I’d give myself 100 points.” (via Oricon News)

Even when faced with an unexpected mishap, Hashimoto finished the pitch with a smile. To the photographer, it was a glimpse of the actress’s true professionalism.