We Caught Up with Actress Hinako Sano, Who Made a Surprise Debut in the Mahjong M League: “I’d Rather Be Called the ‘Mahjong Little Devil’ Than ‘Death Note’”

“When I first slipped on the uniform, it wasn’t like I suddenly realized, ‘I’m an M-League player now…’ It wasn’t like that at all. It was more like, ‘The M-League is about to start, and I’m going to be playing in the matches too.’

Even when I passed the professional mahjong exam in ’24, it took me a while to really feel like a pro. In my first year as a pro, I got completely crushed in the league. It wasn’t until the following year, ’25, when I posted good results and was promoted to the next higher league, that I finally felt like I’d truly become a pro.

Thinking about it that way, maybe when I take first place in an M League match for the first time, that’s when it’ll really sink in that I’m an M Leaguer? I’m hoping that’s how it’ll be.”

Actress and professional mahjong player Hinako Sano (31) wore an expression that was a mix of bewilderment and excitement.

“Chiaki-san calls me ‘Sensei.’”

On September 14, the “2026-27 Season” of the M-League, Japan’s professional mahjong league, kicked off. Sano is competing as a member of the “SEGA SAMMY Phoenix.” With her exceptional name recognition, she’s drawing a lot of attention.

In the key visual for the 2026–27 season released by the M-League Organization, Sano appears as the team’s representative. Although she is a rookie, she is practically the “face of the team.” Sano had this to say about her appearance:

“Although the key visual typically features one player from each team, I take it as a sign that they used it this time to ‘introduce the new players.’ Some people say I look ‘unfamiliar,’ and I actually feel the same way myself (laughs). I’d be happy if people could enjoy this fresh perspective.

I don’t think any of my teammates have any complaints. That’s because everyone on our team is modest—they’re the type to say, ‘I’m fine; let’s have [Name] do it.’ In fact, we’re all being so considerate of each other about who will play in the opening game that it hasn’t been decided yet.”

Sano joined the Sega Sammy Phoenix after being drafted by the team at the “M League 2026–27 Season Draft Meeting” held on June 25. While it’s well known among fans that Sano is a professional mahjong player, his professional career is still relatively short, and he has yet to win a title, so his selection was a “surprise pick” that generated a lot of buzz.

“I first received a message in late May. It was a vague sort of inquiry to gauge my interest—something like, ‘What would you think if you could become an M-League player?’—so I never imagined I’d actually join the Sega Sammy Phoenix.

On May 28, it was announced that Pro Doiki Asai (40), who was a player for the Sega Sammy Phoenix at the time, had reached the end of his contract, and I was truly surprised. From then on, we worked out the details for me to join the team. I always had this feeling: ‘Is it really okay for someone as inexperienced as me to take Takaki-san’s (Asai’s) place?’”

However, once Sano’s signing was finalized, she reportedly received a flood of messages of support from both the mahjong industry and the entertainment world.

“My seniors at the Saikōi-sen Japan Professional Mahjong Association, where I’m a member, cheered me on, saying, ‘Practice hard and do your best.’ I also had the opportunity to meet Takaki-san, and he personally encouraged me, saying, ‘Good luck.’ I thought he was a kind and generous person.

Kana Nakata (32), a TV personality and member of the M-League team ‘BEAST X,’ also told me, ‘I’m so happy that a friend of mine is joining the M-League.’ We hadn’t crossed paths in the entertainment industry, but we became friends when I visited the mahjong café she owns.

Aside from professional mahjong players, I also received a congratulatory message from TV personality Chiaki (54). “A while back, Chiaki wanted to learn mahjong, so I taught her, and she’s been calling me ‘Sensei’ ever since.”

Sano is currently training intensively for the M League. However, she says she was “originally just one of the M League fans”—a so-called “spectator” of mahjong. So why did she decide to pursue a career as a professional mahjong player?

to “prove” his love for mahjong,

“I first learned mahjong thanks to the anime *Saki*, which was based on a mahjong manga. After the M League was launched in 2018, I became an M League fan and really got hooked on mahjong. I even openly told people around me that I loved mahjong.”

She says there are two main reasons she decided to become a pro.

“When I say, ‘I love mahjong,’ quite a few people react with something like, ‘Can you make money playing mahjong?’I’m drawn to the competitive aspect of mahjong, but it seems there’s a deeply ingrained perception in society that mahjong equals gambling… I started to feel frustrated by that disconnect. I thought that if I earned my professional license and entered the world of competitive mahjong, I could convey that I ‘simply love mahjong.’

Another reason was that I wanted to challenge myself to see how far I could go as a pro. Competitive mahjong has multiple league tiers; if you win, you move up a level; if you lose, you move down—your skill level is clearly quantified. Acting and modeling aren’t about being strong or weak; they’re about what kind of work you create, right? I was drawn to the world of competition, which is completely different from that.”

The M League, which Sano is taking on this time, is both a world of competition and entertainment. She also mentioned that there were some “challenges” unique to the M League.

“It’s the ‘nickname’ (catchphrase). Every M-Leaguer has a nickname, like ‘The Overly Talented Female Mahjong Player’ or ‘The Solitary Seeker.’ There isn’t an official rule requiring you to come up with one, but it’s an unspoken expectation. So I decided to come up with one for myself, too.

Nicknames are often given to pros who’ve won titles or have a proven track record, but I don’t have that kind of track record yet. After brainstorming candidates while practicing against an AI and consulting with my teammates… I decided on ‘Mahjong Little Devil.’”

It’s easy to turn into an illustration and works well for merchandise sales. While those are part of my strategy, the origin of the nickname actually comes from that iconic work.

“People in the mahjong community often tell me, ‘Your signature work is *Death Note*, right?’ Even though it’s been over 10 years since I appeared in the TV drama *Death Note* (on Nippon TV), I realize it still remains part of my public image. The character I played, Misa Amane, was a calculating, little-devil-like girl. I used that image to come up with a simple, easy-to-remember nickname.”

With her nickname successfully settled, all that’s left is to face the matches.

The Sega Sammy Phoenix, the team Sano joined, won its first championship in the 2024–25 season, but finished fifth overall the following 2025–26 season. They’ll be aiming to reclaim the title in the 2026–27 season.

“The atmosphere within the team is really great. Hiroshi Daigo (50) and Genta Takeuchi (40) have been teaching me mahjong since before I turned pro.Since joining the team, I’ve also been learning a lot from Sayaka Kayamori (44), who serves as both a player and head coach. She’s like a down-to-earth, ‘reliable big sister’—it’s easy to talk to her, and I feel very comfortable around her.”

We asked Sano —who admitted she “was trembling, wondering if I could really handle it” right after being drafted by the Sega Sammy Phoenix — about her goals for the 2026–27 season.

“Honestly, I’m still shaking (laughs). I’ve scheduled plenty of practice sessions and study sessions, so I don’t think I’m lacking in practice, but the opponents I’ll be facing are top pros who’ve been honing their skills for years.

My goal for the 2026–27 season is, first and foremost, to get one win. It might seem like a small goal, but as a viewer, I’ve seen top pros struggle to get even a single win. I know it won’t be easy.

I want to play my own style of mahjong without wavering or losing focus, and really make my mark. I’m training hard to contribute to the team, so I’d be thrilled if you’d cheer me on.”

From “Death Note” to “Mahjong Little Devil.” M-League player Hinako Sano’s battle begins.