Latest news with #Omori
The Mainichi
06-07-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Where did Japan's Hanshin Tigers emblem come from? Icon gives glimpse into team's history
OSAKA -- The year 2025 marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of Japan's Hanshin Tigers. While the professional baseball team's tiger emblem is well-known, it's less commonly known that the Tigers' first ace pitcher and a designer employed by Hanshin Electric Railway Co. teamed up to produce it. The tiger emblem was already appearing on posters as early as the year following the squad's founding in 1935. The Mainichi Shimbun took a closer look at the team's history from the perspective of the logo's iconic design. Inspiration from alma mater of first pitching ace "Before the word 'brand' became established in Japan, the Tigers had already branded their tiger emblem and logo, and it's been loved by fans for 90 years," says Masaki Omori, 58, a railway designer from the Hyogo Prefecture city of Ashiya in western Japan. According to Omori, the birth of the tiger emblem can be traced back to Tadashi Wakabayashi (1908-1965), the team's first ace. The team was founded in December 1935 as the Osaka Baseball Club. When the Osaka Tigers was chosen as the team's name, Wakabayashi, a Hawaiian-born "nisei," or child of Japanese-born immigrants, recalled that his alma mater, President William McKinley High School, had a sports team also called the "Tigers" with a tiger emblem. He accordingly proposed adopting a tiger emblem for the Osaka team, Omori says. One of Wakabayashi's high school classmates, Susumu Hoshina (1906-2000), who went on to become the first coach of Hosei University's American football team, drew the initial draft, which was then incorporated into a design by Genichi Hayakawa (1906-1976), a designer at Hanshin Electric Railway. Omori praised the design, saying, "The shape of the eyes and fangs are drawn accurately, the balance of the stripes is just right and it's superb." Hanshin's beautiful baseball tickets The 1936 poster "The Osaka Tigers are Coming" (held by the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), designed by Hayakawa, already featured the tiger emblem. The following year's admission ticket marking one year since the team's founding was beautifully colored with a red circle containing the tiger emblem against a base of yellow and black stripes. "Printing technology was underdeveloped at the time, and I think multicolor printing was likely expensive, but the Tigers continued to produce beautiful tickets from the start," Omori recalls. Shigeyuki Yamagishi, 51, a company worker in Nagoya who has collected tens of thousands of baseball tickets dating from before World War II to the present, also praises the tickets, saying, "In the era before the war, when most tickets only had text, those adorned with the tiger emblem and the 'TIGERS' logo were by far the coolest." Attention to striped uniform detail Hayakawa, who hails from Tokyo, studied design at Kyoto Craft High School (the present-day Kyoto Institute of Technology), and went on to enter Hanshin Electric Railway Co. Materials relating to Hayakawa are retained at Osaka company Shiura Sports Yohin Co., which supplied uniforms to the Tigers in the 1950s. Including the word "OSAKA" that decorated the chests of the uniforms, Hayakawa paid attention to details that would typically be outsourced to manufacturers today. This included hand-drawing the stripes one by one to make samples to show the difference in width. The team's name changed to the current "Hanshin Tigers" in 1961. Even after retiring in 1958, Hayakawa continued to work with the team, designing the cover for "Tigers 30-year history" in 1965 and a Hanshin Department Store poster featuring pitcher Yutaka Enatsu in the 1970s. Original strength from yellow and black Incidentally, it was in 1953 that the Yomiuri Giants, founded in 1934, adopted orange as their team color, while the Hiroshima Carp, founded in 1950, chose red in 1975. The "raging bull" emblem of the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes (1949-2004) was designed by renowned Japanese artist Taro Okamoto but has faded from view since the team's merger with Orix. Omori reflects, "I think the raging bull emblem is a wonderful work of art, but I got a keen sense of how difficult it is for designs to endure, no matter how good they are." In the 2000s, it became more common for teams to wear not only home and away uniforms but also revived designs and ones with different color schemes. Since 2013, the Hanshin Tigers, too, have adopted different uniform designs each year under the theme "Urutora (Ultra) Summer" -- a play on words incorporating the Japanese word "tora" for "tiger." Even when a green-themed uniform was introduced, the yellow and black tiger emblem on the sleeve ensured that the "Tigers' identity" was not lost. Omori, a Hanshin fan from Tokyo, fell in love with the design of the yellow and black baseball cap as an elementary school student. Having designed train cars for JR West, he found a connection with Hayakawa, who also worked as a designer for a railway company, and has made researching Hayakawa his life's work. For 90 years, the tiger emblem has continued to be loved by fans. "I feel the original strength anew," Omori says, expressing respect for Hayakawa. (Japanese original by Mayu Maemoto, Osaka City News Department) Exhibition underway in Hyogo Pref. The Otani Memorial Art Museum in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, is currently hosting an exhibition titled " Baseball and Design: Tracing the Hanshin Tigers Through Design." The exhibition features posters by Hayakawa, along with many caricatures and other items from teams other than Hanshin, including a caricature of famed Giants player Shigeo Nagashima, who passed away in June. Yamagishi's ticket collection and Omori's collection of historical Hanshin baseball caps are also being displayed. The exhibition runs through July 27, and is closed on Wednesdays, with general admission costing 1,200 yen (about $8). For more information, phone the museum on 0798-33-0164 (in Japanese).
Pink Villa
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Kengan Omega Chapter 311: Why Did Katahara Choose Ganryu Island? Recap, Release Date, Where To Read And More
The last Kengan Omega chapter explained how Wakatsuki Takeshi came up with a replacement for his old finisher, the Blast Core. Through training, he developed partial muscle control, focusing on his arms, which was enabled by his Superhuman Syndrome. In the present, Takeshi's jab hits Omori Masamichi with such speed that Katahara Metsudo and Yoshioka cannot follow. The technique, called Phantom Fist: Mirage, overwhelms Omori. Unable to defend against the rapid blows, Omori collapses from exhaustion. Katahara ends the match and reveals that the 'final battle' against the Connector would be held on Ganryu Island. Expected plot in Kengan Omega Chapter 311 Kengan Omega Chapter 311 will likely begin with Katahara Metsudo explaining why Ganryu Island was chosen again for the final battle. He may reference its symbolism to the Kengan Association. The timeline leading up to the match will likely be outlined, highlighting key preparations made by the association. The chapter's focus may then shift to Tokita Ohma, who may be making preparations based on what the Consecutors told him. Meanwhile, Gaoh Ryuki and Narushima Koga may regroup at Yamashita Trading Co. after their spars with Raian, having likely learnt about the planned confrontation with the Connector. Kengan Omega Chapter 311: Release date and where to stream Kengan Omega Chapter 311 will hit the shelves on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 12:00 pm JST, following the manga's weekly release schedule. This translates to an early morning release the same day for most international fans, with release times adjusted to individual time zones. To dive into Kengan Omega Chapter 311, fans can head over to Shogakukan's Ura Sunday or Comikey, the official platforms for the latest manga releases. While these platforms may require subscription fees, they offer top-notch translations and timely updates. For more updates from the Kengan Omega manga, stay tuned to Pinkvilla.
Pink Villa
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Kengan Omega Chapter 310: Omori Loses To Wakatsuki—Recap, Release Date, Where To Read And More
The last Kengan Omega chapter saw Wakatsuki Takeshi and Omori Masamichi continue their match as Adviser Metsudo and Yoshioka observe. Despite Wakatsuki's overwhelming strength from Superhuman Syndrome, Omori countered effectively using precise techniques. They exchanged brutal blows, with Wakatsuki pushing the pace and Omori matching him through skill. Yoshioka was stunned that Omori kept up. As Wakatsuki started tiring, Omori landed several sharp attacks. Suddenly, Omori's shoulder breaks, revealed to be from Wakatsuki's targeted blow. Wakatsuki admitted he would have lost in past Kengan matches if Omori had participated then, but not now, as this was the strongest he had ever been. Expected plot in Kengan Omega Chapter 310 Kengan Omega Chapter 310 may begin with Omori reacting to his shoulder injury, possibly attempting to fight with one arm or acknowledging defeat. Adviser Metsudo may comment further on Wakatsuki's evolution, comparing his current strength to other top fighters. Yoshioka may express interest in adding Wakatsuki to upcoming bodyguard operations or tournaments. The focus may then shift to a new location—possibly returning to Tokita Ohma as he processes the Consecutors' warning, or to Gaoh Ryuki after the spar with Raian. Ryuki may be seen receiving a call from Kazuo Yamashita or getting involved with the current threat involving Worm. Kengan Omega Chapter 310: Release date and where to read Comikey has confirmed that Kengan Omega Chapter 310 will be released on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 12:00 pm JST, in line with its usual weekly schedule. For readers in the U.S., the chapter will be accessible on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 11:00 pm ET / 8:00 pm PT. Fans eager to read Kengan Omega Chapter 310 can find it on Shogakukan's Ura Sunday or the official Comikey website. Although a subscription is required, Comikey offers high-quality translations and ensures prompt releases of new chapters. For more updates from the Kengan Omega manga, stay tuned to Pinkvilla.
Business Recorder
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Japan's bond yields jump after poor outcome of 20-year debt auction
TOKYO: Japanese government bond yields jumped on Tuesday as investors sold the securities after poor results at an auction of 20-year bonds spurred worries about demand for super-long debt. The 10-year JGB yield vaulted 4.5 basis points (bps) to 1.525%, its highest level since March 28, after the finance ministry announced the results of the sale in the early Tokyo afternoon. Benchmark 10-year JGB futures were last down 0.19 yen at 139.06 yen. Bond yields move inversely to prices. The 40-year yield surged 10 bps to 3.55%, the highest level since the debt's inception in 2007. The 20- and 30-year bonds, as well as the two-year note, had yet to trade following the release of the auction details. JGB yields with super-long maturities jump ahead of auction Mizuho strategist Shoki Omori called the auction results 'lacklustre', 'highlighting persistent supply-demand softness in the super-long sector and fueling concerns over who, if anyone, will step in to buy.' Brokers and investors 'appear reluctant to hold inventory, raising the likelihood of a sell-off spiral that extends beyond the 20-year tenor into both the 10-year and 30-year markets,' Omori said. The five-year yield rose 1.5 bps to 1.01%, the highest since April 2, when US President Donald Trump announced his 'Liberation Day' tariffs.
