Bungeishunju's Sports Magazine 'Sports Graphic Number' Issue 1141, 'Hanshin Tigers: The Genealogy of Japan's No. 1,' on Sale April 9 (Thurs)!
Bungeishunju will release issue 1141 of its sports magazine 'Number' on April 9. Titled 'Hanshin Tigers: The Genealogy of Japan's No. 1,' the special issue delves into the team's history and current season's prospects with interviews featuring Manager Okada, player Teruaki Sato, and others.
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- 📰 Published: April 9, 2026 at 15:00
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**Bungeishunju Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Nariyuki Iikubo) will release issue 1141 of the comprehensive sports magazine 'Sports Graphic Number,' on April 9.**
**■ A Comment from the Desk Editor of Number Issue 1141**
The WBC is over, and the professional baseball season has begun. One point of focus this season is whether the Hanshin Tigers, off to a good start, can achieve the club's first-ever consecutive league championship and reclaim the Japan Series title for the first time in three years. Last season, they clinched the league title at a record pace, showing a strength that left the other five teams behind, but they still fell short of becoming Japan's number one. In the team's 90-year history, they have vied for the Japan Series title eight times, achieving it twice. What made those championship seasons special?
So, in this issue, we look back at the turbulent seasons when they competed for the top spot to unravel the history of the 'Tigers' and 'Japan's No. 1,' and to forecast this season's outcome.
Every article is a compelling read, but the highlight is undoubtedly the special interview with Akinobu Okada, who fought in the Japan Series as a player in 1985, and as a manager in 2005 and 2023. The legend, known for his refreshingly frank manner and sharp insight, spoke at length about the reasons for the unexpected crushing defeat against Lotte (in '05), a series where the Tigers were said to be overwhelming favorites to the point they were 'already discussing destinations for the victory trip,' and even the 'humiliation' he tasted during the victorious series against Orix (in '23).
Besides Mr. Okada, you're guaranteed to be moved by the words of Fierce Tiger legends like Koichi Tabuchi, who speak passionately as if it were yesterday about how that one game, that one pitch, decided the match.
We are, of course, also following the Tigers players of this season, for which Mr. Okada declared in an interview that 'the probability of a consecutive championship is a solid 90%.' The issue is also packed with a documentary on the No. 4 batter Teruaki Sato, who also shone in the WBC, and rich interviews with players like Shota Morishita and Seishiro Sakamoto, who also made a name for themselves at the WBC.
Please check out the pages to see the struggles and resolutions for becoming Japan's number one that they revealed only to Number.
## 'Sports Graphic Number' Issue 1141
## Hanshin Tigers: The Genealogy of Japan's No. 1.
## TIGERS BORN TO BE THE BEST
## 【CONTENTS】
### SPECIAL FEATURES
[Opening 3-Game Series Document] By Yosuke Sai
**Teruaki Sato and the Hanshin Tigers 'The Gleam of 50 Meters and 40 Steps'**
[Confidence Gained at the WBC] By Shohei Ishizaki
**Shota Morishita 'To a Further State of Nothingness'**
[Starting Catcher Interview] By Shunsaku Sakai
**Seishiro Sakamoto 'What I Learned from That One Pitch'**
[The Comeback from 1-for-18] By Yosuke Sai
**Yusuke Oyama 'Savoring the Happiness of Agony'**
[Starting Pitching Pillars Dialogue] By Rei Endo
**Hiroto Saiki × Mura**
FAQ
What is the special feature in issue number 1141?
Titled 'The Hanshin Tigers' lineage of Japan Series championships,' it features a special on the team's past Japan Series victories and outlook for this season.
What players and coaches are interviewed?
It includes a special interview with Manager Akira Okada, as well as interviews with active players like Teruaki Sato, Shota Morishita, and Seiji Sasaki.
When is the release date?
It will be released on April 9 (Thursday) at bookstores and online nationwide.