Shohei Ohtani pens heartfelt note to 'Slam Dunk' illustrator for designing his New Balance logo

Modified Mar 11, 2025 07:18 GMT

Shohei Ohtani at Spring Training - Source: Imagn

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani wrote a heartfelt message to Slam Dunk creator Takehiko Inoue, thanking him for designing his New Balance logo. The legendary manga artist crafted a logo to symbolize Ohtani’s two-way skillset.

The three-time MVP on Monday posted pictures of himself alongside the designs and sketches created by Takehiko Inoue.

“Inoue-sensei, thank you for designing the logo, Pyong,“ Shohei wrote in the caption. (Via google translation)

The Japanese two-way phenom signed a record $700 million deal last offseason but played only as a designated hitter in his first season with the Dodgers. He could not pitch as he was recovering from elbow surgery.

The Dodgers are taking a cautious approach with his return to pitching, and reports suggest he may not pitch until after the All-Star Break.

"Shohei Ohtani watches anime and cracks jokes" – Dodgers teammate Alex Vesia

Ohtani in Spring Training-Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers - Source: Imagn

While Shohei Ohtani is known for his serious approach at the plate and on the mound, he also has a fun side which he showcases off the field.

Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia shared a lesser-known fact about Ohtani on Chris Rose's podcast, “The Chris Rose Rotation”. Vesia said the lefty pitcher enjoys watching anime.

"He’s great, you know, and it’s like, you would never know that he is who he is, right? If you’re just sitting there next to him—like, the guy’s watching anime, he’s cracking jokes, he loves to laugh. And he’s a great teammate. So that’s something I definitely got to learn from him this year," Vesia said.

"You know, I faced him a few times, and I never really knew him as a teammate. I had heard great things, but personally getting to know him and whatnot—that’s been awesome."

Shohei Ohtani’s favorite anime is apparently “Major”. The protagonist is Goro Shigeno, a two-way player player just like him.

During the 2021 season, Ohtani chose the theme song from the anime Jujutsu Kaisen as his walk-out music.

About the author

Abirami Vadivelu is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda with an MA in communication.

She discovered an appreciation for baseball fairly recently and has been drawn to the LA Dodgers due to the obvious skill of some of their big-name players. There's a reason why key stars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts are household names, and Abi enjoyed following them on their journey to World Series glory in 2024.

Shohei Ohtani gets the nod as Abi's favorite player. His incredibly high levels of pitching and hitting separate him from even the most talented players in the crowd, as seen by his history-making 50/50 in 2024.

Abi got into baseball due to her interest in the pop side of the MLB, particularly fashion and lifestyle, and has developed an over-arching appreciation for the sport.

When not watching or writing about baseball, Abi's hobbies include photography and cooking.

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Edited by Debasish