WATCH: Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani delivers motivational speech for Japanese airline JAL's newest recruits

In March 2023, over 55 million people in Shohei Ohtani's homeland of Japan watched him strike out Mike Trout to win the World Baseball Classic. When he announced his marriage in February, news outlets in Japan committed significant airtime to the story.

To say that Ohtani is a celebrity in his homeland would be an understatement. For this reason, Japan Airlines, the flag carrier of Japan, decided to feature the 29-year-old in a training video for its new hires.

"Shohei Ohtani’s video message for JAL's freshmens 大谷翔平選手、JALの入社式でビデオメッセージ" - DecoOhtani117

The video, meant to signify the 70th anniversary of Japan Airlines' first international flight, spoke about challenges. As Ohtani enters both his 30th year and his first season as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, overcoming challenges brought on by change in the workplace is a poignant topic.

In December, Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million contract broke history for the largest deal in professional sports history. However, on account of a set of deferral agreements, the star will draw a mere $2 million in salary, a pay decrease of some $28 million compared to his 2023 salary as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.

"Shohei Ohtani and his respect for opposing team managers he always bows to them" - @shoheosaveus

Despite the deferral, Ohtani is still set to make a record sum by virtue of his endorsement deals. The Iwate Prefecture native is part of an elite group of stars, including Lionel Messi, Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo, to boast earnings in excess of $60 million in endorsement revenue.

Despite distractions, Shohei Ohtani remains committed to performance

The period preceding the regular season was a whirlwind for Shohei Ohtani. In addition to making his Dodgers debut against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, the dismissal of his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and the ensuing gambling scandal threatened his reputation. Recently, Ohtani told the LA Times:

“I feel like I’m seeing the ball well. But I feel like there’s a little bit something off with my timing and being able to kind of feel the distance between the ball and myself."

Ohtani has hit a modest .242 on the season to date, and Dodgers fans are still waiting to witness his first home run in his new uniform. In a season where challenges will be the standard, rising above and staying true to his own words will be Ohtani's ultimate objective.