Only a week after the end of the regular season and already so much to go through! Today, I will be covering everything from contracts to documentaries to upcoming tournaments!
Table of Contents
Contract Statuses
On May 18, EX Furinkazan manager Fujiwara said through a Tweet that he wanted to show everyone how to raise the plate and the same four players will fight to make it happen.
On May 22, during an episode of the BSJapanext show “The Road to M-League No.1: BEAST ROAD”, it was announced that all four Beast Japanext players would have their contracts renewed
Saikyousen 2024 M-League Special Match
On May 19, M-League x Saikyousen: Saikyousen 2024 M-League Special Match was broadcasted on ABEMA TV. The top 8 players from the regular season faced each other for a spot in the Mahjong Saikyousen 2024 Finals.
On Table A, Date came in 1st place and Yu came in 2nd place, beating out 3rd place Mizuhara and 4th place Taro.
On Table B, Katsumata came in 1st place and Nakabayshi came in 2nd place, beating out 3rd place Sonoda and 4th place Okada.
In the end, Nakabayashi Kei (仲林圭) won the final table and booked his ticket to the Mahjong Saikyousen 2024.
Those who have ABEMA Premium are able to rewatch all Saikyousen games on ABEMA.
Documentaries
Starting June 1, M-League will be releasing original documentaries about all 9 teams, available exclusively with ABEMA Premium.
A preview of all the documentaries can be watched for free on ABEMA.
IKUSA
In March, the EX Furinkazan announced both the amateur and the professional IKUSA tournament.
Amateur Tournament
Over the course of five days in April, amateurs faced each other over 5 hanchans for a spot in the finals. From each day, the top two players booked their spot in the finals, a total of 10 finalists
The VOD for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th qualifying days are available on the EX Furinkazan official YouTube Channel.
At the final table, the 10 finalists, the 4 EX Furinkazan players, Shumo (last year’s amateur winner) and Hitotsui Shinya (EX Furinkazan’s Special Sparring Partner [SSP]) will be divided into four tables. Each table will play one game and the winner of each table fill go to the final table.
The winner of the tournament will win the Battle King (戦王) title, some EX Furinkazan goods and an invitation to a team event.
The finals will be on June 4 at 15:00 JST. The games will be broadcasted live on the EX Furinkazan official YouTube channel
Pro Tournament
98 pros from the big five pro organizations signed up for the IKUSA 2024 pro tournament, including:
- Jenn (ジェン) (JPML) (WRC Yukan Fuji Team)
- Lika (李佳) (JPML) (WRC Yukan Fuji Team)
- Uchida Miko (内田みこ) (JPML) (Beast Japanext Audition Final 8)
- Taguchi Junnosuke (田口淳之介) (NPM) (Former KAT-TUN idol group member)
- Saito Go (齋藤 豪) (JPML) (Tenhoui)
Qualifying: June 2, 8, 15, 16, 23 (12:00 JST)
In the qualifying round (played over 5 days), the pros have been divided into five groups, with each group playing on a different day. On each day, every pro will play 5 hanchans, making an appearance on broadcast table once. The top 20 players after the 5 days will advance to the semifinals.
Semifinals: July 13 (12:00 JST)
In the semifinals, the 20 semifinalists will again play 5 hanchans. Each pro will appear on the broadcast table once. The top 4 players will advance to the finals
Finals: July 20 (12:00 JST)
In the finals, the final four players will play 4 hanchans. The player with the highest score after 4 hanchan will be the winner.
The winner of the pro tournament will become the EX Furinkazan’s Special Sparring Partner (SSP). which comes with a 1-year, 300,000 yen contract for being the team’s SSP. Should another member audition happen in the next 3 years, the SSP will also be automatically seeded in the top 8.
All games will be broadcasted on the EX Furinkazan official YouTube Channel.
M-Tournament 2024
On May 3, 2023, M-League announced the second edition of the M-Tournament.
This year, it will feature 36 M-Leaguers (up from 32 last season due to the addition of the Beast Japanext) and 24 other mahjong pros, for a total of 60 players.
Format
Over the course of two months, starting on June 3, the pros will play two hanchans per round, with the top two from each table moving on to the next round.
As the winners of the M-League 2023-24 championship, the U-Next Pirates players are automatically seeded in the second round.
All games will be broadcasted on the ABEMA Mahjong channel. Games played on Monday will be free to watch, but games played on Friday will require ABEMA Premium.
- 1st Round: June 3, June 7, June 10, June 14, June 17, June 21, June 24 (15:00 JST)
- 56 players (14 tables)
- 32 M-Leaguers (all except the four members of the championship-winning U-Next Pirates [Kobayashi Go, Mizuhara Akina, Suzuki Yu, Nakabayashi Kei])
- 24 selected pros
- 2 tables per day
- 2 hanchan per table, top 2 advance
- 56 players (14 tables)
- 2nd Round: July 1, July 5, July 8, July 12 (15:00 JST)
- 32 players (8 tables)
- 28 players who advanced from the 1st round
- 4 members of the championship-winning team
- 2 tables per day
- 2 hanchan, top 2 advance
- 32 players (8 tables)
- Quarterfinals: June 15, 22 (15:00 JST)
- 16 players (4 tables)
- 16 players from the 2nd round
- 2 tables per day
- 2 hanchan, top 2 advance
- 16 players (4 tables)
- Semifinals: June 27 (15:00 JST)
- 8 players, 2 tables
- 8 players from the quarterfinals
- 2 hanchan, top 2 advance
- 8 players, 2 tables
- Finals: June 28 (19:00 JST)
- 4 players, (1 table)
- 4 players who advanced from the semifinals
- 2 hanchan, winner wins it all
- 4 players, (1 table)
Players
M-Leaguers
2nd Round seeded U-Next Pirates
24 Selected Pros
- Aikawa Megumi (逢川恵夢) (NPM) (Current NPM Female Mahjong King)
- Mizumaki Wataru (水巻渉) (Saikouisen) (10th Mahjong Masters, 3-time Dragon King Tournament Title Holder)
- Sanada Enju (真田槐) (NPM) (Current Mahjong Dragon Title Holder)
- Kuwada Kenta (桑田憲汰) (JPML) (Current Saikyousen Title Holder)
- Sugiura Kansuke (杉浦勘介) (JPML) (JPML A1, Kyoichiro Noguchi Award Winner)
- Arai Keibun (新井啓文) (Saikouisen) (38th Saikoui)
- Tanii Shigefumi (谷井茂文) (RMU) (Current RMU Title Holder)
- Muku Daiju (むく大樹) (Mu) (Current Mu Title Holder)
- Aikawa Marie (相川まりえ) (Saikouisen) (Current Women’s Saikoui)
- Hiro Shibata (HIRO柴田) (JPML) (Current Grand Prix Max Title Holder, Former Hououi)
- Miura Tomohiro (三浦智博) (JPML) (Current JPML King’s Cup, JPML 10-Dan Title Holder)
- Takeuchi Genta (竹内元太) (Saikouisen) (Current Saikoui)
- Asai Yusuke (浅井裕介) (Saikouisen) (Former Mahjong Masters, RMU Crown Title Holder)
- Asai Takaki (浅井堂岐) (NPM) (Former Mahjong King)
- Kouno Takashi (河野高志) (RMU) (2013, 2020, 2021 Reiwai)
- Ishidate Takehiro (石立岳大) (JPML) (2020, 2021 WRC League Champion)
- Fujishima Kenjiro (藤島健二郎) (JPML) (2018 First Half WRC League Champion, Adam Driver Pro)
- Waktsu Akira (和久津晶) (JPML) (Former Sega Sammy Phoenix)
- Shimoishi Geki (下石戟) (NPM) (Current RMU Crown Title Holder)
- Aruga Kazuhiro (有賀一宏) (Saikouisen) (Current Dragon King Title Holder)
- Nakagawa Sho (仲川翔) (RMU) (4th RMU Grand Prix winner)
- Nakata Kana (仲田加南) (JPML) (4-time Cherry Blossom Cup winner)
- Shirogane Saki (白銀紗希) (JPML) (2022 Cherry Blossom Cup winner)
- Nishikawa Jun (西川淳) (JPML) (22nd Champions League winner)
Pirates Treasure Hunt
On April 24 in an episode of “Oshiete! Pirates”, the U-Next Pirates announced a tournament, the Pirates Treasure Hunt (パイレーツトレジャーハント) sponsored by y.u mobile. All games will be broadcasted live on the U-Next Pirates YouTube Channel.
Format
Similar to M-League, each member of the U-Next Pirates will draft three other players to create a team of four players. During the team tournament, each player will play two games and the team who has the most points after all eight games are done will be the winner.
The team tournament will take place on June 9 (Games #1-4) and June 16 (Games #5-8)
After the team tournament, the top 8 players from the team tournament will play in an individual tournament. The eight players will be divided into two tables:
- Qualifying Table ①: 1st vs. 3rd. vs. 6th vs. 8th
- Qualifying Table ②: 2nd vs. 4th vs. 5th vs. 7th
Each table will play two games and the top two players from each table will advance to the finals.
At the final table, the four finalists will play four games and the player with the most points will win the individual tournament.
The individual tournament will take place on June 22 (Qualifying) and June 23 (Final Table)
Teams
Kobayashi Family (小林一家)
- Kobayashi Go (小林剛)
- Furumoto Kazuhiro (古本和宏) (JPML)
- Fujikawa Mayu (藤川まゆ) (Mu)
- Toishi Yutaka (戸石寛) (RMU)
Gori-Gori Bom-Ba-Ye (ゴリゴリボンバイエ)
- Mizuhara Akina (瑞原明奈)
- Kouno Naoya (河野直也) (Saikouisen) (M-League Commentator)
- Shimoishi Geki (下石戟) (NPM) (Current RMU Crown Title Holder)
- Aikawa Marie (相川まりえ) (Saikouisen) (Current Women’s Saikoui)
Okosama Lunchers (お子様ランチャーズ)
- Suzuki Yu (鈴木優)
- Satsuki Mariko (佐月麻理子) (NPM) (26th Mahjong Masters, 2-time NPM Women’s Mahjong King Winner)
- Ishii Kazuma (石井一馬) (Saikouisen) (10th Saikouisen Classic, 41st King’s Cup, 21st Mahjong Masters Title Holder)
- Taguchi Junnosuke (田口淳之介) (NPM) (Former KAT-TUN idol group member)
May Queen and Irish Cobbler Potatoes (メークインと男爵芋)
- Nakabayashi Kei (仲林圭)
- Shirinashihama Wataru (尻無濱航) (NPM)
- Kuwada Kenta (桑田憲汰) (JPML) (Current Saikyousen Title Holder)
- Kinoshita Haruka (木下遥) (JPML)
Games
Games #1-2: June 9
Kobayashi Family
(小林一家)
Gori-Gori Bom-Ba-Ye (ゴリゴリボンバイエ)
Okosama Lunchers
(お子様ランチャーズ)
May Queen and Irish Cobbler Potatoes (メークインと男爵芋)
Fujikawa Mayu
(藤川まゆ)
Mizuhara Akina
(瑞原明奈)
Ishii Kazuma
(石井一馬)
Shirinashihama Wataru
(尻無濱航)
Games #3-4: June 9
Kobayashi Family
(小林一家)
Gori-Gori Bom-Ba-Ye (ゴリゴリボンバイエ)
Okosama Lunchers
(お子様ランチャーズ)
May Queen and Irish Cobbler Potatoes (メークインと男爵芋)
Furumoto Kazuhiro
(古本和宏)
Shimoishi Geki
(下石戟)
Taguchi Junnosuke
(田口淳之介)
Kinoshita Haruka
(木下遥)
Games #5-6: June 16
Kobayashi Family
(小林一家)
Gori-Gori Bom-Ba-Ye (ゴリゴリボンバイエ)
Okosama Lunchers
(お子様ランチャーズ)
May Queen and Irish Cobbler Potatoes (メークインと男爵芋)
Toishi Yutaka
(戸石寛)
Aikawa Marie
(相川まりえ)
Satsuki Mariko
(佐月麻理子)
Kuwada Kenta
(桑田憲汰)
Games #7-8: June 16
Kobayashi Family
(小林一家)
Gori-Gori Bom-Ba-Ye (ゴリゴリボンバイエ)
Okosama Lunchers
(お子様ランチャーズ)
May Queen and Irish Cobbler Potatoes (メークインと男爵芋)
Kobayashi Go
(小林剛)
Kouno Naoya
(河野直也)
Suzuki Yu
(鈴木優)
Nakabayashi Kei
(仲林圭)
Rage x Mahjong feat. M-League
On July 13, M-League will be collaborating with e-sports company Rage to host a special mahjong event.
Being held at the Ariake GYM-EX, the Rage x Mahjong feat. M-League event, the event will feature a mix of M-Leaguers and some of the top influencers in Japan.
Red Team
- Kato Junichi (加藤純一) (MURASH)
- Mokou (もこう) (Streamer)
- Ooi Takaharu (多井隆晴) (Shibuya Abemas)
- Mizuhara Akina (瑞原明奈) (U-Next Pirates)
Blue Team
- Wakky (ワッキー) (Comedian, Celebrity Pro Sportsman No. 1)
- Robert Yamamoto (ロバート山本) (Comedian, Voice actor, YouTuber)
- Honda Tomohiro (本田朋広) (Team Raiden)
- Okada Sayaka (岡田紗佳) (Kadokawa Sakura Knights)
Yellow Team
- Oniya (おにや) (ZETA Division)
- Futon-chan (布団ちゃん) (YouTuber)
- Suzuki Taro (鈴木たろう) (Akasaka Drivens)
- Nakada Kana (中田花奈) (Beast Japanext)
Green Team
- SHAKA (Streamer)
- XQQ (ZETA Division)
- Tojo Rio (東城りお) (Sega Sammy Phoenix)
- Matsugase Takaya (松ヶ瀬隆弥) (EX Furinkazan)
- MC: OooDa
- Commentary: Hiyoshi Tatsuya, Matsushima Momo
- Colour Commentary: Shibukawa Nanba (渋川難波) (Kadokawa Sakura Knights), Hinata Aiko (日向藍子) (Shibuya Abemas)
- Reporter: Matsumoto Kayo
Tickets sales for the event (at the price of 11,000 yen per ticket) started on May 22 and are available on the Lawson Ticket website. All attendees will receive a pair of thundersticks, as well as a chance to win a signed happi coat and a photoshoot with the performers.
Initially a pay-per-view event, the group announced on May 22 that the event will be free to watch on the Rage YouTube channel, the Rage Twitch channel, and the M-League YouTube channel.
More details and the event schedule will be available at a later date.
Japanext Cup
Over the past few months BSJapanext, the owner of the BEAST Japanext has been hosting the Japanext Cup. The tournament features 32 players, including Beast Japanext players, mahjong title holders and celebrities.
For the first round, there are 8 groups. Each group consists of 3 players and 1 wild card/joker player and the group will play 4 games over 4 weeks. 1 game played each Sunday and broadcasted on the BSJapanext TV channel. The top 2 players from each group will move on to the next round.
The winner of the tournament will win the grand prize of 3,000,000 yen. 2nd place will receive 300,000 yen, 3rd place will get 100,000 yen and 4th place will get 50,000 yen.
The current standings and upcoming games can be found on the BSJapanext website.
And that’s all for today! I’m sure that by the end of next week, there will be even more big news to cover. Make sure to follow all the latest action here and on our Discord server. How will everything turn out? As always, we’ll just have to wait and see!
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