M-League Watch

When you sit down to play a game of mahjong, you never know what’s going to happen. Many different yaku, different hand possibilities and many choices to make. In the 17th week of the M-League 2023-24 season, we had a great variety of hands, from a near immediate dealer haneman, to a 1,000 points hand to move into 1st place to the classic north tanki. Also this week, we had a lot of sanshokus, a certain 6-game streak and even a chiihou! Kind of…

With so many different things to cover, let’s get right into it, shall we?

Chiihou!!!

Before the start of each game, the staff go through a mock M-League game to make sure that all the equipment can cameras work and that everyone knows their cues. During this rehearsal, one of the staff members got a chiihou! This staff member even made a brief appearance during the first game’s interviews. Unfortunately, since it wasn’t an official M-League game, they did not receive a lifetime supply of noodles.

Update: M-League has released a video of the win and the winner will be receiving one entire serving of Nissin UFO Yakisoba as a present!

Mリーグでは試合前に
スタッフによる入念な
リハーサルが行われております

昨日のリハーサルでは
なんと役満 #地和 が成就！

本番での地和を見逃さない為にも#Mリーグ 視聴はリアタイがオススメです💁

※和了したスタッフへは
MリーグからU.F.O.1食分をプレゼント！

👇選手の反応をプチオフで見る

— Mリーグ/プロ麻雀リーグ (@m_league_) January 19, 2024

Intro | Highlights | Results | Standings

Teams and players face a lot of challenges and losses to the point that recovering seems impossible. But they didn’t drown, they couldn’t seem to die. With the hard-won wisdom they have earned, they came up from the bottom and took their shot. In Week 16 of the M-League 2023-24 season, we saw many examples of resilience, from a player going from 4th to 1st in the last hand to a team at the bottom getting triple-digit gains. Also this week, we had a whole lot of sanshoku, a yakuman tenpai immediately ended and a 3-way riichi battle with three uradora at stake. You’ve waited for it long enough, so let’s get right into it, shall we?

Intro | Highlights | Results | Standings

As 2023 turns into 2024, many things begin anew. New hope for the future, new energy to do well and M-League returns from its short break! In Week 15 of the M-League 2023-24 season, we had teams rising, a tense fight for the top of the individual standings and a rare yakuman opportunity. We also had new merch, new special tournaments and a new M-League record! Let’s start the new year right and get right into it, shall we?

For the purposes of this article, Week 15 counts the games on December 25, December 26, January 4 and January 5.

Nissin x M-League: Strongest Alien Deciding Match

On December 29, the Nissin x M-League: Strongest Alien Deciding Match took place. After a quick eight hands, Sarukawa Masatoshi (and his monkey friend) was victorious. The game can be watched for free on ABEMA TV.

With the game finishing so quickly, they decided to have another short exhibition match with four hands and friendly banter to the max. This game was released on ABEMA TV immediately after the broadcast finished.

Pro Baseball New Year’s Mahjong Exchange Tournament

On January 1 and January 2, ABEMA TV broadcasted the Pro Baseball New Year’s Mahjong Exchange Tournament featuring professional baseball players and you favourite M-League celebrities. After two days of action, former M-Leaguer Maruyama Kanako won the final game after having just a 900 lead going into South 4. With her win, she was awarded with a golden tile and a new AMOS REXX III.

All five games (Games A, B, C, D and Finals) can be watched for free on ABEMA TV.

2024 M-League Bromides

To start off the year, M-League released a number of new fortune bromides available to be printed at any Lawson Print store for 300 yen.

Intro | Highlights | Results | Standings

Even as M-League takes a short break for the holidays, the action never stops! During this break, ABEMA TV will be broadcasting three special M-League programs. Today, we’ll look at what M-league has in store for us to end off 2023 and into the new year.

Continue reading “M-League 2023-24 New Year’s Specials”

Optimism abounds. The holidays are coming, the days are getting longer and M-League will still be going! In the 14th week of the M-League 2023-24 season, there was a lot to be optimistic about. We had a new player having the best game of the season, fans were treated to a show at Tokyo Tower collaboration and a Uchikawa has conquered the west! We also had teams continuing to rise, a player who has struggled in the past moving into positive territory and a lot of double ura wins! I’m glad that you can come and read this, so let’s get right into it, shall we?

Intro | Highlights | Results | Standings

We’re exactly at the halfway point of the season and the fight for the top shows no sign of cooling off! Today, we’ll look at how each team is progressing and figure out what each team can do to succeed going forward.

Continue reading “M-League 2023-24: Mid-Season Review”

Patience is key. Good things will come to those who wait. In mahjong, applying patience can net a player with bigger wins and a greater appreciation of the game. In the 13th week of the M-League 2023-24 season, players and teams were rewarded for waiting, from a declined call to an extended comeback to a team finally toppping the standings after more than three years. We also had an immediately defused yakuman chance, some huge ura 3 wins and a rare yaku making an appearance. I think you’ve waited long enough, so let’s get right to it, shall we?

Intro | Highlights | Results | Standings

Think positive. A positive mind and positive attitude can give you a positive experience and a positive result. And even if you do lose, know that there are more chances to win in the future. In the 12th week of the M-League 2023-24 season, we had a lot of positive interactions, from a bit of levity after a tense South 4 to almost all the teams gaining points this week. We also had a perfect delayed riichi, a player getting their first win and even a yakuman chance. With expectations high, let’s get right into it, shall we?

Intro | Highlights | Results | Standings

Mahjong is cool. It’s what all the cool kids are playing. And all the cool kids are getting dora, comebacks and wins. In the 11th week of the 2023-24 season, cool events like an open kan, big dora reveals .and expensive chiitois showed up. We also had prayers answered, a Hiyoshi prophecy come true and a huge denial through headbump. Get yourself warm and cozy in these cooler months and let’s get right into it, shall we?

Intro | Highlights | Results | Standings

In a game of mahjong, emotions can take flight. Sometimes it makes us do reckless things, sometimes it lets us gain lots of points and rise in the rankings. Oh, and dragons fly too. In week 10 of the M-league 2023-24 season, all sorts of things took flight. We had a very close call with a player discarding before they drew, back-to-back wins and a few dragon-based hands. We also had a very close South 4, a player getting their first win in a long time and a new collab announced! With a lot of text to devour, let’s dig right into it, shall we?

M-League x Mr. Osomatsu

On Friday, November 24, M-League announced a collaboration with the comedy anime Mr. Osomatsu (おそ松さん, Osomatsu-san). From December 2 to December 19, a pop-up shop will be set up in Yurakucho Marui selling various goods such as acrylic stands, wire keychains and photo cards. The merch will have characters from the anime dressed in M-League uniforms.

Intro | Highlights | Results | Standings