M-League Watch

If a player wins a hand worth 8 to 10 han, they will win what is known as a baiman. A baiman is worth 16,000 for a non-dealer and 24,000 for the dealer. To see one is relatively uncommon. To see three happen in a single day is a sight to see.

That is exactly what happened during the 19th week of the M-League 2024-25 regular season. A week that was relatively quiet became bursting with big hands left, right, and centre during the final day of the month.

I won’t try to buy myself more time, so let’s get right into it, shall we?

M-League Wafer Collection Box

On January 31, M-League announced that the M-League Wafer Collection Box will be sold at HMV&BOOKS online and at Lawson stores starting February 7.

Each box will come with one random wafer, as well as a random card. There are 36 normal cards (one for each player) and 9 rare cards (one for each team) available to be collected. Each pack also comes with a scannable code for access to a digital photo frame.

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Intro | Standings

Mahjong is a game about making decisions. Each decision a player makes can have a big influence on a game. And when everything is revealed, you find out that a single decision helped you dodge the biggest bullet in your life.

In the 18th week of the M-League 2024-25 season, one specific player found out that they escaped a cruel fate they had felt once before. We also had a different close call this week, where a team neared a milestone but fell just short of it.

Let’s finish this opening and get right into it, shall we?

Intro | Standings

It was the worst of times, it was the best of times. It was the age of foolishness, it was the age of wisdom. It was the epoch of incredulity, It was the epoch of belief. It was the season of darkness, it was the season of light. It was the winter of despair, It was the spring of hope.

In the 17th week of the M-League 2024-25 regular season, we saw the worst of Daisuke and we saw the best of Daisuke. In a single game, we saw unbelievable pain to unbelievable excitement, breaking records when we least expected them.

Let’s get right into it, shall we?

Intro | Standings

In the 2023-24 M-League Draft, Asami Maki was chosen by the Akasaka Drivens to become their newest team member. That season, she helped the team make their first finals appearance in three years. This week, the 16th week of the M-League 2024-25 season, Asami did something special, being only the third M-League to do this incredible feat.

Let’s keep moving ahead and get right into it, shall we?

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Pro Baseball New Year’s Mahjong Exchange Tournament 2025 Results

On January 2 and 3, the second edition of the Pro Baseball New Year’s Mahjong Exchange Tournament took place.

After four qualifying games, Tanaka Eito for the Yomiuri Giants, Nakamura Kento of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, as well as former M-Leaguers Tojo Rio and Maruyama Kanako all advanced to the finals.

With a close game going into the final hand, Nakamura soared swam strong in his final dealership to finish the game with a commanding score of 52,600 to win the tournament. With the win, Nakamura received

With Nakamura’s tournament win, he received a new AMOS REXX III and a 13-inch iPad Pro Wi-Fi 256G.

All VODs for the tournament, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the tournament, can be watched for free on ABEMA

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Intro | Standings

In 2018, Shiratori Sho was the Shibuya Abemas’ second round draft pick in the very first M-League draft. Over the years, he has helped the team make the finals five times and won the championship in the 2022-23 season. This week, the 15th week of the M-League 2024-25 season, he accomplished a feat that has only been done once before in the entire history of M-League.

Let’s start the show and get right into it, shall we?

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Pro Baseball New Year’s Mahjong Exchange Tournament 2025

This week, M-League announced the return of the Pro Baseball New Year’s Mahjong Exchange Tournament, sponsored by Daiwa Connect Securities.

The 16 players will be split into four tables, with the winner of each table advancing to the finals.

This edition, 14 Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) players and 2 former M-Leaguers (Tojo Rio and Maruyama Kanako) will be competing in the tournament.

• Ohshiro Koji (大城滉二) (Orix Buffaloes)
• Tomiyama Ryoga (富山凌雅) (Orix Buffaloes)
• Imai Tatsuya (今井達也) (Saitama Seibu Lions)
• Satoh Ryusei (佐藤龍世) (Saitama Seibu Lions)
• Wakui Hideaki (涌井秀章) (Chunichi Dragons)
• Sakaguchi Kosuke (阪口皓亮) (Tokyo Yakult Swallows)
• Sakai Tomohito (酒居知史) (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles)
• Tsurusaki Taisei (津留崎大成) (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles)
• Sakaeda Yuki (榮枝裕貴) (Hanshin Tigers)
• Nakamura Kento (中村健人) (Hiroshima Toyo Carp)
• Horie Atsuya (塹江敦哉) (Hiroshima Toyo Carp)
• Nakashima Takuya (中島卓也) (Hokkaido Nippon-Han Fighters)
• Kohri Takuya (郡 拓也) (Yomiuri Giants)
• Tanaka Eito (田中瑛斗) (Yomiuri Giants)
• Tojo Rio (東城りお) (former Sega Sammy Phoenix member [2021-2024])
• Maruyama Kanako (丸山奏子) (former Akasaka Drivens member [2019-2023], defending champion)

Helping out with commentary are 8 different M-Leaguers and the regular M-League commentary and interview staff.

All games will be broadcast for free on the ABEMA Mahjong Channel.

Tables A and B will be broadcast on Thursday, January 2, 2025 starting at 6:00PM JST and will last until midnight.

Tables C and D, as well as the Final Table, will be broadcast on Friday, January 3, 2025 starting at 5:00PM JST and will last until midnight.

https://twitter.com/m_league_/status/1872206627425931408

The all games of the 2024 edition can be watched for free on ABEMA.

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2025 M-League New Years Fortune Slips

In a news release, M-League announced the release of their annual M-League fortune slips.

The 2025 M-League fortune slip bromides will be available starting midnight on January 1 and can be printed at any Lawson Print store.

There are three types that can be obtained for each team/player

• Blessing (吉): Player half body
• Great blessing (大吉): Signed player full body
• Incredible blessing (超大吉): Signed team photo

The bromides come in L and 2L sizes, costing 300 and 500 yen, respectively.

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Intro | Standings

Sometimes things don’t go how you expect them to go. When everything seems to go right, there is that one player with perfect luck who can change the course of the game. This player is the spoiler.

In the 14th week of the M-League 2024-25 season, we had many instances for players shaking up the standings even when they aren’t directly involved. And in one case, we had a player reject a double riichi to make a comeback and steal a player’s first win of the season.

I won’t spoil any more, so let’s get right into it, shall we?

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Girls und Panzer x M-League

On December 13, the Girls und Panzer official Twitter account revealed the M-League themed goods that will be available as part of the “Girls und Panzer das Finale: Mahjong Tsumo Tsumo Strategy!” popup shop.

The Girls und Panzer x M-League collab goods feature nine characters from the anime wearing a different M-League uniform. These designs are available as stickers, acrylic stands, keychains and badges.

The pop-up shop will be set up in three different locations over the next three months

• Shinjuku Marui Annex, Tokyo (December 27, 2024 to January 8, 2025, 11:00am to 8:00pm)
  • December 31: 11:00am to 6:00pm
  • January 1-3: Closed
  • January 8: 11:00am to 7:00pm
• Marui Family Ebina, Kanagawa (January 17 to January 26, 10:30am to 7:00pm)
• Ueno Marui, Tokyo (February 21 to March 9, 11:00am to 7:00pm)

A full list of goods can be found in the Girls und Panzer das Finale news release and merchandise page.

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Intro | Standings

We’re exactly at the halfway point of the season and there are intense battles at both ends of the standings! Today, we’ll look at how each team is doing and figure out what each team can do to find success.

Continue reading “M-League 2024-25: Mid-Season Review”

When things look like they can’t get any worse, when the benefits outweigh the risks, all that’s left to do is move forward. Push back against the riichi and chase. Go for a quick hand to win the pot. Take your team to new heights with a big win.

In the 13th week of the M-League 2024-25 season, players did big chasing riichis and got rewarded with ippatsu wins. We had players multiplying their winnings because of the many riichi sticks in the pot. We had teams breaking score milestones to challenge records. We even had a cool yakuman tenpai!

Let’s move on ahead and get right into it, shall we?

Intro | Standings

There is always a first for everything. For some players, it’s their first win of the season. For others, it’s their first 4th. And sometimes, we see something for the first time in a long time.

In the 12th week of the M-League 2024-25 season, we had players getting their first 1st (on a very special day too!), some players losing their first game, while one player made a hand that hasn’t been seen in more than 18 months!

Let’s get right into it, shall we?

Intro | Standings