Television coverage of baseball in Japan really takes you inside the game like no other.
The Japanese collegiate sports world was rocked recently by a dirty tackle executed by a football player from one of the nation’s top schools and the furious finger-pointing that ensued in its wake.
Luckily, we still have university baseball as a bastion of sportsmanship and honor, and that’s not all! In a recent University of Tokyo game, as second baseman Hirata “Hira-chan” Masaki appeared on camera, the caption below his name held a startling revelation about the player.
▼ Caption: “Wanted to make goldfish macho and put protein in the aquarium”
今日一番面白い情報が来た pic.twitter.com/rTvw1UlPqn
— 🍑のん🍑🍥 (@Aice5_mdk) May 27, 2018
If you’re a completionist who likes to know everything – and I mean everything – there is to know about the game and its players, you’ll appreciate this little tidbit. Otherwise you’ll probably just be weirded out by it. It triggered the imaginations of other Twitter users, who posted what something like that might turn out like.
https://twitter.com/Lawrence_0326/status/1000640084721319937これ思い出したわ pic.twitter.com/UNXlYEMPzB
— ケント (@fa2013_k) May 27, 2018
This is far from the first time TV graphics people have decided to have a little fun. During the last nationwide election, there was a spate of odd subtitles when winners were declared, including proclamations that Minister of Finance Taro Aso liked One Piece and PM Shinzo Abe loves Black Thunder chocolate bars.
安倍さんブラックサンダー好きとか
— ひ な (@hi_na_0917) October 27, 2017
好感度上がりまくった
18歳になったら投票します!!! pic.twitter.com/q3KeWsaz4m
It’s not always clear how accurate these factoids are. It’s certainly believable that Abe loves Black Thunder, because you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t love those thrifty packets of chocolatey goodness. Sure enough, a quick search reveals that he does quite enjoy them.
安倍さんもブラックサンダー好きみたい笑
— マシュマロ (@marshmallow0755) October 23, 2017
かわいい❀˳꒰*ॢ´◡`*ॢ꒱❀#ブラックサンダー pic.twitter.com/GJ8O8zhkum
As for Masaki, a quick look at his bio reveals that he is enrolled in the School of Agricultural and Life Sciences majoring in Chemistry of Bio-based Materials. Therefore, feeding protein to goldfish doesn’t seem entirely out of his wheelhouse. Perhaps the broadcaster was just being facetious about his actual research.
That’s important to know, because if you happen to want to buff up your own goldfish, you shouldn’t go tossing chunks of hamburger into the bowl. It’ll probably end badly. Instead leave it to the scientist pioneers of tomorrow, like second baseman Hira-chan to find the best way to achieve fins of steel.
Source: Twitter/@Aice5_mdk, The University of Tokyo Baseball Club
Featured image: Twitter/@Aice5_mdk

Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Is Japan’s tourism boom slowing down? Foreign visitor numbers fall for first time in five years
Evangelion beautifully reimagined as iconic classical Japanese folding screen art series [Photos]
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Is Japan’s tourism boom slowing down? Foreign visitor numbers fall for first time in five years
Evangelion beautifully reimagined as iconic classical Japanese folding screen art series [Photos]
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
Studio Ghibli releases huge new wooden clip collection featuring 25 anime movies
Starbucks Japan adds new Frappuccino, Tea, and Chillax Soda to its limited-edition summer menu
Can instant TKG from Don Quijote really recreate Japan’s beloved raw-egg-on-rice dish?
Tokyo and Osaka make it into this year’s EIU ranking of the world’s Top Ten Most Liveable Cities
Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea raising ticket prices, free Fast Pass ending next month
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Uniqlo looks back to the very start of Pokémon with new black-and-white pixel art T-shirts[Pics]
Japanese government ID card and app to be required for certain Pokémon card purchases next month
Japan reacts to Donald Trump’s “Islamic Republic of Japan” remark
Three new starter Pokémon Jets to fly in Japan, first begins carrying passengers this month
Solid gold Hedorah kaiju from the Godzilla series is now available to pre-order
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Studio Ghibli releases huge new wooden clip collection featuring 25 anime movies
Starbucks Japan adds new Frappuccino, Tea, and Chillax Soda to its limited-edition summer menu
Can instant TKG from Don Quijote really recreate Japan’s beloved raw-egg-on-rice dish?
Tokyo and Osaka make it into this year’s EIU ranking of the world’s Top Ten Most Liveable Cities
Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea raising ticket prices, free Fast Pass ending next month
Shinkansen trial of moderately air conditioned cars draws mixed reactions from travellers
Baskin-Robbins Japan’s semi-secret affogato is a perfect mix of fun and fancy [Taste test]
Kyushu yakisoba Sofuren’s new food truck ventures into the Kanto region for the first time
7-Eleven Japan releases new sandwich that technically contains fruit but isn’t a fruit sandwich
After job-quitting service, leave-of-absence-request proxy service sees rising demand in Japan
Studio Ghibli releases new Totoro coin purses…but who’s the blue character?
Japan’s new Calpis pudding: The right call for summer, or tampering with purin perfection?
Tokyo’s Giga Mart lets visitors “steal” from a convenience store… if cameras don’t catch you
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction