It has been announced that a film titled "Orix Buffaloes 2025 ~DETA! WAO! OKADA THE MOVIE~" will be produced and released on January 16, 2026. The film will look back on the 2025 season from the perspective of Keisuke Okada of the comedy duo "Masuda Okada," who is known to be a fan of the professional baseball team Orix. The film will be a completely new "support documentary for his favorite team," brimming with Okada's love for the team.
Influenced by his father, Okada became a fan of the Hankyu Braves, the predecessor of the Orix Buffaloes, at a young age. For nearly 50 years, while working in the entertainment industry, he has continued to watch all three games on television, streaming, and sometimes in person, cheering with unwavering passion. Even during a long period of decline known as the "dark ages," he never wavered in his support. In 2021, the team led by manager Satoshi Nakajima, also known as the "last Hankyu warrior," won the league championship. In 2022, they took revenge on Yakult in the Japan Series, regaining their first Japan Series title in 26 years. In 2023, they won the league championship for the third consecutive year, and Okada and many fans had a dreamlike time together.
In 2024, the team unexpectedly finished in 5th place, dropping to Class B. Some fans worried, "Are we heading back to the dark ages?" However, in order to turn the team around, Mamoru Kishida, who had played his entire career with Orix, was appointed as the new manager. With the catchphrase "Constant Passion #Bassion," he aimed to reclaim the championship.
Okada, who wanted to "fill the void of the off-season," and his staff, who are Buffaloes fans, came up with the idea of "creating something that would allow fans to look back on this season and get excited together." Their enthusiasm spread to the team and other people involved, and the project was launched.
The film is based on over 300 hours of in-depth coverage over a nine-month period, from March of this year until the end of the season in November. Based on loving words of encouragement from Okada and the sharp, fan-focused commentary on the joys and sorrows of the season, the film recreates the memorable matches and fierce battles of the 2025 season. Enjoy special interviews with Manager Kishida, pitcher Yoshihisa Hirano, who has decided to continue playing, and T-Okada, who sadly retired.
The key visual features Okada wearing the uniform number 55, the same number as T-Okada, who retired in 2024. A preview has also been released in which he talks passionately about Orix with people involved.
Okada commented, "What? What does that mean? Is that really true? It took me a while to understand it myself. I think it took everyone else quite a while. It's a 'movie'. I just happen to be in it as a fan representative, but the movie is starring all Orix fans. It would be great if you could feel the happiness of supporting something with all your might. Play ball!"
Director Kanamori Naoya, who is working on the film, said, "I have spent a very fulfilling year with Okada Keisuke, my colleague of 30 years. I am also overwhelmed with emotion to be involved in a production about the Buffaloes, a team that has ties to the place where I was born and raised. I wanted to deliver a passionate film created by a true fan to fans who also love the Buffaloes...I made the film with that one thing in mind. I hope that it will be a source of comfort to everyone's hearts during the off-season, when they will miss the Buffaloes."
◇Staff (titles omitted)
Cast: Keisuke Okada (Masuda Okada), Director Mamoru Kishida, Pitcher Yoshitoshi Hirano, T-Okada, and others ▽ Narrators: Tomotaka Sakaguchi, Kazuki Kondo, Tomoyuki Kaida, Daisuke Kondo, and others ▽ Director: Naoya Kanamori ▽ Producers: Genichi Yokoyama, Naotoshi Suzuki ▽ Music: Masato Kamata ▽ Distribution: Content Seven ▽ Production: Prana, Mediland ▽ Casting, PR cooperation, video provision, and supervision: Orix Baseball Club ▽ Casting cooperation and video provision: Kansai Telecasting ▽ Production cooperation: Shochiku Geino
