Steelman wrote:

What's with Kanagawa, just unlucky? +26 diff but still mired in the middle.

Hopefully the Samurai can leapfrog that middle pack.

Things are crazy in Blockball! Sometimes teams score a lot, sometimes they score nothing, and it hurts. Let's hope all team can get the perfect formula to even both systems.

QCS wrote:

I'm hoping Kanagawa can get back on top, but I also think Tokyo's looking really nice. Keep it the good work!.

Thank you so much!

CCLXXXVII wrote:

Oh, I remember this from SFF! I always thought that this was a really interesting idea and I'm excited to see it continue.

In the future, would there be an interest in expanding the sport beyond Japan?.

To be honest I had always in my mind the fact that I left the SFF thread open, shame on me. I'm really happy to see people who also remember this from the old forums! Like for real, that's so amazing.

About international expansion, I thing is very possible! I have a ton planned for the Japanese league, but maybe in the future I will expand the sport to North America or Europe.


NPBL Season 1 - Weeks 7-8

What – a – week.

Since the starting gun, Weeks seven and eight were by far the most intense. No team ended that period without changes. Some of them sky rocketed, and some went down the hill. Let’s check out what happened team by team.

Saitama is on fire. Last weeks they won two games, and now they have won four games in a row, beating Osaka and Niigata. The first game, which ended 23-0 for the Cyborgs, was the first perfect game in the history of the NPBL.

Tochigi lost and won, but keep on track toward the playoffs. Hokkaido won two games and stole Kanagawa’s place for the third.

Tokyo and Kanagawa fell to the fourth and fifth place in the tables. Even when they had high scoring games, Saitama’s performance, Hokkaido’s rise and Tochigi’s scoring pulled them down.

Chiba demonstrated in the field th

…

~Bear wrote:

This is really cool so far. I like that each team has their own play style; it makes each team seem even more unique. The designs are good so far as well, and the standings graphics look really professional. Can't wait to see more!

Thank you so much! It really means a lot to me. I will keep up the hard work!


NPBL Season 1 - Weeks 5-6

The next weeks were full of close, interesting matches to watch. Almost every team won important points for the standings, but fell short in their search for more. Due to it, the table moved very little since weeks 3-4. 

Tochigi pushed for the top, winning one and losing one and stealing first position in the standings. Tokyo also won one and lost one, and are in direct battle with Archers for the top spot. 

Kanagawa fell two places after two rough loses against Saitama and Osaka. Captain Kuramoto Takahiro told the press to not to worry. “This happened to Hokkaido and they recovered from it. Please, do not panic about performance. We are working hard to get our team back in motion”. 

Hokkaido, Niigata and Saitama are also tied in points, battling the middle point of the table. We are in week 6, but everyone knows the importance of that very spot. The fourth team will qualify for the Nakamura Cup playoffs at the end of the season, and next week will start the second half of the season. The Rangers have the clinch for now, but everyone has an eye on Saitama Cyborgs, after they won two straight games. 

Even after winning one game, Chiba is still struggling in the end of the table. However, the team rejoiced after finding a new offensive strategy and defeating Tokyo Nitro 24-14. They still have a huge goal deficit, but told they finally are on the right path. 

Three stars of the game

 [b][color=#

…

NPBL, Season 1 - Weeks 3-4

The season is now rolling and all teams are making their fist changes after the unexpected outcomes of the first two games. Kanagawa Flamingos took full control of their opportunities, beating Hokkaido and Tochigi. The main star of the matches was their goalkeeper, Tachihara Daichi, who only allowed ten or less goals per game.

Tokyo and Hokkaido went up in the ranks by solidifying their strategies. The lack of changes paid well to both teams. Osaka and Niigata are still finding their way into the standings. Osaka lost both their games, confronting their first scoring crisis. The situation is sightly better for Niigata, who could come up with a win in their fourth game, against the Thunder.

Saitama suffered hard, losing the games and, with it, their third spot in the highlights. Their scoring fell short against Tokyo and Hokkaido's defensive line.

Chiba Thunder is the most tormented team after four weeks of blockball. Even when they won for the first time against Warriors, the team is falling behind in the offensive zone. They need to improve their scoring chances, and do it quickly.

Three stars of the game

* Tachihara Daichi (G) - Kanagawa Flamingos
His saves were the highlight of both weeks. If everyone thought having just 9 goals against were a luck streak against Hokkaido, Tachibara proved his valor after allowing only ten goals versus Tochigi.

** Motozumi Shinji (RW) - Tokyo Nitro
If a player of the squad paid tribute to the name of the team, it was Motozumi. His incredibly quick reflexed were translated in valuable goals for Tokyo. Fans are already calling him Motozumi "Nitro" Shinji.

*** Tsunashima Keitarō (C)[color=#333333] - Hokkaido Rangers

…

Thank you so much for your comments! It mean a lot for me. I've working on the NPBL for almost two years.

Ranged vs close

Tochigi archers presented their unique kits to the press as a clash between old and new. Their main uniform is a simple looking jersey with a division of colors. The division seeks to symbolize Kyūdō traditional robes. Other element they took for their identity was the use of a number patch on the back. "In high school baseball, players earn their number with their hard work. If the player doesn't do their job, the patch is taken back. We use those patches as well. if you don't give your all in the field, please give us your number back"Said Abe Shinichi, head coach of the Archers.




The last team to present their uniforms was Osaka. The warriors wanted to go with a simple, one main color look with their uniforms. They wear a single "W" in their left side. As Head coach Tanaka said, their team is offensive oriented, but has a really strong defensive core nonetheless. "We cannot attack if we don't give our star forwards the confidence to do their job with ease. We do not turn back, but if we had to, our defensemen are the best to do their job".

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All teams are presented! The simulations will start this evening. Hopefully, I will have the first report after the eclipse (we are living astronomy here).

See you later!
 

A bird and the forest

When the team administration asked their fans about what they wanted for the team, the main answer was "Give us something unique". Inspired by "Cosmo Clock 21", a giant colorful Ferris Wheel in Yokohama city, the team decided to go with a bright uniform with neon touches. They released their identity and uniforms to the press in the most japanese way: A big, pink fluffy flamingo called Takeo jumped into the room wearing their principal uniform. Of course, we all love Takeo the flamingo.




In a very different approach, Hokkaido Rangers presented their uniforms to the press one week later than Kanagawa. The name seeks to represent the vast lands and forests of Hokkaido area. The team also wears a simple HR logo in their uniforms, the star representing Hokkaido as a single region. "We wanted a very classical, serious look to go with our controlled playstyle, and I think we got it" Told Hokkaido's team president, Hirayama Yuu, to the press.

Next Up: Past vs Present.