Chapter 1: BOYHOOD 1994 - 2012

1.
A child whose specialty is sleeping
2.
Koshien summit, where even a 160km/h pitcher couldn't reach
3.
The Birth of Two-Way Otani

Chapter 2: NPB 2013-2017

1. Why did you choose Nippon Ham instead of going directly to MLB?
2.
The process of completing the two-handed sword Otani
3.
Pitcher Ohtani vs. Batter Ohtani
4.
The Premier 12 Korea match was a turning point

Chapter 3: NPB ▶ MLB 2017-2018

1.
The LA Angels before Ohtani arrived
2. The LA Angels' Behind-the-Scenes Recruitment of Ohtani
3.
Hi! My name is Shohei Ohtani.

Chapter 4: MLB 2018 - PRESENT

1.
2018 | Ohtani's Beginning as a Major Leaguer
2.
2019 | Putting aside the two-handed sword and dedicating myself to typing
3.
2020 | A shortened season due to COVID-19, with disappointing results.
4.
2021 | The Man Who Rewrote History
5.
2022 | Ohtani Returns as a Challenger
6.
2023 | OHTANI IN WBC
7.
2023-2024 | Ohtani Usheres in the $700 Million Era

Ohtani was already a top player considered the future of Japanese baseball since high school, but many predicted that he would pursue a career at the professional level, choosing a position as a pitcher or fielder (hitter).
Because he was excellent both as a pitcher and as a hitter, some said he was better as a pitcher, while others said he had a better chance of success as a hitter.
And many predicted that even if they tried to be both pitchers and hitters, they would eventually choose one field where they had more success and give up the other field where they had more shortcomings.

But the experts' predictions were way off the mark.
Ohtani was different. After joining the NPB's Nippon-Ham Fighters, he defied the media and fans' expectations and quietly forged his own path.
Of course, it wasn't without ups and downs.
And it wasn't even the best result he had during his five seasons in NPB as a two-way pitcher.
Ohtani himself has stated that he has not become the best player in Japan, either as a pitcher or a hitter.
However, he expressed his confidence calmly and confidently, saying that even if he is not the best, he can challenge himself on the bigger stage of the major leagues, and that he can achieve in the US what he could not achieve in Japan.
The spirit of challenge and the desire to improve are the values ​​that occupy the largest part of Ohtani's baseball life.
From a young age, it could be said that Ohtani devoted all his goals, plans, and time to baseball.
A prime example is Otani's Mandala goal plan, which is a hot topic online, and his annual life goals.
It's hard to find the kind of time of wandering that often accompanies the stories of sports stars growing up.
As he has had a model growth period as an athlete, I think this book contains more self-help elements than any other title in the existing athlete series.
This book will be of great interest to children and parents, as well as baseball and sports fans.


Otani was born in July 1994, and is not yet 30 years old. He is a player who has not yet reached his prime, but he continues to grow and develop every year.
So, I'm more excited about the future.
This year, the 2024 season will be a full-time season as a hitter only due to injury and surgery, and the entire baseball world is paying close attention to how amazing his performance will be if he focuses solely on hitting.
He is the first player in Major League history to surpass $500 million and $600 million in total salary, ushering in the era of $700 million. Attention is focused on what kind of performance he will show in the 2024 season when he will temporarily step down from his dual role as a pitcher and hitter.
2024 will undoubtedly be the turning point in his baseball history, the first year when a new half will begin to be written.

"Shohei Ohtani - Player 11 (Dodgers Edition)" focuses on the career of baseball player Ohtani, but it is not a book that only highlights and analyzes his performance in baseball games.
The story of his youth and growth, which has never been conveyed in detail to domestic fans, his time in the Japanese professional baseball league NPB, the process of moving to the major league, and his development in the major league to become a top player are well organized and described.
Of course, another advantage of the book is that it includes numerous dynamic photos that capture Ohtani's superior physique and visual appeal.


The easiest and most accurate explanation would be to think of it as a biography, encyclopedia, and picture book about Shohei Ohtani all bound into one book.
This is a very interesting book that I would recommend to all baseball fans and sports fans who are curious about Shohei Ohtani as a player and as a person.
Of course, it would be impossible to fully capture the iconic superstar that is Ohtani in one book.
However, the fact that a new edition of the book, which covers almost everything about him for the first time in Korea, has been published is significant in itself.
Now it's time to read another story of his transformation into 'Dodger Blue'.

Bringing a new and powerful SHO-TIME to the sport of baseball, which was in crisis.
The name that has transcended time and become a representative player of the sport itself, Shohei Ohtani!
Now, he prepares for the next chapter with a new team to become a true champion.

When Shohei Ohtani declared his intention to advance to the major leagues and challenge himself as a pitcher and hitter in MLB following his time in NPB, the reaction from the American baseball world was sharply divided.
Some teams, such as the LA Angels, who later recruited him, the Seattle Mariners, and the Boston Red Sox, expected Ohtani to be able to pitch and hit well, while others, such as Pittsburgh and Washington, had a negative outlook.
Technically, it might work, but I think it'll eventually become a durability issue and eventually you'll end up focusing on one position, whether it's pitcher or hitter.
Although there were many cautious reactions, it was clear that there were more negative opinions.

Such a reaction was both a sober assessment of the player Ohtani and a pride in the history and status of Major League Baseball.
Negative outlooks emerged not only from league and club officials, but also from the media.
In a way, the distrust was natural.
In the 120-year history of Major League Baseball, no other player has had a successful career as both a pitcher and a hitter than Babe Ruth.
Moreover, since Ruth's playing time as both a pitcher and a hitter was not long, and he played right field and played as a hitter for many more seasons, it was not surprising that there were negative outlooks on Ohtani as well.

But to Otani, other people's opinions didn't matter.
He had the confidence that he could do it.
If he had been a person who was conscious of others and the public in the first place, he would not have been able to challenge Ito-ryu in Japan, let alone in the United States.
In fact, even in the Japanese baseball world, when high school rookie Ohtani declared that he would be a pitcher and a hitter, there was a widespread negative sentiment that the professional level should not be looked down upon.
Since Otani had already overcome such cold reactions and invisible restraints, I think his anticipation and excitement were greater than his fear or worry.

Before joining the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Ohtani once said:
“The joy of the future is seeing how far I can go as a player and how far I can grow as a person.
When you achieve dual wielding as a pro, I think there is great value in that.
As I grow, I believe that more and more players will challenge themselves in this sport, like me, and the possibilities will expand in many ways.
Right now, I want to work hard and become a player who can create a new path.”

This statement reveals his serious attitude and stance toward baseball, his strong desire to win, and his desire to improve to a higher level.
He was active as a two-way player in Japan for five seasons, thanks to his unique mental fortitude and strong body.
Having gained experience over five years in Japan, it can be seen that he has decided that he can continue to challenge himself in the major leagues.
And if you feel you are lacking, you must have had the awareness that you can learn and work hard to fill in the gaps.
A strong desire to improve is an important value that cannot be left out when talking about Shohei Ohtani.

Many readers will be able to feel his true colors through this book, “Shohei Ohtani - Player 11 (Dodgers Edition).”
This book is clearly a 'baseball book,' but it's not just about baseball.
It highlights Ohtani's growth and career, but never focuses on the numbers he has achieved.
In the past, he sent this message in an interview.
“Numbers and performance are important, but I don’t play baseball for that.” He always plays as a team player with the goal of winning, but as an individual, he is not a player who plays baseball for records and performance.
That's true professionalism that makes him shine.

Ohtani grew up watching the great players of the past and now he wants to show the next generation of young players dreams and hopes.
No, I want to become the dream and hope itself.
It is amazing that he is a player who has transcended the times and is becoming a symbol of the sport itself, and that he has ample room for further growth and development in the future.

Starting this year, in the 2024 season, he will be wearing the uniform of his new team, the LA Dodgers.
Chapter 1 of his MLB career, which lasted until 2023 in the LA Angels uniform, has come to a successful conclusion.
There were setbacks and trials, but Chapter 1 ended perfectly with his second career MVP award and a surprising free agent contract.
Moreover, before the start of the 2023 season, he tasted victory in an international competition as a member of the Japanese national team, leading the team to the World Championship title.
2023 was a special year for Ohtani in many ways.

So what about 2024? As mentioned earlier, the 2024 season marks the beginning of Chapter 2 of his MLB career.
This will be the first year of a 10-year long-term project.
He always said, as if it were a habit, that he never played baseball with a goal other than winning or being number one.
However, the teammates I had worked with in Chapter 1 were not strong enough to achieve the dream of winning together.
He once said during his free agent contract meeting with the Dodgers that he felt a strong desire to win the World Series, so the choice wasn't difficult.
Maybe 2024 will be his first major league championship.
Ohtani will turn 29 or 30 this season.
Considering that professional baseball players' careers are getting longer and longer, that he takes better care of his body than anyone else, and that he loves the sport of baseball more than anyone else, it's not at all unfamiliar to imagine him playing on the field until he's in his 40s.
At least he won't be leaving the baseball field for the next 10 years.
Over the next decade or so, Ohtani will likely rack up quite a few championship trophies and MVP titles during Chapter 2 of his MLB career.

We still have plenty of time to enjoy his play.
You may see them perform at their best as they are now, or you may see them grow and develop even further than they are now.
There's no way to guess how much history Ohtani will make before he takes off his uniform.
But what is clear is that he will show us more than we expect.
He will now appear on the baseball field again with the mindset of a rookie.
This book will be a valuable collection in that it is the first in Korea to cover a new chapter on the "Dodger Blue" version of Ohtani, a player with such a mindset.