Entertainer Kurouji Honoka and model Sato Taishin have been appointed as the image characters for the 98th Senbatsu High School Baseball Tournament (sponsored by the Mainichi Shimbun and the Japan High School Baseball Federation), which will begin on March 19th, and appeared at a press conference held in Tokyo on February 19th.
Kuro-san was born on September 19th, 2009 and is 16 years old. Sato-san was born on August 26th, 2009 and is also 16 years old. Both are first-year high school students. Both belong to the talent agency Oscar Promotion. Following last year, one man and one woman have been appointed.
Kuro said with a smile, "I was very surprised to be chosen as the image character. I've been watching high school baseball with my family since I was little, so it feels like a dream to be the image character for such a wonderful stage production. I'm excited and nervous."
Sato said, "I'm surprised and nervous about this important role. I'm excited to see my fellow high school students do well. I want to learn from the players' communication and teamwork."
At the press conference, a "Senbatsu Support Poster" featuring Kuro and Sato was also unveiled. The poster will include the names of the participating schools and an overview of the tournament, and will be distributed and displayed nationwide, including in the hometowns of each participating school, for approximately one month from late February until the end of the tournament.
