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Shohei Ohtani is not only extraordinary on the court, but his popularity is also extraordinary.
A survey on sports life among teenagers conducted by the Sasakawa Sports Foundation from June to July 2025 showed that Shohei Ohtani, who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB), ranked first in the “favorite athletes” rankings, followed by volleyball players Ishikawa Yuki and Takahashi Aoi.
This survey is conducted every other year. In terms of favorite athletes, Shohei Ohtani has topped the list four consecutive times after 2019, 2021, and 2023. Its vote rate was 19.9%, 15.4 percentage points behind the second place. The survey was conducted among 3,000 people aged 12 to 21 living in Japan, and 1,438 responses were received.
In September 2024, Shohei Ohtani became the first player in the history of Major League Baseball to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. In 2025, he returned to the game as a pitching “double style”. It is believed that the effect of intensive coverage by all media including TV, newspapers and the Internet is reflected in the survey results.
Ranked second, Yuki Ishikawa plays for Perugia, the powerhouse of the Italian Volleyball League, and is active on the world’s top stage. Aoi Takahashi, who ranked third, and basketball player Yuki Kawamura, who ranked fourth, were ranked eighth and tenth respectively in the last survey. Their rankings have improved significantly this time. Football players Mikasa Kaoru and Lionel Messi, who were tied for fifth place, were ranked second and third respectively in the last survey. They have also been ranked at the forefront and have a stable position in the minds of teenagers.
Source: Sasakawa Sports Foundation
Banner photo: After participating in the MLB World Series Championship Parade, Shohei Ohtani delivers a speech at a celebration ceremony at Dodger Stadium, the team’s home stadium (November 3, 2025, AFP/Jiji)
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