On the 31st, the Orix Buffaloes announced that they will hold the "Naniwa HERO Special Ceremonial First Pitch," featuring local heroes who have contributed to brightening the city of Osaka, at the game against the Rakuten Eagles (Kyocera Dome Osaka) on September 12.

In this special ceremonial first pitch, individuals with ties to Osaka Prefecture who have brought positive news to the region across various fields—such as those who contributed to life-saving efforts or crime prevention, or those who have excelled nationally or globally—take the mound. For this 9th occasion, Shoya Matsuura, who serves as a pilot for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's aerobatic team "Blue Impulse," will take the mound.

Matsuura, who hails from Osaka Prefecture, played rubber-ball baseball from his first year of elementary school until his third year of high school. Inspired by a video of a Blue Impulse exhibition flight at the age of 15, he became a Blue Impulse pilot in 2024, fulfilling a long-held dream. In 2025, he performed a brilliant acrobatic display during an exhibition flight at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, garnering loud cheers and applause.

Admiring Mr. T-Okada, who hails from the same youth baseball team "Yamada Nishi Little Wolf," Mr. Matsuura still supports the Orix Buffaloes today. Having fulfilled his dream of transitioning from a baseball boy to a Blue Impulse pilot, he will perform a major role on the mound at the Kyocera Dome Osaka he has long admired.