Voice Actress Fairouz Ai to Appear as Ruriko at Opening Ceremony Pitch, 'The Catcher in the Ballpark! Special Day' to be Held on May 17th (Saturday)

It has been announced that the voice actress Fairouz Ai, known for her role as Ruriko in the anime "The Catcher in the Ballpark!", will perform the opening ceremony pitch at the 'The Catcher in the Ballpark! Special Day' on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

This work is based on a manga series by Suga Tatsuro, serialized in Kodansha's "Morning". Set in a professional baseball stadium, the story is a "romantic comedy of smiles and tears in the stadium" featuring a gal-type beer vendor, Ruriko (CV: Fairouz Ai), and Murata (CV: Satoshi Inomata), who gets involved with her at the stadium.

The opening ceremony pitch is scheduled for about 1:40 PM as part of the day's first pitch ceremony. Besides the first pitch, Fairouz will also be featured in the between-inning performances during the match. Fairouz commented enthusiastically, "With a sparkling smile like the foam on beer, I will put my heart into one pitch! I'll do my best!!" (full comment below).

Furthermore, on May 17, Saturday, the 'The Catcher in the Ballpark! Special Day' will present attendees with a limited edition card featuring an original illustration by creator Suga Tatsuro, limited to the first 20,000 visitors. Additionally, beers will be sold in cups with original designs. There will also be a social media-linked campaign offering a chance to win posters with players' autographs.