Pacific League Insight Ikeda Sari
2025.7.19(土) 08:00
The professional baseball pennant race for the 2025 season has entered the second half. The Fighters Girls, who support Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in various ways under the slogan “The great voyage continues” as they aim for their first league championship in nine years, have also reached the halfway point of their first year under captain Yuna Uemura.
In addition to dance performances and stadium tour guides at ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO home games, the girls are steadily juggling a variety of parallel activities, including community visits around Hokkaido, media and event appearances, and away matches at other stadiums.
This time, we will be taking a sneak peek at The Fighters Girls’ dance lessons. We will also be interviewing the members, and we will be sharing with you what it’s like to see The Fighters Girls in action during their lessons, who will continue to shine brightly in 2025.
(Left) Shizuku Chiba (Right) Ririka Hashimoto
(Left) Nanako Ueno (center) Rio Miyazaki (right) Ranka Yamamoto
Once the lesson begins, under the guidance of The Fighters Girl choreographer Matsuda Kazuki, the girls proceed one after another with the dance moves for the new numbers and finalizing the choreography for the numbers to be performed in the near future.
After that, they took a break to rehydrate and then immediately started practicing for their upcoming events and trips to other stadiums. Since different members perform at each event, the members concentrate on the formations and MCs that change for each event during their lessons. Even in their smiles, they exude a sense of energy.
As they continue through the 2025 season, each of them facing the challenges before them, we were able to speak to several members in between lessons to find out how they feel.
New member Moeko Takahashi learns from her seniors about “what it means to be The Fighters Girl”
Moeko Takahashi
“There are many choreographies that you have to memorize by watching videos, so self-practice is essential,” says new member Moeko Takahashi. Takahashi was previously active in the cheerleading team of another baseball team. After graduating, she worked as an interior coordinator in the construction industry, gaining work experience before joining The Fighters Girls.
Looking back on her activities so far, she said, “I was very impressed by how well-known The Fighters Girls are in Hokkaido. When we perform at events outside the stadium, the reaction from the audience is great, and when it comes to participatory events, many people enthusiastically participate. So, it’s really important to have the ability to get the people who participate involved, and I feel like I need to get better at that myself.”
“Since I started my activities as The Fighters Girl, I’ve felt that each team’s cheerleading team has its own unique style. I was on the cheerleading team of my previous team as a junior cheerleader since I was in the third grade of elementary school, so there was a unique style that was ingrained in me. Rather than denying that, I would like to absorb as much of The Fighters Girl style as I can from my seniors and grow even more as The Fighters Girl,” she said.
Yui Harafuji
Kotomi Takeichi
Kudo KoyuuMizuochi Sakurako and Momoko’s motivation is “The Fighters Girl activities themselves”
(Left) Momoko Mizuochi (Right) Sakurako Mizuochi
During their individual practice time, twin sisters Sakurako Mizuochi and Momoko were impressive as they happily checked their choreography. They also sometimes practice together at home, which shows how close they are.
When you actually talk to them, you can feel their inner brightness and positive attitude, and just talking to them makes you feel energized. The Mizuochi twin sisters are overflowing with positive energy. When asked what motivates them, they both immediately answer, “The game.”
“I really enjoy the time I spend cheering on my beloved The Fighters with all the fans at ES CON FIELD Hokkaido ground, and that time helps me blow away all my stress. I feel like I’m being detoxed during the games (laughs).”
Momoko Mizuochi
Honoka Suzuki
Ranka YamamotoShiori Suzuki: “I really love this job.”
Shiori Suzuki
The last person we interviewed was Shiori Suzuki, who is in her second year of activities. Vantelin Dome Nagoya Chunichi Dragons She has been cheerleading for 17 years and has dreamed of becoming a professional baseball cheerleader since she was a child.
I dreamed of becoming a professional baseball cheerleader, and I was able to make my dream come true. It was very emotional to see my teammates and parents who used to dance with me in my hometown come to Vantelin Dome the day I performed on the expedition, and I am glad I was able to show them that I really love this job.”
Kazuki Matsuda, who has been the choreographer and dance instructor for The Fighters Girl since 2020
The Fighters Girls will be active in the 2025 season with a total of 22 members. Each member has their own thoughts and feelings as they work hard as The Fighters Girls and cheer on The Fighters. Matsuda Kazuki, who supports the girls as a choreographer and dance instructor, had this to say about this season’s The Fighters Girls:
“This season’s The Fighters Girls have many highly ambitious members who are working hard at practice, and I feel that each of them is doing their best with a strong sense of purpose. Even during practice, they always have the image of the real thing in their facial expressions, and they put in all their effort, so I’m very grateful for that. This kind of attitude is really reassuring, and I want to cherish this positive momentum and be conscious of helping the whole team grow even more.”
After the lesson
The 2025 season is finally in the second half of the competition. Be sure to check out the passionate performance of The Fighters Girls.
Interview and text by Ikeda Sari
AloJapan.com