A long strange season has come to its final bend as the Japan Series prepares to decide NPB's top team.
That's a title many would give to the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, who stormed through their schedule behind a powerful offense and the best pitching staff in Japan.
The rest of the NPB's last line of defense comes in the form of the Chunichi Dragons, who are in the Series for the fifth time since 2004. They have their own talented group of pitchers and will be aiming to shut down the Softbank express to win one for outgoing manager Hiromitsu Ochiai.