The J. League's new playoff format produced a worthy champion and a thrilling finale in its debut season, but only time will tell if it is a success.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima beat Gamba Osaka in a two-legged championship final last week to claim the title, after a playoff series that pitted the regular season's second- and third-ranked teams against each other in a one-off game for the right to play the top-ranked side in the final.

The fact that regular-season champions Sanfrecce — who picked up a J. League-record 74 points, scored a league-high 73 goals and conceded a league-low 30 — ended up lifting the trophy has spared the J. League some criticism, not least from Sanfrecce fans.