The upcoming anime adaptation of Tatsurō Suga’s manga, “The Catcher in the Ballpark!” is rounding out its cast with the addition of Kentarō Tone and Kō Bonkobara. The series, set to premiere in 2025, has already garnered attention for its heartwarming story and unique setting within a professional baseball stadium.
New Recruits for the Motorsuns
Kentarō Tone and Kō Bonkobara will be lending their voices to two overseas players on the Motorsuns baseball team, adding international flavor to the anime’s roster.
- Kentarō Tone will voice Dennis, a former major leaguer from Chicago. Dennis is the Motorsuns’ third baseman and cleanup hitter, aiming to impress scouts and return to the majors. He sports the number 34, a nod to prominent Chicago Cubs players.
- Kō Bonkobara will voice Brian, the Motorsuns’ designated hitter. After a long career in the minor leagues, Brian is making his mark in Japanese baseball, wearing Jackie Robinson’s legendary number 42.
Kentarō Tone: From Hiroshima to the Ballpark
Kentarō Tone, born on May 29, 1982, is a Japanese voice actor from Hiroshima Prefecture. He is affiliated with I’m Enterprise. Tone’s early life included a stint in the United States due to his father’s work. Upon returning to Japan, he attended Hiroshima Johoku Junior and Senior High School, where he participated in the broadcasting club. He spent seven years at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, majoring in Tagalog.
Notable Roles
Tone made his voice acting debut in 2006, discussing paintings for a digital exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art, Ibaraki. His more prominent roles include:
- Akira Hattori in Bakuman.
- Tetsuo Kinoshita in Danchi Tomoo.
- Oshtor and Haku in Utawarerumono.
- The President in This Art Club Has a Problem!
- Zion Kunikida in Ingress.
- Jürgen Borisovich Volk in The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup.
Kō Bonkobara: An International Voice
Kō Bonkobara was born on April 9 in California, USA. He is represented by Arts Vision. Bonkobara graduated from the Japan Narration Acting Institute. His interests include watching sports like soccer, baseball, and basketball, and he possesses strong English conversation skills, evidenced by his TOEIC score of 950.
Select Projects
While information on Bonkobara’s roles is less readily available, some of his recent credits include:
- Sakamoto Days (2025) as Man.
- Blue Exorcist -The Blue Night Saga- (2025) as Researcher.
- Honey Lemon Soda (2025) as English Teacher.
- Blue Box (2024-2025) as Teacher; Club Member.
- I’m Getting Married to a Girl I Hate in My Class (2025) as Black Suit.
“The Catcher in the Ballpark!”: A Heartwarming Comedy
“The Catcher in the Ballpark!” revolves around Satoshi Inomata, an office worker who finds solace at a nearby baseball stadium. He encounters Ruriko, a beer vendor with a gyaru-like appearance but a pure heart. The story follows their interactions and the various characters who frequent the stadium, highlighting the human drama and community found within.
Production Team
The anime is directed by Junichi Kitamura at studio EMT Squared. Shigeru Murakoshi is in charge of series composition, Fumio Iida is handling character designs, and MONACA is composing the music.
Cast
The announced cast includes:
- Fairouz Ai as Ruriko.
- Satoshi Inomata as Murata.
- Ikumi Hasegawa as Aona.
- Satoshi Tanaka as Omatsu.
- Yōji Ueda as Nakaizumi.
- Ayumi Mano as Natsuno.
- Momoko Seto as Kokoro.
- Jin Urayama as Ryuichi Igarashi.
- Hiroki Tōchi as Kojiro.
- Rika Tachibana as Yuki Takino.
Anticipation Builds for 2025 Premiere
With the addition of Kentarō Tone and Kō Bonkobara, “The Catcher in the Ballpark!” is shaping up to be a promising anime series. The blend of sports, comedy, and heartwarming interactions, set against the backdrop of a professional baseball stadium, offers a unique and engaging premise for viewers in 2025.
