Source: TV Asahi
Last Thursday, the Hanshin Tigers clinched their first Central League pennant in 18 years. One photo got the attention of all. The photo’s subject has become known as Dotombori Bro. The show caught up with him and he expressed his remorse.
I’m Jumping! The Miraculous Photo that Spread Around the World
The energy and celebrations centered around the Dotombori Canal after Hanshin clinched its CL pennant. Fifty minutes after the final out, this man floated in the sky.
Bro: “I’m jumping! Shall I jump from here?”
Because of past instances of death, the city and police warned fans against doing the “Dotombori Dive.”
This man chose to jump despite there being an uncountable number of cameras on him. The result is the picture above (seen below in close-up).
He’s got a full smile on his face and his arms are spread in a “banzai pose.” It’s as though there is a real spotlight on him.
This cleverly taken photo of a man diving and a crowd supporting him has spread like wildfire on social media and received quite a number of reactions. On X (Twitter), comments like this were found: “His form is so beautiful, I have a hard time believing he did this without careful preparation for this day.” / “A miraculous photo!” He began to be called “Dotombori Niki” online. Niki is a type of net slang for bro. So he’s Dotombori Bro.
The picture was posted by an American media outlet that boasts over 17 million followers and has spread throughout the world.
Dotombori Bro: “I was wrong…” “I’ll never do it again”
The show was able to catch up with the man. Last night (September 18) at 7 pm, they met up with him near the original scene, on a bridge that stretches across the Dotombori, and he was wearing the same shirt as he was on the day of his infamous dive. As he beamed, he recounted the event in his own words.
DB (age 27): You’re Asahi TV? Yes, I am the one they call Dotombori Bro.
Is he a Hanshin fan?
DB: Yes, I am. I have been since elementary school. Almost 20 years now.
He is 27, born and raised in Osaka, and a hardcore Hanshin fan. The show then asked him to explain his reason for diving into the Dotombori Canal.
DB: Despite all the police in the area, I found myself questioning if I was seriously going to try diving, but my impulses got the best of me. I just jumped before I could come to my senses. People have said, “If Hanshin wins the pennant, you better not jump in the water,” and they are right. It was a poor decision.
Does he know that it was a wrongful act to jump in?
DB: I knew that it was wrong, so I am aware that I made a foolish decision.
He knew it was not the right action to take, but his joy from the pennant victory won over his self-restraint, and he jumped in. So, if Hanshin wins the Japan Series, what does he plan to do?
DB: I’m not jumping. I’ve received my share of bashing from this. I’m ashamed to be reprimanded by my fellow Hanshin fans. My parents were mad, too. ‘What were you thinking?’
So he has promised not to do it again and clearly regrets his actions. But was he surprised by the buzz surrounding the picture?
DB: It was way, way beyond what I imagined. It’s all because of the quality of the picture. The photographer is truly amazing. A really good photographer, for sure.
A Coincidental Picture that Almost Didn’t Get Submitted…
The TV program was able to identify and talk to the photographer as well.
Her name is Miki Matsuzaki (松嵜未来) and she belongs to the photography department of Kyodo’s Osaka branch. Does she even like baseball?
MM: I do. I’m an Orix fan, though. Sorry. I mean, I really like baseball a lot, so I like Hanshin, too.
This is her fifth year with Kyodo, and amidst the pandemic, she got relocated (she is originally from Yamaguchi Prefecture) to Osaka.
MM: I thought to myself, ‘So, this is what Osaka is all about?’ I felt like I caught a proper glimpse of the real Osaka at last.
The jubilation around Dotombori Canal was literally chaos. Matsuzaki was able to view the disarray from a tall building near Ebisu Bridge. She was thinking about how she could capture the entire situation in one succinct photo, when suddenly…
MM: I snapped to attention when I saw him. ‘He’s gonna jump’ I thought, and I quickly snapped a few pictures. It was a nice coincidence that he was framed so nicely in the shot. I was like, ‘Oops. I think I got a good one here.’
In the picture, he’s got the perfect banzai pose, he had just broken into the perfect smile… but despite the perfect timing and framing of her photo, she was not thinking of submitting it because of the warnings issued by the police and local government.
MM: Opinions vary, and some say that the media is encouraging this kind of behavior (by publishing photos). I agree. It also makes it look like we are singling out this one jumper.
But soon after taking the picture, she realized that she had to submit it to her company. The reason is…
MM: His facial expression was just too perfect. He just looked so happy as he jumped. After taking the picture I wasn’t planning to submit it, but after checking it carefully, I realized that wasn’t an option.
And since then, it has spread all over the world as a “miraculous shot.” Reactions have been huge…
Matsuzaki says this is one of the joys and rewards of being a photographer but also wants to emphasize that she does not condone anyone who decides to dive into the Dotombori.
MM: People have died from this in the past, so I don’t want to see this action repeated by anyone else.
As seen on “Good Morning” (Asahi TV) on the morning of September 19