For nearly a decade, it seems Central League teams have simply fought among themselves to see who would lose to the Pacific League representative in the Japan Series.
No team from the league has won the title since the Yomiuri Giants in 2012, but like Sisyphus and his boulder, they keep at it in hopes of getting over the hump.
The Giants have been the "winners" the past two seasons and anyone wanting a shot at the PL this fall will have to go through the Kyojin to earn it.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.