October 19, 2022, Toyama City, Japan—while the elite of the PEBAverse is off celebrating or bemoaning their post-season runs, fans of the organization formerly known as the Lupin Cliff Hangers are having a celebration of their own. The team recently announced a top-down re-tooling of their brand that started with replacing “Lupin” with “Toyama.”

“We want the people of Toyama to know we appreciate their support,” said General Manager, Ron Collins in an interview that discussed reasons that decision. The people of Toyama have always been there for us and, as we moved into the global baseball world, it made total sense that we reassess how we portray ourselves. We are from Toyama. You don’t see Palm Springs calling themselves the Mickey Mouses, you know?”

Today the club took another step on their journey, announcing the results of the contest in which fans were requested to provide the team’s nickname.

“From this day forward, we will be known as the Toyama Wind Dancers,” Collins said at a well-orchestrated press conference that came complete with traditional music from Japanese kokyū and shamisen, as well as a bevy of kimono-garbed dancers.

For those unfamiliar, a “Wind Dancer” refers to participants in the deeply emotional Kaze no bon festival, an event which has been held for some 300 years in nearby Yatsuo, a town inside Toyama Prefecture. The festival, which occurs in early September, translates as “bon dance of the wind,” and was originally celebrated in hopes of preventing typhoons and to provide for a bountiful harvest. The dances themselves happen in the evening darkness, along twisting streets lit by paper lanterns.

“The Kaze no bon is a beautiful event,” said Kasumi Wado, a fan of the ball club, and the presenter of the winning name. “The young men and women who perform it are always bold, yet full of respect for the powers. They wear the proper kimono, and their hats cover their faces so the gods are not displeased. It is very dark to some who may not be familiar with it, yet it uplifts us in times of despair. In their own way, the dancers each tell the story of life.” Wado went on to say she has danced in the ceremony three times, and always found it a moving experience. “It makes me feel like I belong.”

Collins commented on the ceremony during the party after the press conference. “The front office of this organization understands how important the Kaze no bon is in the history of our prefecture and its surrounding area,” Collins said. “So when we saw this entry from within the community, we all fell in love with it. I can think of no imagery that fits this beautiful part of the world better than that of the grace, dignity, and elegance of a Wind Dancer.”

LOGO, COLORS, AND UNIFORMS TO FOLLOW:

This milestone opens the door to the next phase of the rebrand, which will be a re-tooling of the club’s logo and perhaps its team colors. The Toyama front office was secretive regarding the eventual outcome of this effort, but said it had contracted the services of several local artists in an attempt to gather ideas.

“We plan to release new logos, new colors, and likely new uniforms in the very near future,” Collins said.