View source for Osaka Bluteon

{{Short description|Japanese volleyball club}}
{{clear|right}}
{{Infobox volleyball club
| clubname    = Osaka Bluteon
| short name  = 
| nickname    = 
| image       = Osaka_Bluteon.png
| fullname    = 
| founded     = 1951
| dissolved   = 
| ground      = Panasonic Arena
| capacity    = 2,500
| chairman    = 
| mgrtitle    = Head Coach
| manager     = {{flagicon|FIN}} [[Tuomas Sammelvuo]]
| captain     = {{flagicon|Japan}} [[Akihiro Yamauchi]]
| league      = [[SV.League]]
| season      = [[2024–25 SV.League Men's|2024–25]]
| position    = 3rd place
| website     = https://www.osaka-bluteon.com/
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| shorts1     = 
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}}
{{nihongo|'''Osaka Bluteon'''|大阪ブルテオン|Ōsaka Buruteon}} is a men's [[volleyball]] team based in [[Hirakata, Osaka|Hirakata City, Osaka]], [[Japan]]. It plays in [[SV.League]]. The club was founded in 1951.<ref>{{Cite web |title=パナソニック パンサーズについて |url=https://panasonic.co.jp/sports/volleyball/about/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=パナソニックのバレーボールチーム、パナソニック パンサーズ |language=ja}}</ref> It is owned by the [[Panasonic Corporation]].

==History==
Osaka Bluteon was established as a volleyball club for [[Matsushita Electric Industrial]] (now [[Panasonic]]) in 1951 and from 1992 to 2024 was known as the Panasonic Panthers.<ref>{{cite web |title=パナソニック パンサーズは リブランディングの実施を決定 「チーム名称」「エンブレム」の刷新のお知らせ |trans-title=Panasonic Panthers decides to undergo a rebranding. Notice of changing team name and emblem|url=https://www.osaka-bluteon.com/news/2024/20240213_03.html |publisher=Panasonic Panthers |date=13 February 2024|access-date=10 September 2024|language=ja}}</ref>

The club would become one of the participating teams of the inaugural 2024–25 season of the [[SV.League]]. It adopted its current name and branding in June 2024 ahead of their participation in the new league.<ref>{{cite news |title=「新クラブ名称」「新エンブレム」発表のお知らせ |trans-title=Announcement of "New Club Name" and "New Emblem"|url=https://www.osaka-bluteon.com/news/2024/20240611_01.html |access-date=10 September 2024 |publisher=Osaka Bluteon |date=11 June 2024|language=ja}}</ref>

==Names==
*Panasonic Panthers (1992–2024)
*Osaka Bluteon (2024–)

== Team ==

=== Current roster ===
''updated : 7 June 2025''<ref>{{cite web |title=Osaka Bluteon -player |url=https://www.osaka-bluteon.com/member/ |website=osaka-bluteon.com |access-date=7 June 2025}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible "style="font-size:{{{fs|100}}}%; text-align:center;" 
!colspan="7"| Team roster – season 2025/26
|-
!style="width:2em;color:#FFFFFF; background-color:#004D99"|{{tooltip|No.|Jersey Number}}
!style="width:15em;color:#FFFFFF; background-color:#004D99"|Player name
!style="width:15em;color:#FFFFFF; background-color:#004D99"|Date of birth
!style="width:10em;color:#FFFFFF; background-color:#004D99"|Position
|-
|align=center| 1 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kunihiro Shimizu]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1986|8|11}}|| Opposite 
|-
|align=center| 3 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shunsuke Nakamura(volleyball)|Shunsuke Nakamura]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1999|3|7}}|| Setter
|-
|align=center| 4 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kotaro Kaneta]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2002|6|14}}|| Middle Blocker
|-
|align=center| 5 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shoma Tomita]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1997|6|20}}|| Outside Hitter
|-
|align=center| 6 ||align=left|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Antoine Brizard]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1994|5|22}}|| Setter<ref>{{cite web |title=Antoine Antoine Brizard joins the team |url=https://www.osaka-bluteon.com/news/2025/20250606_01.html |website=osaka-bluteon.com |access-date=6 June 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|align=center| 8 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenyu Nakamoto]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1997|11|21}}|| Outside Hitter
|-
|align=center| 10 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Akihiro Yamauchi]] ([[Captain (sports)|c]])||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1993|11|30}}|| Middle Blocker
|-
|align=center| 11 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuji Nishida]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2000|1|30}}|| Opposite 
|-
|align=center| 13 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tomohiro Yamamoto (volleyball)|Tomohiro Yamamoto]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1994|11|5}}||Libero
|-
|align=center| 16 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kotaro Ikeshiro]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2001|11|15}}||Libero
|-
|align=center| 18 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiroto Nishiyama]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2003|3|4}}|| Outside Hitter
|-
|align=center| 19 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Keitaro Nishikawa]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2000|4|14}}|| Middle Blocker
|-
|align=center| 23 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Larry Evbade-Dan]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2000|8|18}}|| Middle Blocker
|-
|align=center| 81 ||align=left|{{flagicon|CUB}} [[Miguel Ángel López (volleyball)|Miguel Ángel López]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1997|3|25}}|| Outside Hitter
|-
|colspan=5 align=center| Head coach: {{flagicon|FIN}} [[Tuomas Sammelvuo]]<ref>{{cite news |title=トーマス・サムエルボ新監督 就任のお知らせ |url=https://www.osaka-bluteon.com/news/2025/20250529_01.html |access-date=7 June 2025 |publisher=Osaka Bluteon |date=29 May 2025 |language=ja}}</ref>
|}

=== Former roster ===
{| class="wikitable collapsible "style="font-size:{{{fs|100}}}%; text-align:center;" 
!colspan="7"| Team roster – season 2023/2024
|-
!style="width:2em;color:#FFFFFF; background-color:#004D99"|{{tooltip|No.|Jersey Number}}
!style="width:15em;color:#FFFFFF; background-color:#004D99"|Player name
!style="width:15em;color:#FFFFFF; background-color:#004D99"|Date of birth
!style="width:10em;color:#FFFFFF; background-color:#004D99"|Position
|-
|align=center| 1 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kunihiro Shimizu]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1986|8|11}}|| Opposite 
|-
|align=center| 2 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hideomi Fukatsu]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1990|6|1}}|| Setter
|-
|align=center| 3 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shunsuke Nakamura(volleyball)|Shunsuke Nakamura]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1999|3|7}}|| Setter
|-
|align=center| 6 ||align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Thomas Jaeschke]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1993|9|4}}|| Outside Hitter
|-
|align=center| 7 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuga Tarumi]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2000|11|2}}|| Outside Hitter
|-
|align=center| 8 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenyu Nakamoto]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1997|11|21}}|| Outside Hitter
|-
|align=center| 10 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Akihiro Yamauchi]] ([[Captain (sports)|c]])||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1993|11|30}}|| Middle Blocker
|-
|align=center| 11 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuji Nishida]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2000|1|30}}|| Opposite 
|-
|align=center| 12 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tomotake Ito]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1999|11|11}}|| Libero
|-
|align=center| 13 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tomohiro Yamamoto (volleyball)|Tomohiro Yamamoto]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1994|11|5}}||Libero
|-
|align=center| 15 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tatsunori Otsuka]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2000|11|5}}|| Outside Hitter
|-
|align=center| 17 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takeshi Nagano]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1985|7|11}}|| Libero
|-
|align=center| 18 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiroto Nishiyama]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2003|3|4}}||  Outside Hitter
|-
|align=center| 19 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Keitaro Nishikawa]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2000|4|14}}|| Middle Blocker
|-
|align=center| 20 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} {{ill|Takahiro Shin|ja|新貴裕}}||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1991|8|10}}|| Setter
|-
|align=center| 21 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yasunari Kodama]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1994|7|24}}|| Middle Blocker 
|-
|align=center| 22 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuichiro Komiya]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|1992|11|16}}|| Middle Blocker
|-
|align=center| 23 ||align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Larry Evbade-Dan]]||align=right|{{Birth date and age|2000|8|18}}|| Middle Blocker
|-
|colspan=5 align=center| Head coach: {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Laurent Tillie]]
|}

==Honours==
;[[V.League (Japan)|Japan Volleyball League/V.League/V.Premier League]]
* Champions [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] '''(×6)''': 1971–72, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14, [[2018–19 V.League Division 1 Men's|2018–19]]
* Runners-up [[File:Silver medal with cup.svg|16px]] '''(×7)''': 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1972–73, 2012–13, [[2019–20 V.League Division 1 Men's|2019–20]], [[2020–21 V.League Division 1 Men's|2020–21]], [[2023–24 V.League Division 1 Men's|2023–24]]
* Third place [[File:Bronze medal with cup.svg|16px]] '''(×1)''' :2022-23
;[[Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament]]
* Champions [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] '''(×9)''': 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1981, 1998, 2009, 2014
* Runners-up [[File:Silver medal with cup.svg|16px]] '''(×1)''': 2024<ref>{{cite web |title=第７２回 黒鷲旗全日本男女選抜バレーボール大会決勝トーナメント戦　結果 |url=https://www.jva.or.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/kt_result_kurowashiki2024.pdf |website=jva.or.jp |access-date=3 July 2024 |language=ja}}</ref>
;[[Emperor's Cup and Empress's Cup All Japan Volleyball Championship|Emperor's Cup]]
* Champions [[File:Gold Cup icon.svg|20px]] '''(×3)''': 2011, 2012, 2023<ref>{{cite news |title=【バレー】西田有志が古賀紗理那と夫婦でMVP「家族で達成うれしい」パナソニック天皇杯Ｖ導く |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202312170001526.html |access-date=3 July 2024 |date=17 December 2023 |language=ja}}</ref>
* Runner-up [[File:Simple silver cup.svg|17px]] '''(×1)''': 2008
;[[Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship]]
* Runner-up [[File:Silver medal with cup.svg|16px]] '''(×1)''': [[2019 Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship|2019]]
* Third place [[File:Bronze medal with cup.svg|16px]] '''(×1)''' : [[2010 Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship|2010]]

==Notable players==
{{JPN}}
* [[Takahiro Yamamoto]] (2001–2013)
* [[Tatsuya Fukuzawa]] (2008–2014 and 2016–2019)
* [[Kunihiro Shimizu]] (2008–present)
* [[Akihiro Yamauchi]] (2016–present)
* [[Yuji Nishida]] (2023–present)

{{BRA}}
* [[Nalbert Bitencourt]] (2002–2004)
* [[Luiz Felipe Fonteles]] (2007–2008)
* [[Dante Amaral]](2013–2014 and 2015–2016)
* [[Thiago Soares Alves|Thiago Alves]] (2011–2012 and 2014–2015)

{{FRA}}
* [[Antoine Brizard]] (2025–)

{{POL}}
* [[Michał Kubiak]] (2016–2023)

{{CUB}}
* [[Miguel Ángel López (volleyball)|Miguel Ángel López]] (2024–present)

{{USA}}
* [[Thomas Jaeschke]] (2023–2025)

==League results==
{{Color box|gold|border=darkgray}} '''Champion'''&nbsp;&nbsp;{{Color box|silver|border=darkgray}} Runner-up

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" border="1"
!width=200 colspan=2|League
!width=100|Position 
!width=60|Teams
!width=60|Matches
!width=60|Win
!width=60|Lose
|- 
|rowspan=12|V.League
||1st (1994–95)|| 7th || 8 || 21|| 10|| 11 
|-
||2nd (1995–96)|| 6th || 8 || 21|| 10|| 11 
|-
||3rd (1996–97)|| 5th || 8 || 21|| 10|| 11 
|-
||4th (1997–98)|| 3rd || 8 || 21|| 14|| 7 
|-
||5th (1998–99)|| 4th || 10 || 18|| 17|| 1 
|-
||6th (1999-00)|| 6th || 10 || 18|| 9|| 9 
|- 
||7th (2000–01)|| 6th || 10 || 18|| 9|| 9 
|-
||8th (2001–02)|| 6th|| 10 || 18|| 9|| 9 
|- 
||9th (2002–03)|| 3rd|| 8 || 21|| 13|| 8 
|- 
||10th (2003–04)|| 3rd|| 8 || 21|| 12|| 9 
|- 
||11th (2004–05)|| 4th|| 8 || 28|| 15|| 13 
|- 
||12th (2005–06)|| 5th|| 8 || 28|| 16|| 12 
|- 
|rowspan=12|V・Premier
||2006–07|| 3rd|| 8 || 28|| 17|| 11 
|-bgcolor=gold
||2007–08|| '''Champion'''|| 8 || 28|| 19|| 9 
|-
||2008–09|| 3rd|| 8 || 28|| 15|| 13 
|-bgcolor=gold 
||2009–10|| '''Champion'''|| 8 || 28|| 20|| 4
|- 
||2010–11|| 4th|| 8 || 24|| 14|| 10
|-bgcolor=gold 
||2011–12|| '''Champion'''|| 8 || 21|| 17|| 4
|-bgcolor=silver 
||2012–13|| Runner-Up|| 8 || 28|| 20|| 8 
|-bgcolor=gold 
||2013–14|| '''Champion'''|| 8 || 28|| 21|| 7
|-
||2014–15|| 6th|| 8 || 21|| 13|| 8
|-bgcolor=silver
||2015–16|| Runner-up|| 8 || 30|| 16|| 14
|-
||2016–17|| 5th|| 8 || 26|| 15|| 11
|-bgcolor=gold
||[[2017–18 V.Premier League Men's|2017–18]]|| '''Champion'''|| 8 || 28|| 23|| 5
|-
|rowspan=7|V.League Division 1
|-bgcolor=gold
||[[2018–19 V.League Division 1 Men's|2018–19]]||'''Champion'''||  10 ||  34|| 28|| 6
|-bgcolor=silver
||[[2019–20 V.League Division 1 Men's|2019–20]]|| Runner-up|| 10 || 28|| 24|| 4
|-bgcolor=silver
||[[2020–21 V.League Division 1 Men's|2020–21]]|| Runner-up|| 10 || 41|| 33|| 8
|-
||[[2021–22 V.League Division 1 Men's|2021–22]]|| 3rd||10||36|| 25|| 11
|-
||[[2022–2023 V.League Division 1 Men's|2022–23]]||3rd||10||39||25||14
|-bgcolor=silver
||[[2023–24 V.League Division 1 Men's|2023–24]]||Runner-up||10||38||33||5
|-
|rowspan=1|SV.League
||[[2024–25 SV.League Men's|2024–25]]||3rd||10||46||37||9
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://panasonic.co.jp/sports/volleyball/ Official Website]


{{V.League (Japan) Premier Men's}}
{{Panasonic}}

[[Category:Volleyball clubs in Japan]]
[[Category:Volleyball clubs established in 1952]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams in Osaka Prefecture]]
[[Category:Panasonic]]
[[Category:1952 establishments in Japan]]