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Osaka Bluteon (大阪ブルテオン, Ōsaka Buruteon) is a men's volleyball team based in Hirakata City, Osaka, Japan. It plays in SV.League. The club was founded in 1951.^[2] 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.^[3]

The club participated in 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.^[4]

Names

Panasonic Panthers (1992–2024)
Osaka Bluteon (2024–)

Team

Current roster

updated : 25 August 2025^[5]

Team roster – season 2025/26
No.	Player name	Date of birth	Position
1	Kunihiro Shimizu	(1986-08-11) August 11, 1986 (age 39)	Opposite
3	Shunsuke Nakamura	(1999-03-07) March 7, 1999 (age 27)	Setter
4	Kotaro Kaneta	(2002-06-14) June 14, 2002 (age 24)	Middle Blocker
5	Shoma Tomita	(1997-06-20) June 20, 1997 (age 29)	Outside Hitter
6	Antoine Brizard	(1994-05-22) May 22, 1994 (age 32)	Setter^[6]
8	Kenyu Nakamoto	(1997-11-21) November 21, 1997 (age 28)	Outside Hitter
9	Peng Shikun	(2000-08-26) August 26, 2000 (age 25)	Middle Blocker
10	Akihiro Yamauchi	(1993-11-30) November 30, 1993 (age 32)	Middle Blocker
11	Yuji Nishida (c)	(2000-01-30) January 30, 2000 (age 26)	Opposite
13	Tomohiro Yamamoto	(1994-11-05) November 5, 1994 (age 31)	Libero
15	Masato Kai	(2003-09-25) September 25, 2003 (age 22)	Outside Hitter
16	Kotaro Ikeshiro	(2001-11-15) November 15, 2001 (age 24)	Libero
18	Hiroto Nishiyama	(2003-03-04) March 4, 2003 (age 23)	Outside Hitter
19	Keitaro Nishikawa	(2000-04-14) April 14, 2000 (age 26)	Middle Blocker
22	Bryan Bagunas	(1997-10-10) October 10, 1997 (age 28)	Outside Hitter
23	Larry Evbade-Dan	(2000-08-18) August 18, 2000 (age 25)	Middle Blocker
81	Miguel Ángel López	(1997-03-25) March 25, 1997 (age 29)	Outside Hitter
Head coach: Tuomas Sammelvuo^[7]

Former roster

Team roster – season 2023/2024
No.	Player name	Date of birth	Position
1	Kunihiro Shimizu	(1986-08-11) August 11, 1986 (age 39)	Opposite
2	Hideomi Fukatsu	(1990-06-01) June 1, 1990 (age 36)	Setter
3	Shunsuke Nakamura	(1999-03-07) March 7, 1999 (age 27)	Setter
6	Thomas Jaeschke	(1993-09-04) September 4, 1993 (age 32)	Outside Hitter
7	Yuga Tarumi	(2000-11-02) November 2, 2000 (age 25)	Outside Hitter
8	Kenyu Nakamoto	(1997-11-21) November 21, 1997 (age 28)	Outside Hitter
10	Akihiro Yamauchi (c)	(1993-11-30) November 30, 1993 (age 32)	Middle Blocker
11	Yuji Nishida	(2000-01-30) January 30, 2000 (age 26)	Opposite
12	Tomotake Ito	(1999-11-11) November 11, 1999 (age 26)	Libero
13	Tomohiro Yamamoto	(1994-11-05) November 5, 1994 (age 31)	Libero
15	Tatsunori Otsuka	(2000-11-05) November 5, 2000 (age 25)	Outside Hitter
17	Takeshi Nagano	(1985-07-11) July 11, 1985 (age 41)	Libero
18	Hiroto Nishiyama	(2003-03-04) March 4, 2003 (age 23)	Outside Hitter
19	Keitaro Nishikawa	(2000-04-14) April 14, 2000 (age 26)	Middle Blocker
20	Takahiro Shin [ja]	(1991-08-10) August 10, 1991 (age 34)	Setter
21	Yasunari Kodama	(1994-07-24) July 24, 1994 (age 31)	Middle Blocker
22	Yuichiro Komiya	(1992-11-16) November 16, 1992 (age 33)	Middle Blocker
23	Larry Evbade-Dan	(2000-08-18) August 18, 2000 (age 25)	Middle Blocker
Head coach: Laurent Tillie

Honours

SV.League/Daido Life SV.League

Champions (×1): 2025–26
Third place (×1): 2024–25

Japan Volleyball League/V.League/V.Premier League

Champions (×6): 1971–72, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2018–19
Runners-up (×7): 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1972–73, 2012–13, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2023–24
Third place (×1): 2022-23

Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament

Champions (×9): 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1981, 1998, 2009, 2014
Runners-up (×1): 2024^[8]

Emperor's Cup

Champions (×3): 2011, 2012, 2023^[9]
Runner-up (×1): 2008

Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship

Runner-up (×2): 2019, 2025
Third place (×1): 2010

FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship

Runner-up (×1): 2025

Notable players

Japan

Takahiro Yamamoto (2001–2013)
Tatsuya Fukuzawa (2008–2014 and 2016–2019)
Kunihiro Shimizu (2008–present)
Akihiro Yamauchi (2016–present)
Yuji Nishida (2023–present)

Brazil

Nalbert Bitencourt (2002–2004)
Luiz Felipe Fonteles (2007–2008)
Dante Amaral (2013–2014 and 2015–2016)
Thiago Alves (2011–2012 and 2014–2015)

France

Antoine Brizard (2025–)

Poland

Michał Kubiak (2016–2023)

Cuba

Miguel Ángel López (2024–present)

United States

Thomas Jaeschke (2023–2025)

China

Peng Shikun (2025–present)

Philippines

Bryan Bagunas (2025–present)

League results

Champion Runner-up

League		Position	Teams	Matches	Win	Lose
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
V・Premier	2006–07	3rd	8	28	17	11
	2007–08	Champion	8	28	19	9
	2008–09	3rd	8	28	15	13
	2009–10	Champion	8	28	20	4
	2010–11	4th	8	24	14	10
	2011–12	Champion	8	21	17	4
	2012–13	Runner-Up	8	28	20	8
	2013–14	Champion	8	28	21	7
	2014–15	6th	8	21	13	8
	2015–16	Runner-up	8	30	16	14
	2016–17	5th	8	26	15	11
	2017–18	Champion	8	28	23	5
V.League Division 1
	2018–19	Champion	10	34	28	6
	2019–20	Runner-up	10	28	24	4
	2020–21	Runner-up	10	41	33	8
	2021–22	3rd	10	36	25	11
	2022–23	3rd	10	39	25	14
	2023–24	Runner-up	10	38	33	5
SV.League	2024–25	3rd	10	46	37	9
SV.League	2025–26	Champion	10	44	38	6

References

↑ "西田有志選手キャプテン就任のお知らせ" (in Japanese). Osaka Bluteon. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
↑ "パナソニックパンサーズについて". 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 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-10-24.
↑ "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" [Panasonic Panthers decides to undergo a rebranding. Notice of changing team name and emblem] (in Japanese). Panasonic Panthers. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
↑ "「新クラブ名称」「新エンブレム」発表のお知らせ" [Announcement of "New Club Name" and "New Emblem"] (in Japanese). Osaka Bluteon. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
↑ "Osaka Bluteon -player". osaka-bluteon.com. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
↑ "Antoine Antoine Brizard joins the team". osaka-bluteon.com. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
↑ "トーマス・サムエルボ新監督就任のお知らせ" (in Japanese). Osaka Bluteon. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
↑ "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" (PDF). jva.or.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 July 2024.
↑ "【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" (in Japanese). 17 December 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2024.

External links

Official Website

[CAP-1] "西田有志選手キャプテン就任のお知らせ" (in Japanese). Osaka Bluteon. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2025.

[2] "パナソニックパンサーズについて". 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 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-10-24.

[3] "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" [Panasonic Panthers decides to undergo a rebranding. Notice of changing team name and emblem] (in Japanese). Panasonic Panthers. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.

[4] "「新クラブ名称」「新エンブレム」発表のお知らせ" [Announcement of "New Club Name" and "New Emblem"] (in Japanese). Osaka Bluteon. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.

[5] "Osaka Bluteon -player". osaka-bluteon.com. Retrieved 7 June 2025.

[6] "Antoine Antoine Brizard joins the team". osaka-bluteon.com. Retrieved 6 June 2025.

[7] "トーマス・サムエルボ新監督就任のお知らせ" (in Japanese). Osaka Bluteon. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.

[8] "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" (PDF). jva.or.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 July 2024.

[9] "【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" (in Japanese). 17 December 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2024.

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