Bryan Bagunas joins a talent-rich Osaka Bluteon squad in the Japan SV.League, with teammates like Tomohiro Yamamoto and Miguel Angel Lopez expressing excitement about his arrival.
Fresh off his historic run with Alas Pilipinas at the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship, Bryan Bagunas will head to the Japan SV.League with a wave of momentum—and his new teammates at Osaka are more than eager to welcome him.
Bagunas, who signed with the Bluteon in the offseason, had several of his soon-to-be teammates also in Manila for the global joust.
Among those is Japanese libero Tomohiro Yamamoto, who praised Bagunas’ explosive game and vowed to give him the defensive backing he needs to shine.
“He’s a player with great jumping ability and outstanding attacking power,” Yamamoto told One Sports in Japanese.
“I want to give him solid support on defense to maximize his offensive strengths, and together, we’ll work hard toward becoming SV.League champions. I’m really looking forward to playing volleyball with him.”
Cuban star Miguel Ángel López Castro, another high-profile addition to Osaka, shared his first impression of Bagunas and expressed his excitement for the upcoming campaign in Japan's top-tier league.
“I met him two days ago. I’d seen that he’s a very great guy,” Lopez Castro said. “I’m excited for the next season in Osaka, so for sure it’ll be an amazing season for us.”
Bagunas joins an Osaka Bluteon squad loaded with talent.
The club boasts four players in the Japan national team at the World Championship, namely Yamamoto, Masato Kai, Hiroto Nishiyama, Larry Evbade-Dan.
Beyond that, Osaka features Japanese stars Yuji Nishida and Akihiro Yamauchi, both of whom are not in Japan’s 2025 World Championship roster but remain key figures in the SV.League.
The team also employs French setter Antoine Brizard, one of the best playmakers in the world, though his national team bowed out early in Manila after France failed to advance to the Round of 16.
Osaka is expected to challenge for the SV.League title when the new season starts in October. Last year, the Bluteon topped the regular season but finished third after the playoffs.
For Bagunas, the upcoming season marks his return to Japan after his initial stint with the Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler. During the 2021-22 season, he finished sixth in the league in scoring with 511 points.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.