The Japanese baseball team, the Mariners, have once more been unable to break their World Series curse. Despite a strong season and high hopes, the team's ambitions of making it to the famous championship for the first time ever were not realized. Fans and team members alike expressed disappointment but vowed to continue striving for the elusive title in future seasons.

Baseball is one of the most popular sports in Japan — almost a national obsession. People follow their local teams closely. The Mariners' failure to reach the World Series is seen as a big disappointment, as it would be a huge achievement for the team and a source of local pride. The team's perseverance and determination, however, align with Japanese values of diligence and hard work.

In the US, baseball is also a major sport, and the World Series is the ultimate goal for any team. As with the Mariners in Japan, long-standing "curses" and periods of World Series absence are sources of disappointment for fans and players, but also seen as challenges to overcome. The reaction to this kind of news would be very similar in the US.