Mamiko sparked discussions by using an older model iPhone to film Shohei Ohtani, with netizens praising her frugal lifestyle.

At the Dodgers’ November 3 championship parade, fans spotted that Mamiko, wife of the Japanese two-way player Shohei Ohtani, was carrying an older generation iPhone rather than a recent release.

Despite being married to a star earning $70 million annually, Mamiko’s choice not to use the latest iPhone aligns with her consistently modest and unpretentious style, leading many netizens to view her as a sensible consumer.

According to Japanese media such as Yahoo News and Tokyo Sports, 31-year-old Shohei Ohtani attended the celebrations accompanied by his 28-year-old wife, Mamiko. Ohtani posted multiple photos and videos on his personal Instagram account, featuring natural and sweet moments between the couple, as well as scenes of him waving to fans and celebrating with teammates. American and Japanese fans speculated that some of these photos might have been taken from a “wife’s perspective,” likely by Mamiko herself.

Fans noticed from photos released by major media and the league that Mamiko was using an iPhone that wasn’t the newest model on the parade float, which quickly became a hot topic among U.S. and Japanese fans. A photo titled “The $700 million star’s wife’s iPhone” stirred lively debate on the popular U.S. forum Reddit. Based on the phone’s size and camera placement, some concluded that Mamiko was using the iPhone 13 mini released four years ago. A user with the same phone commented that it’s fully functional and easy to carry, making it very practical. Fans also joked, “She doesn’t need the best phone to clearly capture Ohtani,” “Because Ohtani is standing right next to her!” and “There are plenty of pro cameras helping her, so she doesn’t need 25x zoom.”

In Mamiko’s photos, the phone’s back shows two diagonally arranged cameras, a design found only on iPhone models from 13 to 15. Netizens pointed out that she not only uses an older iPhone but also not a Pro version. Many praised her for being “not wasteful” and “thrifty,” with fans expressing even greater affection for Mamiko. Some even used this opportunity to call on her to lead a push for Apple to resume producing small-sized mini series phones.

However, some sports reporters noted that Mamiko used an iPhone 15 during last year’s Dodgers championship parade. Still, it wasn’t the latest model since the iPhone 16 had already been released. Since marrying Shohei Ohtani, Mamiko’s fashion choices have drawn much attention. Before last year’s Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres opening game, she carried a Zara handbag worth 5,000 yen (about 235 RMB) at a gathering in Seoul, appearing very casual. In December, while watching an NBA Los Angeles Lakers game with Ohtani, she wore a Zara sweater priced at about 7,900 yen (roughly 371 RMB) on the official website.