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Toru Takahashi/Associated Press

Even before the 2014 MLB vs. Japan All-Star Series got underway, there were plenty of stories worth following. Would there be any major injuries? Would the MLB squad—"fresh" off a 162-game grind and, in some cases, a grueling postseason—have enough left in the tank?

And, most interestingly, would Samurai Japan—an awesome moniker if ever there was one—hold its own?

Five games later we have our answers. In honor of those five contests, let's examine five takeaways from this international interlude, which, while technically an exhibition, represented a watershed moment for baseball on the international stage.

It's not the World Series, or even the World Baseball Classic. But we'll take it.