kita-iba pato · @ibarakicyclist
16th Jul 2017 from TwitLonger
Interview with Taisei
Original article: http://mastercupofficial.com/17582
Q: so you were suddenly able to join EVO for the first time this year.
Taisei: This year I'm here thanks to my sponsor Tsubachan.com. I've known the Fukuoka Tekken Player Shana for a long time. And in the middle of a casual phone call, it just came up as a random idea, and it was decided that I would go to Las Vegas on a whim. I was like, Alright! Time to take on the world! (laughing) Joking aside suddenly getting a passport and ESTA visa was pretty difficult, but I somehow got ready by the end of June.
Q: You don't seem like a console player.
T: I don7t have Tekken 7 or a PS4 at homer. I play at my friends house. This time, after asking Shana and Masakari, I chose a Mad Catz TE2+ and a noire finish board. I immediately picked it up online. It was my first time in my life buying a stick(laughing). I am a pure arcade gamer. But, I got the one that gives me the most arcade like experience. It's more expensive than the other sticks, so I felt safe wit my purchase.
Q: It must have been really tough for you, a pure arcade gamer, to adjust to the atmosphere of a console gamer.
T: I7m still not used to resting the stick on my lap, so I don't feel completely satisfied with my play yet. Of course I know that every one else has to deal with the same thing, but I'm a little nervous because I7m not used to it yet.
Q: I heard you and Gen(a Tekken player from the same town)traveled all the way to Nagasaki with had a training camp with Cuares pro gamer Chikurin to prepare for EVO.
T: I heard that Chikurin was going to the Philippines for a tournament, so it was good for both of us, and we held a 4 day training camp. I played matches over and over with Chikurin, Noroma, and Thai curry. I really wanted to get used to the stick on my lap. What surprised me was how Chikurin was able to adapt to and use any stick. Unless the lever was really bad his play was unaffected. He can adjust to the atmosphere of a console tournament easily as well, and I was really jealous of the experience he had. I will gain that experience from my first console tournament, EVO. Also, with Gen I practiced mostly against the new characters, and we help a lot of talks about what to look out for at EVO. It was really helpful.
Q:So do you think you can get through your “0 round”(meaning going to a foreign console tournament)
T: Cuares Toshhii is going to be our tour conductor will guide me and Chikurin to the arena, so that makes me feel better. It would have been impossible for me to take part in a foreign tournament for the first time on my own(laughing). Shana was trying to send me on my own. He said I could use a phone and he'd give me directions from afar(laughing). No freaking way. Thank you so much Cuares CEO.
Q: Are there any Japanese or foreign players you are paying attention to?
T: Within Japan there is Batz, who uses Hwoarang. Hwoarang is a really lucky character, and I'm not good against him, so I'm scared. For Korean it would be Knee. I couldn't really play with him too much when he was here, but I have the confidence, and the the image in my head that I can beat him. He's a player I've looked up to for a long time, so I 'd like to beat him myself. Also, was watching the preliminary tournament for the Tekken World Tour. It's said that JDCR and Saint are really strong in tournaments, but the pressure they have is unbelievable. I look up to these guys like, damn, these guys are strong. And, like I mentioned before, I am not used to a stick yet, so my ability to produce the same kind of movement as the arcade is really low, and I might get a glimpse of hell. Honestly, I think the main fight is with myself. I also have to be careful to manage the timing for when I leave the arena for smoke breaks(laughing).
Q: Are you worried about any rules/regulations?
T: I'm being careful not to touch the start/option button. I understand how double elimination works. I'd prefer to do FT3 from the beginning, but I understand for time reasons. I just have to win twice, and if I lose first, I think I have the advantage.
Q: The advantage?
T: Besides a few I can use most of the characters well, so I can counter pick a character my opponent has trouble with. I kind of think of it like “Lord Taisei rules.” But... the arcade stick.. my movement... I'm just kidding(laughing). I7m going to do the best with what is given to me. The Tekken players of Kyushu, Double from Ishikawa who has experience at EVO, all my pupils across Japan, and some of my friends who have only played Tekken a little bit are all cheering for me, so I want to look cool on the world stage for them.
Q: So the Taisei Children are all cheering for you?
T: Without question. But I want you to know, people who ask me to teach them how to play Tekken but stand behind me playing social games and not watching my play are not my pupils. I always watched the strong players play when I was a kid in Fukuoka. I was often watching Nyanchuu and so on's matches. Now that that's out of the way, I know that the people that I seriously teach will be cheering for me. Even if I lose, I know that they will understand what I'm trying to do. But, I'm going to win. (laughing)
Q: What are you going to with the winnings?
T: I want to pay people back who have helped me, and I want to buy stuff I want. Also, whether I win or lose I wanna do a whole lot of money matches(laughing). All 1200 of you bring it on! I was raised by a single mother, so I strongly want to win EVO and pay her back.
Q: are you confident you can win it all?
T: Taking the amount of time I've practiced on stick and console into consideration, I would say that just this time, if I was cocky I have a 10% chance of taking it all, but realistically I have about a 3% chance. Matador said if before going to EVO as well, but I think if you're a Tekken player you'll understand this percentage. I always think it when I join a tournament, no matter how many people are participating or what rules there are, in order to win the championship beyond skill you undoubtedly need luck. Recently at some tournaments I've made some great friends, and I've won 4 tournaments, Moribu Cup WG(30 ppl) Death Destruction King Cup(50 ppl), KELOTCUP3(200 ppl), and Ultimate Moribu Cup(150ppl), in a row. Honestly, without luck anyone will lose 0-2.
Q: Please give us your final thoughts.
T:Tekken is the only game I play, so I absolutely do not want to lose at Tekken. It's my first match abroad, and everyone is watching EVO, right? Gen, who is like my little brother, was the runner up at his first tournament in our home town. I want to leave my mark on the world.