Five Hot Takeaways from EVO Japan 2018

The first major video game tournament, EVO Japan 2018, emanated from Tokyo last weekend. The first ever Eastern EVO event featured both esports stalwarts like Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition and a few surprises like ARMS during the three days. Between the there’s plenty to talk about in the aftermath. The stage has been set for a strong 2018 in fighting games, and these five takeaways shed some light on what we can expect.

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The Beast roars in Arcade Edition

Watch SFV: AE Match 7 from evo on www.twitch.tv

Any Street Fighter V tournament is going to be a good watch, but there’s something about a competition where Daigo “The Beast” Umehara features prominently that makes it extra special. The fighting game legend made his presence felt in a big way, ascending all the way to Top 3 with some masterful Guile work. Corner pressure, terrific reads, and flashy moves brought back fond memories of the old Daigo, the one from the ultra-famous EVO Moment #37. He even eliminated the reigning EVO 2017 champion Hajime “Tokido” Taniguchi to reach Losers Finals. Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition could be the game this Beast has been looking for, so expect him to be unleashed all throughout 2018.

It’s Cloud nine for Super Smash Bros for Wii U

Watch EVO Japan 2018 - Smash 4: MKLeo vs Abadango - Grand Finals from evo on www.twitch.tv

Cloud Strife featuring heavily in a Super Smash Bros for Wii U tournament is not inherently surprising, as the Midgar Mauler is one of only four S-Tier level character selections according to the widely considered SmashBoards tier list. However, few probably expected to see him feature so heavily in EVO Japan’s Smash Bros Wii U Top 8, where three of the top eight finishers used Cloud either as a main or as an alternate. Komorikiri (7th place), Takuto "Kameme" Ono (3rd place), and the eventual tournament champion Leonardo "MKLeo" Perez all brought Cloud to the EVO Japan party, with MKLeo defeating prominent Bayonetta player Yuta "Abadango" Kawamura in the Grand Finals three games to one. Cloud figures to be a big part of Smash Bros Wii U’s metagame going forward, which means there will be plenty of Buster Sword to go around in future tournaments.

Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 is lonely at the top

Watch GG Rev2 - Match 10 from evo on www.twitch.tv

EVO Japan 2018 featured at least one Grand Finals that truly felt “grand,” as the top two players in the world at the featured game squared off in an epic clash. Nage from winner’s bracket and Omito "Omito" Hashimoto from losers put on a Guilty Gear clinic, showcasing to the world why they are the top of the class. This match had everything, from back-and-forth action to a forced bracket reset by Omito, culminating in a final game, final round. With the pressure at its maximum Nage used an ultra-aggressive push to take out Omito and win the EVO Japan Guilty Gear crown, proving at least this time that he is number one. Do not be surprised if a Grand Finals rematch takes place at EVO 2018 in July, as it’s going to be awfully hard to knock off either of these gladiators in Las Vegas.

Break time is over for a former EVO champ

Watch SFV: AE - Match 10 from evo on www.twitch.tv

I mentioned Daigo “The Beast” Umehara rising to prominence in Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition earlier, but notice that I didn’t say he won. That honor belongs to another returning champion. After sitting out the majority of the 2017 circuit Seonwoo "Infiltration" Lee looked like he didn’t miss a beat, bringing a surprising Juri selection all the way through the EVO Japan field. His victory climaxed with an epic Grand Finals against John Takeuchi’s Rashid, where Infiltration quickly forced a bracket reset with calculated counters to Takeuchi’s attacks. After the reset the match became academic, as Infiltration read everything Takeuchi could throw at him before ending the Grand Finals a 3-1 victor. If this is the Infiltration that begins the 2018 campaign, expect to see his educated hands hoisting trophy after trophy as the year goes on.

The Tekken 7 scene may have to take a Knee

Watch Evo Japan 2018 - Tekken 7: ROX Knee vs ROX Chanel - Grand Finals from evo on www.twitch.tv

Jae-min "Knee" Bae is no stranger to the Tekken 7 community, but the resiliency he showed in his EVO Japan 2018 victory has only increased his legend. Facing off against fellow Korean and ROX Gaming teammate Sung-ho "Chanel" Kang, Knee jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the Grand Finals, looking to make quick work of Chanel without a reset. Unfortunately for Knee his opponent found his stride, winning the next four matches including the first after the reset in dominating fashion. The title seemed to be slipping from Knee’s fingertips, but one quick switch from Bryan Fury to Steve was a wise one, propelling Knee to three straight match victories and the Tekken 7 championship. Knee’s performance puts him in the driver’s seat for the new Tekken 7 year, and after making his teammate look like that unfortunate hacker the rest of the field had better be on notice. 

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Want to catch more action from some of the stars of EVO? Check out professional voices in the fighting game community speculating on Daigo playing Ryu in Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition and his future with the character.