Beast Road II “Umehara” VS “Tokido” was the essence of the fun of fighting games

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On March 10, 2018, the charismatic “Umehara” of the fighting game world and the professional gamer “Tokido” graduated from the University of Tokyo faced each other, and the match “Beast Road II” was held, which was a big concern for all fighting game fans.

*The images in the article are posted from the Twitch “Beast Road II” video.

The battle format of “Beast Road II” is different from the usual tournaments, and the date and time and opponent are determined in advance, and the player’s ability is easily reflected in the results.

In other words, it is a slingshot game where both parties can understand each other and devise a solid countermeasure, and there is no excuse.

Umehara has been saying that

“In a long-term battle like 10 years ahead, the date and time and opponent are decided, and when you work towards it, you are as strong as a demon.”

It has actually been proven in past matches.

However, considering the results of the most recent tournaments, he has won the EVO2017 championship and the Capcom Cup 2017 runner-up, and is an undisputed top player. There were many people who thought that Tokihara was more powerful and capable than Umehara now.

#kemonomichi

Prediction of victory or defeat in the beast path

Star predictions in the comments

— Daigo Umehara (@daigothebeastJP) March 6, 2018

Also, in the past, when I was worried about whether to become a professional gamer or a civil servant, I consulted with Umehara and decided to become a professional gamer based on Umehara’s words.
After that, I became a professional, and when I was sluggish, I thought about why Umehara could continue to win, and when I was shocked by Umehara’s strength when it was finished, I changed my own play style.

That’s why it became a hot topic that Tokido, who had a lot of momentum, approached Umehara at this timing to play 10 games ahead.

The result was a 10-5 victory for Umehara. Not only did Umehara show a surprising playing style, but in the post-match interview, the feelings the two had for this match were beyond imagination, which caused a great response.

This time, based on what was said by the two of them about this beast path later, I would like to summarize its significance in my own way.

The meaning of “I wanted to win at least in the game”

“I wanted to win at least in the game, but I’ll come back again.”

When they lost with a double score of 10-5 and squeezed out only that one word in the comments asked after the game, they shed a lot of tears afterwards.
I think many viewers were surprised by these tears.

In response to this comment “about in the game”, Umehara

“I think (sometimes me) wins everything except the game.”

I replied half-jokingly.

What Umehara said half-jokingly was probably his educational background.
*Mr. Tokido graduated from the University of Tokyo

However, Tokido has a good track record as a professional gamer, so why did Tokitoki say this word?

“Can you surpass Umehara in this industry? Because that person is the history of fighting games itself.”

In the fighting game industry, Umehara is not just a professional gamer who continues to be on the front lines.
Umehara became a professional gamer at a time when the profession of professional gamer was not yet established in Japan, and he paved the way for that.

Today, Umehara’s overwhelming charisma is highly regarded for his philosophy of life and competition theory, and his books and lectures are also highly praised. Not only is fighting games strong, but Umehara is always one step ahead of anyone else in this industry, walking in unexplored territory.

In addition to being strong in fighting games, it can be said that this pioneer’s feat sets him apart from other professional gamers.

Sometimes he talks about Umehara in an interview after the game that he did not have the “history” in the fighting game world, the “way of approaching” and “thinking” about fighting games.
Umehara, who has become a semi-legend due to his numerous feats, can no longer clearly defeat the fighting game itself.
That’s why I think the word “about in the game” popped up from time to time.

Umehara “never lost”

“I still think I couldn’t lose. If you don’t have to be frustrated, it’s fine.”

In addition to the feelings that sometimes I have for this match, Umehara’s feelings about this match were extraordinary. This was obvious when you looked at the content of the game, but it was also mentioned in Umehara’s comments after the game.

“I came to that day thinking that if I lost, my position would change.

“When I won, I thought it was okay to still play fighting games.

The more he said this, the more he thought that this match was a considerable risk match for Umehara, and that if he lost, the achievements and legends he had built up so far would collapse.

For Tokido, he has an overwhelming track record in recent years that surpasses Umehara (EVO2017 championship, Capcom Cup 2017 runner-up), and his ability is clearly shown, and he beats Umehara in the 10 places where Umehara is good at. If that happens, sometimes it will surpass Umehara without complaint.
This Beast Road II was one of the few opportunities to drag Umehara from his current position, which was thought to be unshakable, and it was a battle in which Umehara himself recognized it as such. Now, when Umehara can change the government from the era of being the strongest, a large number of viewers, professional gamers around him, and Umehara himself felt that way.

That’s why it was a battle that Umehara couldn’t lose.
“Beyond Umehara” was sometimes within reach.

“You have to make another achievement that anyone can see that you are worthy of taking on Umehara now.”

In an interview after the game, he sometimes said that. In order to go beyond Umehara, it is necessary to build such a strict foundation again.

The beast path that showed the fun “essence” of fighting games

Recently, the popularity of “e-sports” has increased, and fighting games have become one of the most popular fields. The prize money of the tournament will increase, the number of big tournaments will increase, and there will be more opportunities to obtain glorious things such as wealth and fame, and the motivation of the players will increase.

However, this “beast path” was not about getting money or achievements, but about deciding only “win” and “lose”. As the name Beastway befits, we violently clashed each other’s pride, and witnessed the pure fighting spirit of “I want to win against him” and “I am stronger”. And I felt that this is the “essence” of the fun of fighting games.

I don’t think this match between Umehara VS Tokido was such a relaxed match where we would later praise each other’s good fights, saying, “It was a good match.” For the two parties involved, it would have been a once-in-a-lifetime serious match that was not limited to winning or losing at this moment, but also included meanings that would greatly change even their future lives from the past efforts they had accumulated so far.
That’s why sometimes I don’t usually show much emotion about the result of the game, whether I win or lose, shed big tears from various thoughts, and that appearance greatly shook the hearts of us viewers.

In his book, Tokido says, “I believe that it is for fighting game players to accumulate training and be able to attract better play to contribute to the fighting game scene.

In the past, it was used as a matter of course to win, even if it was a tactic that was generally considered cowardly, so it was criticized as “strong but boring”, and was ridiculed as “Ice Age” because of the “cold” of its play style.
It is a word that clearly shows the growth of the part that I wanted to change from time to time, which is unimaginable from such an era.

This match between Umehara and Tokido was a great attraction for fighting game fans who knew the background, as well as those who watched the serious match for the first time even if they did not know the background, and I think it was something that allowed them to experience the “essence” of the fun of fighting games.