À quelques jours des finales du Tekken World Tour 2019, la rédaction revient sur l'année du seul européen directement qualifié pour les finales.


Right before Tekken World Tour 2019 finals, the redaction made a review of the only european player directly qualified.

After Rangchu's unexpected victory during the 2018 finals, the Tekken World Tour 2019 started again in April 2019. The first master event was the MIXUP, a french tournament, which took place in Lyon. Many of the best players around the world came here. In front of a cheering crowd, Super Akouma made his way to Winner Final, after sending Chikurin and Speedkicks in loser bracket. First beaten by CherryBerryMango, the french player had to face his nemesis Low High in the Loser Final. The battle was rude, but in the end, Super Akouma earned the right to challenge CherryBerryMango in the Grand Final.  He won six games while his opponent only managed to get one, and won the tournament. He only had a few seconds to savour the taste of his victory, before vanishing under the french and european players who jumped on the stage to congrat him, starting his 2019 season in the best way.

This victory means a lot to me. I became the first european to win a Master in the Tekken World Tour, but most of it, I defeated LowHigh, a player who beat me several times in the past. Winning this tournament was unexpected, because I didn't prepare specially this event. Of course I trained between the 2018 finals and the MIXUP, but I didn't came here expecting to win. I played like I play in local events, with no real pressure, and as I do in many local tournament, I won, even if it was harder than winning a local event (laughs).


Super Akouma's victory at the MIXUP credit@Vexanie

This state of grace only lasted for a moment, and two weeks later, the CRaZY Esport's player ended Headstomper 2019 at the gates of top 8. Next step on his 2019 Tekken journey sended him in Poland, for the Fighting Games Challenge. Several big names came from Asia to earn points at this event, and Super Akouma was send in Loser Bracket in quarter finals. He climbed back it, beating KaneAndTrench and CherryBerryMango, before being defeated by japanese player Noroma, ending at the fourth place. To improve his gameplay, the most feared Akuma in Europe went to Japan, to train and participate in the WellPlayed Challenger tournament in Osaka. Even if it was just a challenger event, many of the best Asian Players came to it. Super Akouma managed to reach the Top 8, losing against kkokkoma in winner, and Noroma again in loser. When he came back to Europe, he went to the VS Fighting 2019 in Birmingham, where he was quickly sent in Loser Bracket. He climbed back it, beating some great names like Tissuemon, Gosain, CherryBerryMango, Gen and kkokkoma. But the one who stopped him was LowHigh, who took his revenge from the MIXUP loser's final. Super Akouma ended up third in this tournament. Even if he didn't managed to get his second victory of the year, his start on the Tekken World Tour was way better than in 2018.

This results were ok, but not amazing. I lost two times against Noroma, this player is crazy strong (laughs). After totally losing to him in Poland, I was able to give him a hard time in Osaka, but I'm waiting to have my real revenge in a future tournament. Nobi and him were excellent training partner, and I learned a lot of things with them. When I went back to Europe, I wanted to show the result of this amazing trip, even if I hadn't totally mastered all the tools I learned. I was send in Loser and was really close to get eliminated, because I played really bad. I didn't want to end like this after this training, so I gave me a mental slap, and was able to climb back the Loser Bracket. This is really the event where I came back from hell, and I was happy to show the result of the Japanese training, even if I still had to work on many points.


MIXUP 2019 Grand Final credit@CRaZY Esport

Here came EVO, and as in 2018, Super Akouma's participation wasn't sure. His structure finally sent him to the biggest FGC tournament.

CRaZY didn't plan to send me to EVO this year, fort budget reasons. They litteraly invented some money, so I was able to go to EVO. They proved again that their players are their top priorities, and I feel blessed to work with this people. I owe them a big thanks, they are amazing. One word for Hitbox too, because they helped me to go at this tournament in the best shape, by finding me a place to sleep.

Super Akouma use Hitbox sticks, (sticks are special controllers, close to the arcade cabinet, often well adaptated to fighting games) which do no have classic joystick, but directionnal buttons, which help for some inputs, and their use is controversial for some players. The debate started again briefly at EVO, and Super Akouma was involved in some discussions, even if he didn't want to.

I don't get why people keep talking about that. The Hiboxes are legal so we can use it, there is no macro and each input is done manually. According to me, yes, it is easier, faster and more efficient than a classic joystick, but it is still possible to miss some inputs and drop a combo. When I lose, it is regularly due to a mistake I made with an input. The debate was back because of the controller Daigo brought, which was illegal, because with it it was possible to get back to the charge quicker than a classic stick, which is very helpful for some characters like Guile in Street Fighter. It went back again with the Cross Up, another controller made by Hitbox with both classic joystick, and directionnal buttons. Again, each input is manual, and you can't do things that you wouldn't be able to do with a classic stick. In my opinion, it is easier with a Hitbox, but there is no macro.

EVO wasn't a big success for the Hexagone representative, who was send in loser by Jopelix, before being eliminated by Lil Majin at the gates of top 16. He saw Arslan Ash realising the double win, with EVO Japan and EVO, then Harada announced Tekken 7 third season. This season came with new characters, and a big balance patch. As a result, Akuma became the top tiers character.


Super Akouma with his Hitbox credit@Waulk

Ending at the gates of top 16 at EVO is not a bad result, but it annoys me a bit. After all the difficulties to go to EVO, I really wanted to make a better result. I put a lot of pressure on my shoulders, and at the critiqual moment during my last game against Lil Majin, I made mistakes which ended my journey. This was frustrating, because I knew that I could do better.  About Akuma, I think he was really strong in S2, and he had a little buff in S3. He became the game's top tiers because all the other top tiers were nerfed. But even if he is actually the best character in the game, it is not a top tiers you can play easily, and he's still a his high risk, high reward fighter. It just became easier to open the guard, and when a good Akuma break your defense, you'll be hurt... a lot.

European tournament season started after EVO. Super Akouma went back to one of his favorite event in Europe, the Celtic Throwdown. His european dominance was contested by other players on the Old Continent, like british player Roo Kang, and greek Nivek, who eliminate the french Akuma at the gates of top 8. He had his revenge in Grece, during Clash of the Olympians, where he beat Nivek. After defeating some of the best european players, he went to Winner Final, against korean player Jeondding. The french rooster finally sent the korean tiger in Loser Final, to saw him came back stronger in Grand Final. Jeondding managed to reset the bracket, but Super Akouma found the way to break his defense, and won his first challenger tournament of the World Tour. He celebrated it, diguised in cheap greek god by the organizers. In a post tournament video, Super Akouma was having diner with other players, still in his god costume, when other players came to ask him how to deal with one Akuma's moves. He answered : "Just backdash" while the korean was looking at him in a sceptical way. This video extract got his little success in the Tekken community, and even in some other fighting games community. 

Talking about Celtic, I think I played really bad. I didn't sleep well before the tournament, and wasn't in the best shape. My last opponent was better that day, gg to him. Clash of the Olympians is an excellent memory, the organization was awesome if we except the costume (laughs). After this tounrament people started to complain about Akuma, which was definitly the Season 3 top tiers. The pakistanis work on the character contributed also to help people see how Akuma is strong. When I said just backdash, I was talking about a special situation, not as a tip to win against the character in general. The thing that makes me mad, is when some players didn't get that if they got so much troubles against Akuma, it is because they don't know how to play against him. Yes he is actually the best character in the game, but he is not that broken.


Final Clash of the Olympians Grand Final @CRaZY Esport

Super Akouma was invited in Japan at the beginning of october, to compete in Battle Tokyo Invitationnal, in the All Stars team with american player Anakin, and thai player Book. Beaten by both team Japan, and team Korea, the All Stars ended at the third place of the event. Next event was in Berlin, but this time the rooster couldn't beat the tiger, and Jeondding send Super Akouma into Loser Bracket. After beating Gunni and CherryBerryMango, Super Akouma was defeated by Caiper, the best Akuma in Spain. A bit disapointed, the player said on twitter that it was time to intensify his training.

Looking back to how I played, I think it's fair to say that Battle Tokyo Invitationnal was just a free Japan Trip to me (laughs). I didn't win a single match, and I was a burden for my team, even if I wanted to do better. There is good days and bad days, and it was probably my worst day of 2019. In Berlin, I lost hard against Caiper, and it was totally deserved. I played really poorly, and I still don't understand how I managed to end at the fifth place. This gave a window for some people to tell me that I lost because I don't know how to play against Akuma, and that I shouldn't give advice about this character. Fun thing is that I beat Caiper one month before in a Dojo Tournament in Marseille. But if they are happy to expose me on this... well whatever. This day he was the best.

Super Akouma went to Pakistan to train with the best players in this country, before flying to Dubaï to compete in ROXnROLL. He was in a strong pool, where he was send in Loser by future winner Awais Honey, then is eliminated by Arslan Ash. Even if he went back home without the trophy, the trip was full of teachings.

This Pakistan's trip was awesome, and it's probably my best memory of 2019. My training partner live here, and even today, I feel a progression when I play against him. I played 34 hours in three days, and had a sleepless night to go to Dubaï, so I wasn't in the best shape. I first fall against Awais Honey, who is an extraordinary player. I'm really happy that he earned his ticket to the Finals by winning this tournament, he deserves it. I lost to Arslan Ash, without making any mistake, but I wasn't able to put pressure on him. The tournament level was unbelievable, I wasn't ready for this.


Tekken 7 Season 3 in one picture credit@Geoffrey Daigon

Bandai-Namco announced a little balance patch, where they nerf a bit the meter gain for Akuma, one month before World Finals.

I feel the nerf, and it was deserved, but Akuma is still the best character in the game. Even when I say this, some people keep yelling at me on Twitter, like I broke the game by myself.. It is ok, I started to play Akuma on a Hitbox, I'm used to be hated (laughs).

As being the only european player directly qualified for the Tekken World Tour Finals, Super Akouma goes on writing his history on the Tekken stage. Actually, he is not the spearhead of a single country, but the one of an entire region, at least for this year. It is in Bangkok that he will have the opportunity to stop being a great player, and becoming a real legend.