We interviewed K.I (@ki_mayuyu), the winner of the Fist of the North Star main tournament at EVO Japan 2026, a fighting game festival held at Tokyo Big Sight from May 1 (Fri) to May 3 (Sun), 2026!
In this article, we bring you the translated content of the interview in English!
Exclusive Interview With K.I, the Winner of Fist of the North Star!
― Please tell us how you feel right now
K.I: I'm just incredibly happy! That one sentence sums it all up.
― Once again, how do you plan to use the prize money?
K.I: I currently own four arcade boards for Fist of the North Star, but I want to buy four more and donate them to game centers across the country.
Saiga NAK― When was your biggest crisis during the tournament?
K.I: I felt a bit of panic when the bracket was reset in the finals, but my movement wasn't that bad, so I felt I could win if I stayed calm.
As for highlights, maybe there weren't any? (laughs)
― How long is your fighting game history?
K.I: I've been playing since I was in the lower grades of elementary school, so it's been about 30 years.
Saiga NAK― Have you been playing Fist of the North Star since it was first released?
K.I: I'm probably the oldest active player (laughs).
I also won Tougeki '08 – Super Battle Opera, and I'm happy that I was able to win today while maintaining my strength even after about 20 years have passed.
― Regardless of strength, who is your favorite character?
K.I: In Fist of the North Star, it's Rei.
Also, I like Johnny from Guilty Gear too (laughs).
Saiga NAK― What did you think the moment Fist of the North Star was announced as a main title for EVO Japan?
K.I: I thought it was too early for April Fools' Day (laughs).
I'm truly grateful that it was chosen.
I have continued to host a national tournament (Seikimatsu Butokai) once a year myself, so I feel this is also the moment that those efforts paid off.
― Finally, please tell us the appeal of the fighting game Fist of the North Star
K.I: I think it was fully conveyed to those who watched (laughs).
It's truly intense gameplay, but because of that, the split-second strategies and the difficulty of defense are fun.
Unlike modern games, there are no updates, so players have spent 20 years creating new techniques and counters for them.
It was great to be able to show the culmination of that on a big stage.
