At the fighting game festival EVO Japan 2024, held from Friday, April 27 to Monday, April 29, 2024, IBUSHIGIN | Rookies became the champion of Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising (hereafter GBVSR)!
【EVO Japan 2023】GBVS優勝はgamera選手！EVO 2022に続く連続優勝！
A Final Where the Previous Champion Also Advanced Steadily
Saiga NAKAdvancing to the GBVSR Finals (names based on start.gg) were the following six players:
- Kino
- IBUSHIGIN | Tororo (hereafter Tororo)
- IBUSHIGIN | Rookies (hereafter Rookies)
- PGW Ren (hereafter Ren)
- Takodot
- GS gamera (hereafter gamera)
While there were matchups between IBUSHIGIN teammates, the Grand Final became a showdown between Rookies and gamera.
Saiga NAKgamera is undoubtedly one of the strongest players in Japan. Always appearing somewhat sleepy while displaying solid play, he is the champion of EVO 2022 and EVO Japan 2023.
Saiga NAKFacing him was Rookies, who climbed through the Winners Bracket. He challenged the previous champion with an undefeated nine-game winning streak.
YouTubeDespite advancing from Losers, gamera showed a playstyle that felt no pressure. Rookies switched between Seox and Belial but could not quite reach gamera's throat...
With gamera's straight-set victory, the Grand Final was reset! The winner of the next match would be the champion.
gamera took the following set as well, and the venue was filled with excitement. Everyone watched to see where the victory would land.
However, Rookies was not done yet. He took the next round with a Perfect to make it 1-1!
Rookies, who had struggled up to this point, showed his spirit. Winning the mind games to break through gamera's defense...
He won three sets in a row! Rookies became the champion!
Saiga NAKThe Grand Final once seemed to be flowing in gamera's favor. In the end, Rookies showed his refined skill.
Saiga NAKThe champion Rookies was presented with a trophy, a commemorative arcade controller, and 1 million yen in prize money! Congratulations!
Saiga NAKThe final results are as follows:
- 1st Place: Rookies
- 2nd Place: gamera
- 3rd Place: Tororo
- 4th Place: Ren
- 5th Place: Takodot
- 5th Place: Kino
Saiga NAKQ. Please tell us your thoughts on today once again.
Rookies: There were many strong players this time, and to be honest, I thought I might be inferior among them, but I also thought, maybe things will work out because it's a tournament? Even while undeniably lacking preparation, I put my spirit into every single match, and before I knew it, I had won (laughs).
Q. You advanced to the Grand Final undefeated.
Rookies: I had been losing to Takodot and Ren throughout the GBVS era, and I also lost to Takodot at the GBVS Cygames Cup Special 2024. I thought it would be a tough road this time too, but I am truly happy to have overcome such powerhouses and won today.
Q. Your opponent in the Grand Final was the previous champion gamera.
Rookies: My tournament record against gamera is actually quite good. However, gamera was incredibly strong today. Since he had lost to Ren's Seox (in the Winners Quarterfinals), I wondered if he had a mental block, but he corrected it perfectly today, so even though I changed characters midway, I was like, "This man is too strong!" (laughs). In that case, I decided to stick to my guns so I'd have no regrets! When I did that, the path opened up.
Q. What were you thinking when the bracket was reset?
Rookies: Since I lost 0-3, honestly I thought it was impossible... However, I remembered the support from my wife before the match, saying, "Don't give up until the very end," and I decided to give it my all.
Q. Finally, please give us your future aspirations.
Rookies: There are too many strong people in this game, so I thought it would be hard to keep up. But receiving today's result has given me confidence, or rather, a feeling that if it's come to this, I won't let anyone else have it (laughs).
EVOJAPAN優勝したぞ！！！！
うおおおおおお
皆の応援、協力ありがとうございました！！！🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 https://t.co/JZdPL6dBzb
— ルーキーズ / IBUSHIGIN (@rookies040) April 28, 2024
