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Esports
'The Beast' is ready to take his Street Fighter winning streak into 2021
FGC legend Daigo ‘The Beast’ Umehara says that next year is his year and, if recent results are anything to go by, he might just be right.
During the Blink All Stars Japan Edition invitational, pro gamer and all-around Street Fighter legend Daigo ‘The Beast’ Umehara absolutely tore through the competition. It seemed as if he was unstoppable – and it turned out he was. In the end, the Guile player stood victorious over all selected entrants in the exhibition, proving with yet another tournament win just why he's been on top of the scene for almost a quarter of a century.
And, to no surprise, Daigo too was emboldened. From both his Capcom Cup and Street Fighter League Pro Japan qualification, and a resounding win at the recent exhibition, it seems The Beast is on track for even larger triumphs.
The will to win
This confidence is the result of numerous factors all melding together to create Daigo at his most skilled. “First, Guile is good this season,” he tells us. “Last season was a struggle, but the hard work and creative thinking I invested in the character then is paying off now.”
His switch to a different control method – a hitbox style controller – has also brought benefits. That, along with the time to conquer the new way to play and perfect his Guile, have pushed him further. “Guile works well with a stickless controller. I’ve mastered the controls, so I’m able to play exactly how I want,” says Daigo. “The lack of overseas travel in 2020 has given me that much more time to work on training.”
It was a year of extensive hard work, but it’s paid off. Not only in the singular competition, but also team format tournaments. Umehara Gold – composed of Daigo, Masahiro ‘Machabo’ Tominaga, Masaki ‘Kawano’ Kawano and Ryo ‘Nauman’ Sato – have made it to the finale of Street Fighter League Pro Japan 2020, where they’ll go up against Nemo Aurora, and then take on Tokido Flame if they win.
“I’m proud of how strong our team is, so I’m confident we’ll take the prize and qualify for the World Championship,” says Daigo. “The only question is what surprise factors the ‘ban’ system could produce, but that keeps it interesting.”
Due to the ban system implemented, Daigo and his cohorts will need secondary picks if their main characters get banned. The Beast has more than a few characters at the ready. “In preparation for Street Fighter League, I got comfortable using Ryu, Kage, Honda, and F.A.N.G, so I’d like to make use of that roster,” he says, fixated on Sumo Spirit. “Among those four, Honda is one of the characters I want to use most.”
I’m proud of how strong our team is, so I’m confident we’ll take the prize
Stage select
Since both Capcom Cup and both US and Japan versions of the Street Fighter League finals may well take place offline, Daigo might have to shift to a different platform of play. Much of his practice in terms of running sets has been online, as for most games in 2020, with in-person tournaments cancelled.
“Generally in an online tournament, different players have different set-ups – some are on PS4, while others are on PC,” he explains. “Currently, pro players are able to manage their play set-ups in an effort to optimise them, particularly for tournaments, but when it comes to a real tournament environment, there are numerous elements we can’t control, which impacts our performance.”
But regardless of whoever he’s put in front of, Daigo is down to play and will be ready. “Heading into Capcom Cup and SFL, I don’t expect to change my training settings,” he mentions. “But at the very least I will stick to whatever hardware they’re going to use at those events. If it’s PC, I’ll play PC.”
The great beyond
Capcom Cup will finally let Daigo apply his skills against the outside world. It’ll be the ultimate test to fight people outside his region. He sees every competitor as formidable, as they’ve worked their way to get to this point.
“I haven’t been able to play anyone overseas, so I’m excited to face some tough overseas players,” he says, keen to avoid a teamkill early in the bracket. “I’m hoping I don’t get matched up against my Mildom Beast team-mate, Infexious, early on. He’s a tough opponent, so if I have to face him, I hope it’s later in the event.”
