Tuesday, June 18, 2013

News: FR2013 Hiroshima Regional Decklists, Dudley Emperor & Tsukuyomi Make Waves, Salome's Pro Debut

The decklists for Fighter's Road 2013 Hiroshima went out this morning, finally giving a look into the Spike Brothers deck that drew so much attention over the weekend. The deck is a modern spin on the classic Dudley Emperor build, using just two copies of Juggernaut Maximum that effectively act as tech cards searched directly with Emperor's limit break, and filling out the remaining grade 3 space with Bad End Dragger, the Spike Brothers' break ride that can give +10000 power to every attacking Brother when its skill is triggered, then shuffle them back in the deck to open the field up for superior calls. By using Dragger in concert with Emperor's superior call limit break, pro fighter and contender for the national title Okudaira Ryousuke is able to make two rearguard attacks in the range of 21-26000 power followed by two more of around 31000, all with a 31000 power vanguard line shaking up field's center. In a format currently dominated by 11000-power Lords this maneuver can require as much as 115000 shield to block, but leaves its fighter dangerously exposed if it is not timed correctly, and as it can only be triggered within a limited window late in a match, the slower setup is not for everyone. Okudaira's deck is noticeably more conservative than typical Dragger decks, as Bad End Dragger is the only card from BT10 than he uses, rejecting the Dudley subgroup that VG-BT10 built up.

Meanwhile the runner-up Yoshida Yuuta has demonstrated that the Eradicator decklist pioneered by Uemura Shouhei has continued to endure through Dragonic Descendant's restriction, although the general trend that Yoshida has followed has been towards the Vowing Sword Dragon break ride rather than BT11's Sweep Command, who has existed on the edges of Eradicator play ever since his set's release. Since Nanakado Yuusuke's revision that added Chou-ou and Shuki from BT11, the deck has gone virtually unchanged between different fighters, with only personal preferences over first vanguard and which cards get priority differentiating the lists.

An interesting point regarding the finalist decklists is that Bushiroad's continual efforts to bury the Full Moon deck seem to be in vain. Yet another cardfighter has taken a creative spin on the Tsukuyomi build, hybridizing Oracle Think Tank and Genesis cards into a single deck that combines Tsukuyomi's soul-based draw power and grade security with Genesis' long term offensive and mass soulcharging. Although Japan's current restricted list prevents Full Moon from being run in copies exceeding two, Yasue Takamasa was not dissuaded by the restrictions and attempted his own revival of the fan-favorite Moon deck.

The Open division team tournament has brought with it our first look at a professional Jewel Knight deck, with Kadobayashi Masaki's Salome build eschewing many Royal Paladin staples like Blaster Blade and Palamedes in favor of a pure subgroup focus on developing extra critical. An interesting innovation of the deck is its use of multiple copies of the first vanguard Tiffany, superior calling the two extra copies with Salome's and Sybill's counterblasts to pump up the power of the rearguard lines multiple times late in the match.

Open Class Regional Tournament
Regional Champion: Okudaira Ryousuke/奥平諒介
Grade 0
x1 Mecha Trainer (FVG)
x4 Cheer Girl, Tiara HT
x4 Cheerful Lynx DT
x4 Sonic Breaker CT
x4 Silence Joker CT
Grade 1
x3 Cheer Girl, Marylin
x4 Wonder Boy
x4 Reckless Express
x2 Medical Manager
Grade 2
x4 Highspeed Brakki
x4 Treasured, Black Panther
x4 Panzer Gale
Grade 3
x3 Demonic Lord, Dudley Emperor
x3 Bad End Dragger
x2 Juggernaut Maximum

Runner up: Yoshida Yuuta/吉田雄太
Grade 0
x1 Spark Kid Dragoon (FVG)
x4 Eradicator, Dragon Mage DT
x4 Demonic Dragon Eradicator, Seiobo HT
x4 Eradicator, Yellow Gem Carbuncle CT
x4 Eradicator of the Divine Spear, Pollux CT
Grade 1
x3 Rising Phoenix
x4 Eradicator, Wyvern Guard Guld
x2 Eradicator, Demolition Dragon
x2 Eradicator of the Ceremonial Bonfire, Castor
x3 Iron Blood Eradicator, Shuki
Grade 2
x4 Eradicator, Spark Rain Dragon
x3 Dragonic Deathscythe
x4 Fiendish Sword Eradicator, Chou-Ou
Grade 3
x2 Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant
x4 Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon
x2 Eradicator, Vowing Sword Dragon

Doctor O's Pick: Yasue Takamasa/安永卓正
Grade 0
x1 Godhawk, Ichibyoshi (FVG)
x4 Psychic Bird CT
x4 Battle Sister, Ginger CT
x4 Battle Sister, Chai HT
x4 Battle Maiden, Kukurihime CT
Grade 1
x4 Goddess of the Crescent Moon, Tsukuyomi
x4 Battle Maiden, Tatsutahime
x4 Goddess of Protection, Kushinada
x2 Dark Cat
Grade 2
x4 Goddess of the Half Moon, Tsukuyomi
x4 Battle Maiden, Saohime
x2 Twilight Hunter, Artemis
x2 Witch of Birds, Chamomile
Grade 3
x2 Goddess of the Full Moon, Tsukuyomi
x4 Battle Deity of the Moonlit Night, Artemis
x1 Witch of Wolves, Saffron

Junior Class Regional Tournament
Regional Champion: Matsushita Shunji/松下隼士
Grade 0
x1 Lizard Soldier, Conroe (FVG)
x4 Seal Dragon, Artpitch DT
x4 Seal Dragon, Biera CT
x4 Seal Dragon, Shading HT
x4 Blue Ray Dracokid CT
Grade 1
x1 Wyvern Guard, Barri
x4 Embodiment of Armor, Bahr
x3 Seal Dragon, Rinocross
x4 Dragon Monk, Gojo
x2 Flame of Hope, Aermo
Grade 2
x3 Seal Dragon, Hunger Hell Dragon
x4 Burning Horn Dragon
x4 Berserk Dragon
Grade 3
x4 Dragonic Overlord The End
x4 Dauntless Drive Dragon

Runner-up: Tokioka Yuuto/時岡悠翔
Grade 0
x1 Spring Breeze Messenger (FVG)
x4 Liberator of Hope, Epona CT
x4 Strike Liberator CT
x4 Weapons Liberator, Gwydion DT
x4 Elixir Liberator HT
Grade 1
x2 Liberator of the Future, Llew
x4 Curved Blade Liberator, Josephus
x4 Little Liberator, Marron
x4 Halo Liberator, Mark
Grade 2
x4 Liberator of the Flute, Escrad
x1 Blaster Blade Liberator
x2 Liberator of Silence, Gallatin
x4 Liberator of Royalty, Phallon
Grade 3
x4 Liberator of the Round Table, Alfred
x2 Solitary Liberator, Gancelot
x2 Steel Spear Liberator, Bleoberis

Doctor O's Pick: Tsumura Kouji/津村康史
Grade 0
x1 Beast Deity, White Tiger (FVG)
x4 Battle Raizer ST
x4 Round Girl, Clara HT
x3 The Gong DT
x2 Three Minutes DT
x3 Red Lightning CT
Grade 1
x4 Twin Blader
x4 Beast Deity, Blank Marsh
x2 Death Army Guy
x2 Clay-doll Mechanic
x3 The Screamin' and Dancin' Announcer, Shout
Grade 2
x2 Magician Girl, Kirara
x4 Beast Deity, Golden Angel
x3 Beast Deity, Hatred Chaos
x1 Death Army Lady
Grade 3
x2 Ultra Beast Deity, Illuminal Dragon
x4 Beast Deity, Azure Dragon
x1 Beast Deity, Ethics Buster
x1 Asura Kaiser

Vanguard Fight High School 2013 Summer, Open Class Hiroshima Regional Tournament Championship Team
Kadobayashi Masaki/門林将生
Grade 0
x3 Dreaming Jewel Knight, Tiffany (FVG)
x4 Blazing Jewel Knight, Rachelle CT
x4 Enthusiastic Jewel Knight, Polly HT
x4 Dedicated Jewel Knight, Tabitha DT
x4 Bringer of Good Luck, Epona CT
Grade 1
x4 Jewel Knight, Prizme
x4 Stinging Jewel Knight, Sherrie
x4 Flashing Jewel Knight, Iseult
x2 Regret Jewel Knight, Ulrien
Grade 2
x4 Fellowship Jewel Knight, Tracie
x4 Dogmatize Jewel Knight, Sybill
x2 Pathetique Jewel Knight, Owain
Grade 3
x4 Leading Jewel Knight, Salome
x3 Pure Heart Jewel Knight, Ashley

Fujioka Tatsuya/藤岡龍也
Grade 0
x1 Little Witch, LuLu (FVG)
x4 Oracle Guardian, Nike CT
x4 Psychic Bird CT
x4 Battle Sister, Ginger CT
x4 Battle Sister, Chai HT
Grade 1
x3 Battle Sister, Chocolat
x2 Battle Sister, Cocoa
x4 Oracle Guardian, Gemini
x4 Dark Cat
x2 Luck Bird
Grade 2
x4 Battle Sister, Tart
x1 Maiden of Libra
x2 Battle Sister, Mocha
x4 Silent Tom
Grade 3
x4 Scarlet Witch, CoCo
x3 Goddess of Flower Divination, Sakuya

Maenaka Toshiki/前中俊樹
Grade 0
x1 Spark Kid Dragoon (FVG)
x4 Eradicator, Dragon Mage DT
x4 Demonic Dragon Eradicator, Seiobo HT
x4 Eradicator, Yellow Gem Carbuncle CT
x4 Eradicator of the Divine Spear, Pollux CT
Grade 1
x3 Eradicator, Wyvern Guard Guld
x4 Eradicator, Demolition Dragon
x3 Iron Blood Eradicator, Shuki
x3 Eradicator of the Ceremonial Bonfire, Castor 
Grade 2
x3 Eradicator, Spark Rain Dragon
x3 Conquering Eradicator, Zuitan
x4 Fiendish Sword Eradicator, Chou-Ou
x2 Dragon Dancer, Julia
Grade 3
x2 Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant
x4 Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon
x2 Eradicator, Electric Shaper Dragon

Vanguard Fight High School 2013 Summer, Student-only Class Hiroshima Regional Tournament Championship Team
Ichimaru Shoutarou/一丸翔太朗
Grade 0
x1 Spark Kid Dragoon (FVG)
x4 Eradicator, Dragon Mage DT
x4 Demonic Dragon Eradicator, Seiobo HT
x4 Eradicator, Yellow Gem Carbuncle CT
x4 Eradicator of the Divine Spear, Pollux CT
Grade 1
x3 Eradicator of the True Flames, Kougaiji
x4 Eradicator, Wyvern Guard Guld
x3 Eradicator, Demolition Dragon
x3 Iron Blood Eradicator, Shuki
Grade 2
x4 Eradicator, Spark Rain Dragon
x4 Conquering Eradicator, Zuitan
x4 Fiendish Sword Eradicator, Chou-Ou
Grade 3
x2 Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant
x3 Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon
x3 Eradicator, Sweep Command Dragon

Okabe Mizuki/岡部瑞生
Grade 0
x1 Lizard Soldier, Conroe (FVG)
x4 Seal Dragon Shading HT
x4 Seal Dragon, Artpitch DT
x4 Seal Dragon, Biera CT
x4 Blue Ray Dracokid CT
Grade 1
x4 Embodiment of Armor, Bahr
x4 Seal Dragon, Rinocross
x4 Seal Dragon, Kersey
x1 Flame of Promise, Aermo
Grade 2
x4 Bellicosity Dragon
x4 Burning Horn Dragon
x4 Seal Dragon, Corduroy
Grade 3
x4 Dragonic Overlord The End
x4 Dragonic Overlord

Toda Yuki/戸田優輝
Grade 0
x1 Spring Breeze Messenger (FVG)
x4 Liberator of Hope, Epona CT
x4 Strike Liberator CT
x4 Weapons Liberator, Gwydion DT
x4 Elixir Liberator HT
Grade 1
x2 Liberator of the Future, Llew
x4 Curved Blade Liberator, Josephus
x2 Little Liberator, Marron
x4 Halo Liberator, Mark
x2 Liberator, Flare Mane Stallion
Grade 2
x2 Liberator of the Flute, Escrad
x2 Blaster Blade Liberator
x4 Liberator of Silence, Gallatin
x2 Liberator of Royalty, Phallon
x2 Zoigal Liberator
Grade 3
x4 Liberator of the Round Table, Alfred
x2 Solitary Liberator, Gancelot
x1 Wild Dancing Liberator, Mailshion