Daigo Umehara
Daigo Umehara (born May 19, 1981), is a renowned Japanese player of arcade fighting games, most notably the Street Fighter series. Among his accomplishments is winning the 1998 Street Fighter Alpha 3 global tournament, defeating the USA champion Alex Valle.[1][2] He has also placed high in events at the annual Evolution fighting game tournament in the United States[citation needed] as well as many of the major tournaments in his native Japan. He is commonly referred to within the fighting game community as "The Beast".[3]. Although he took a break from gaming to play pachinko, Daigo came back and is now the #1 ranked player for Street Fighter IV with over 130,000 BP.
Japan vs. USA
Daigo Umehara shot to fame in 1998 after winning the official Capcom Street Fighter Alpha 3 national tournament in Japan. As the tournament champion, he then went on to face Alex Valle, the winner of the U.S. national tournament. This final showdown was held in San Francisco on November 8, 1998. The final was played as best out of three games, with each game consisting of up to five rounds. Daigo won the finals 2-1.[4]
He was later seen again in an exhibition "rematch" in Japan. American players fought in four games (Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and Marvel vs. Capcom 2) for the right to battle Japan's best players in those respective games. Daigo only entered the 3rd Strike exhibition, but defeated all of his opponents, ending each round with Ken's fierce Shoryuken.
These events were filmed for a documentary entitled Bang the Machine.[2]
Evolution 2004
Daigo is most famous for this | clip from the Evolution 2004 3rd Strike losers' finals where his Ken makes a dramatic comeback against Justin Wong (using Chun Li). In the final round of the first match, Daigo's Ken is down to his last pixels of life. Trying to take advantage of this, Wong attempts to chip Daigo for the win by doing a super (SA2), since blocking the super still causes significant damage. Seemingly ready for this tactic, Daigo parries all fourteen hits of Chun Li's super, including an air parry on the last delayed hit, and combos into his own super (SA3) for the win. The large crowd at the tournament erupts as all of this unfolds.[4] Because of his feat shown in the video, Daigo has gone on to become one of the most recognizable names in fighting games.[5]
Notable Tournament placings
 |
- Super Battle Opera (2003) - 2nd [C-Guile/Chun-Li/Sagat]
- Super Battle Opera 2 (2004) - 5th [C-Ken/Guile/Sagat] with teammates Shiro [C-Yamazaki/Sagat/Rolento] and Dan [C-Ryu/Ken/Sagat]
- Evolution 2003 - 2nd [C-Guile/Cammy/Sagat]
- Absolution 2004 - 5th [C-Sagat/Ken/Guile]
- Evolution 2006 - 5th [A-Blanka/Vega/Bison]
Guilty Gear Series (XX, #Reload and Slash)
- Super Battle Opera (2003) - 3rd [Sol] with teammates Arisakashinya [Slayer] and Pachi [Faust]
- Evolution 2003 - 1st [Sol]
- Absolution 2004 - 1st [Sol]
- Evolution 2004 - 1st [Sol]
- Evolution 2006 - 2nd [Sol] with teammates RF [Faust] and Kindevu [Eddie]
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
- Evolution 2003 - 2nd [Ken SA3]
- Absolution 2004 - 1st [Ken SA3]
- Evolution 2004 - 2nd [Ken SA3]
- The 2nd a-cho Cup (2004) - 2nd [Ken SA3] with teammates K.O [Yun SA3] and Onanism [Urien SA3]
- Super Battle Opera 3 (2005) - 1st [Ken SA3] with teammate Ohnuki [Chun Li SA2]
- Cooperation Cup 4 (2005) - 1st with teammates Deshi KFG, Hayao, Boss, and Raoh
Super Street Fighter II Turbo
- Super Battle Opera (2003) - 1st [Ryu] with teammates Kurahashi [Guile] and Yng.Bro.Chun [Chun-Li]
- Evolution 2003 - 1st [Ryu]
- Absolution 2004 - 1st [Ryu, Balrog, O.Sagat, Zangief]
- Evolution 2004 - 1st [Ryu, Balrog, O.Sagat]
- X-Mania VII - 2nd [Ryu] with teammates Yaya [Sagat] and Aniken [Ken]
- Evolution 2006 - 5th [ST Ryu]
- Absolution 2004 - 3rd [X/A/V-Ryu]
- The 2nd a-cho Cup (2004) - 2nd [V-Ryu] with teammates D44 [V-Akuma] and West Coast Dhalsim [A-Dhalsim]
- Super Battle Opera 3 (2005) - 2nd [Urien/Guile] with teammate Dan [Ryu/Karin]
See also
References
- ^ "Spotlight on the Evolution 2K4 Fighting Game Tournament". GameSpot. 2004. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
- ^ a b Umehara, Daigo. Bang the Machine (documentary). California, USA: JabStrongFierce.
{{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter|date2=ignored (help) - ^ http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=67122&page=2
- ^ a b Tim Livingston (2008-08-19). "EVO 2K8: Fighting Games Personified". Sports Joystick. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
- ^ http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/107258/the-9-biggest-moments-in-pro-gaming-page-3-of-3/