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Name: Minami Takeshi/南武志
Age: Unknown; Seniors Division
Titles Won: Kanazawa Regional Champion (Senior Class), National Finalist Fourth Place (Summer 2012)
Current Status: National Finalist Fourth Place (Summer 2012)
Deck Type: Royal Paladin (Majesty Lord Blaster)
Minami Takeshi was once the reigning Kanazawa regional champion, in line for Japan's 2012 national title. He was also the first of three Royal Paladin cardfighters in the running. Like his contemporaries, Minami did not previously participated in an official competition, making his debut in the 2012 Fighter's Road events.
Decks and Play Style
Minami's original deck features a high emphasis on critical triggers with minimal draw influence, and a careful balance of grade 1 cards that eschews maxing out on perfect guards as is typical in favor of Kay and his early-game attacks. Using Starcall Trumpeter to summon his Blaster units and Wingal Brave to add Majesty Lord Blaster to the hand, Minami focuses on rushing his opponents into the end of the game with Lord Blaster's high power and extra critical. By maxing out on Blasters Blade and Dark, Takeshi allows for repeated use of Lord Blaster's skill, and forgoes more counterblast-heavy units like Akane to make greater room for Starcall and Blaster Blade's cardskills. In contrast to the bunker tactics of The End cardfighters that swarmed contemporary competitions, Minami's goal is solely toward offense and Palamedes exemplifies this.
Summer 2012 Regional Tournament, Kanazawa Seniors Division (Japan)
Card Pool: TD01-EB03, PR 0001-0066
Grade 0
x1 Wingal Brave
x2 Future Knight, Llew CT
x4 Yggdrasil Maiden, Elaine HT
x2 Margal DT
x4 Alabaster Owl CT
x4 Bringer of Good Luck, Epona CT
Grade 1
x3 Flash Shield, Iseult
x4 Little Sage, Marron
x3 Toypugal
x4 Knight of Friendship, Kay
Grade 2
x4 Blaster Blade
x4 Blaster Dark
x3 Starcall Trumpeter
x1 Knight of Loyalty, Bedivere
Grade 3
x3 Swordsman of the Explosive Flames, Palamedes
x4 Majesty Lord Blaster
For the finals Minami rebalanced his triggers to lean slightly back toward the draw power he once rejected. Unlike his previous deck, this one did choose to run a maximum amount of perfect defense in order to combat prevalent on-hit crossride skills. Kay and Toypugal remain, but in smaller numbers as a result, and his grade 1 ratio skirts dangerously close to unbalanced. Arguably this comes from a change of perspective, as once he was in the finals, Minami did not need to ride correctly in every fight--he needed to ride correctly in four fights. Being the least stable of the finalist decks, Minami's introduces several new units like Akane and Margal which seemingly conflict with the deck's Majesty Lord focus, and he runs several cards in single copies. While the methodology is difficult to decipher, ultimately his lineup was consistent enough to place as the fourth best in Japan.
Summer 2012 National Tournament (Japan)
Card Pool: TD01-BT07, PR 0001-0066
Grade 0
x1 Wingal Brave (FVG)
x4 Yggdrasil Maiden, Elaine HT
x4 Margal DT
x4 Alabaster Owl CT
x4 Bringer of Good Luck, Epona CT
Grade 1
x4 Flash Shield, Iseult
x4 Little Sage, Marron
x2 Toypugal
x3 Knight of Friendship, Kay
Grade 2
x4 Blaster Blade
x1 High Dog Breeder, Akane
x3 Blaster Dark
x3 Starcall Trumpeter
x1 Knight of Loyalty, Bedivere
Grade 3
x3 King of Knights, Alfred
x1 Solitary Knight, Gancelot
x4 Majesty Lord Blaster
