News: Fighter's Cup & Fight Royale Tournament Results

Today the results of the Fighter's Cup and Fight Royale tournaments were made public through the official Japanese website. Both of these tournaments were held as part of the Great Vanguard Festival on April 27-29, each divided into two blocks. Notably, these results are showing much heavier influence from the new break ride mechanics than prior tournaments of 2013, as fighters are becoming more experimental with their deckbuilds.

Gold Paladin seems to be leaving its first real impact on the Japanese pro scene, as the Spectral Duke Dragon deck that was so impractical within the crossride format has been reworked with the Liberator subgroup supporting it, while the Ezel deck that only popped up briefly before is now likewise taking advantage of the Gancelot break ride.

Narukami is remaining a steady presence; in addition to "THE BLOOD" returning to tournament prominence, Uemura Shouhei's Dragonic Descendant decklist has once again shown its influence, as Fight Royale champion Itagaki Shinya has been clearly influenced by the deck's success. Although not a perfect replica, his build is clearly patterned off of Uemura's style. Due to yesterday's announcement of the May 11th restricted list, this could be the last time that Descendant shows its face in the pro scene.

Fighter's Cup A Block
Champion: Atenbou Yousuke/阿天坊洋祐
Grade 0
x1 Spring Breeze Messenger (FVG)
x4 Liberator of Hope, Epona CT
x4 Weapons Liberator, Gwydion DT
x4 Strike Liberator CT
x4 Elixir Liberator HT
Grade 1
x4 Halo Liberator, Mark
x2 Liberator, Flare Mane Stallion
x2 Sleygal Dagger
x3 Curved Blade Liberator, Josephus
x4 Little Liberator, Marron
Grade 2
x2 Blaster Blade Liberator
x3 Liberator of the Flute, Escrad
x3 Liberator of Royalty, Phallon
x3 Liberator of Silence, Gallatin
Grade 3
x4 Liberator of the Round Table, Alfred
x4 Solitary Liberator, Gancelot

Runner-up: Nomiya Youtei/野宮陽平
Grade 0
x1 Spark Kid Dragoon (FVG)
x4 Eradicator Dragon Mage DT
x4 Eradicator, Yellow Gem Carbuncle CT
x4 Demonic Dragon Eradicator, Seiobo HT
x4 Divine Spear Eradicator, Pollux CT
x1 Spark Edge Dracokid CT
Grade 1
x2 Rising Phoenix
x4 Eradicator of the Ceremonial Bonfire, Castor
x4 Eradicator Wyvern Guard, Guld
x4 Eradicator, Demolition Dragon
Grade 2
x3 Eradicator, Thunder Boom Dragon
x4 Eradicator, Spark Rain Dragon
x4 Dragonic Deathscythe
Grade 3
x2 Eradicator, Vowing Sword Dragon
x2 Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant
x4 Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon

Fighter's Cup B Block
Champion: Nukui Yuu/貫井悠
Grade 0
x1 Spark Kid Dragoon (FVG)
x2 Yellow Gem Carbuncle CT
x2 Mischievous Girl, Kyon-She DT
x2 Old Dragon Mage DT
x2 Spark Edge Dracokid DT
x4 Demonic Dragon Nymph, Seiobo HT
x4 Malevolent Djinn CT
Grade 1
x4 Red River Dragoon
x2 Photon Bomber Wyvenr
x2 Dragon Monk, Ginkaku
x4 Wyvern Guard, Barri
x2 Rising Phoenix
Grade 2
x2 Thunder Storm Dragoon
x1 Storm Bringer Dragon
x4 Dusty Plasma Dragon
x3 Demonic Dragon Berserk, Garuda
Grade 3
x4 Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion "THE BLOOD"
x4 Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion

Runner-up: Ajisaka Masato/鰺坂真人
Grade 0
x1 Crimson Lion Cub, Kyrph (FVG)
x4 Elixir Sommelier HT
x4 Weapons Dealer, Gwydion DT
x4 Flame of Victory CT
x2 Dantegal CT
x2 Silent Punisher CT
Grade 1
x2 Disciple of Pain
x1 Silver Fang Witch
x4 Halo Shield, Mark
x4 Sleygal Dagger
x4 Knight of Elegant Skills, Gareth
Grade 2
x3 Liberator of Royalty, Phallon
x3 Knight of Passion, Bagdemagus
x4 Knight of Superior Skills, Beaumains
Grade 3
x4 Solitary Liberator, Gancelot
x3 Blazing Lion, Platina Ezel
x1 Burning Lion, Blond Ezel

Fighter's Royale, A Block
Champion: Matsuoka Reishi/松岡怜史
Grade 0
x1 Black Dragon Whelp, Vortimer (FVG)
x4 Liberator of Hope, Epona CT
x4 Elixir Liberator HT
x4 Flame of Victory CT
x4 Falcon Knight of the Azure DT
Grade 1
x4 Knight of Elegant Skills, Gareth
x4 Scout of Darkness, Vortimer
x2 Halo Liberator, Mark
x2 Halo Shield, Mark
x1 Listener of Truth, Dindrane
x1 Silver Fang Witch
Grade 2
x4 Black Dragon Knight, Vortimer
x2 Liberator of Silence, Gallatin
x1 Blaster Blade Liberator
x2 Mage of Calamity, Tripp
x2 Player of the Holy Bow, Viviane
Grade 3
x4 Spectral Duke Dragon
x4 Solitary Liberator, Gancelot

Runner-up: Kawai Tomoki/川井智己
Grade 0
x1 Wingal Liberator (FVG)
x4 Liberator of Hope, Epona CT
x4 Flame of Victory CT
x4 Strike Liberator CT
x4 Elixir Liberator HT
Grade 1
x4 Halo Liberator, Mark
x2 Liberator, Flare Mane Stallion
x4 Curved Blade Liberator, Josephus
x4 Little Liberator, Marron
Grade 2
x4 Blaster Blade Liberator
x3 Liberator of the Flute, Escrad
x4 Liberator of Royalty, Phallon
Grade 3
x4 Liberator of the Round Table, Alfred
x4 Solitary Liberator, Gancelot

Fighter's Royale, B Block
Champion: Itagaki Shinya/板垣信也
Grade 0
x1 Ambush Dragon Eradicator, Linchu (FVG)
x4 Eradicator Dragon Mage DT
x4 Eradicator, Yellow Gem Carbuncle CT
x4 Demonic Dragon Eradicator, Seiobo HT
x4 Divine Spear Eradicator, Pollux CT
Grade 1
x2 Rising Phoenix
x4 Eradicator of the Ceremonial Bonfire, Castor
x4 Eradicator Wyvern Guard, Guld
x2 Eradicator, Demolition Dragon
x2 Eradicator of True Flames, Kougaiji
Grade 2
x4 Eradicator, Thunder Boom Dragon
x4 Eradicator, Spark Rain Dragon
x3 Dragonic Deathscythe
Grade 3
x4 Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant
x4 Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon

Runner-up: 谷帝希 (Pronunciation currently unknown, possibly a pseudonym; "Kokutei Nozomi" is one suggested reading.)
Grade 0
x1 Spark Kid Dragoon (FVG)
x4 Yellow Gem Carbuncle CT
x2 Old Dragon Mage DT
x2 Spark Edge Dragokid CT
x4 Demonic Dragon Nymph, Seiobo HT
x4 Malevolent Djinn CT
Grade 1
x4 Red River Dragoon
x4 Photon Bomber Wyvern
x4 Wyvern Guard, Guld
x3 Rising Phoenix
Grade 2
x4 Thunder Storm Dragon
x4 Hex Cannon Wyvern
x3 Demonic Dragon Berserker, Garuda
Grade 3
x3 Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion "THE BLOOD"
x4 Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion

News: Kyoto & Kanto Vanguard Championship Tournament Results

Vanguard Announce has come out with the latest results of the amateur Vanguard Championships, this time including the first Kyoto and the fourth Kanto VGCS. These large-scale amateur tournaments are organized by Kohaku ("Amber") and a network of card shops; they are unaffiliated with Bushiroad, but as a result of their independent status, both the entry fees and prizes are much higher than would be acceptable in official events. Cardfighters participating in the VGCS tend to operate under pseudonyms and net handles, rather than providing their real names as in Bushiroad's organized play. And unlike the official best of one, double elimination format, these amateur events are done in a best of three, Swiss tournament model. This makes the tournaments very drawn out, so attending can mean a full day's commitment, but it also creates a more intensely competitive environment where only fighters with the ability to control absolutely every game can reach the top brackets. The underground, anonymous nature of the amateur Vanguard Championships is intimidating to some, but the rewards are high as the top fighters can win up to five boxes from the latest booster sets.

Photo source, from 2008. The Kyoto Education and Cultural Center is a culture center established by the city of Kyoto. Spaces within the building are frequently rented to provide environments for an event.

The Kyoto tournament held on March 24th saw 74 participants and was held at the Kyoto Education and Cultural Center. The top three places were won using Eradicator-based Narukami decks, while fourth place went to a PRISM-based Bermuda Triangle build. Of the decks used, the Eradicators were the most populous with 23 participants using them, followed by the Liberators and PRISM Bermuda Triangle at just 12, then 5 Spike Brothers and 4 Oracle Think Tank decks. The remaining cardfighters included 2 standard Royal Paladin decks, 1 Jewel Knight deck, 1 old model Gold Paladin deck, and 1 deck of every remaining clan except for Aqua Force, Etranger, Kagerou, Nubatama, Granblue and Murakumo.


Meanwhile, the fourth Kanto VGCS on March 31st saw a turnout of 85 participants, with the top two places being taken by Eradicator decks, the third by a Spike Brothers build, and the fourth by another Eradicator deck. This particular tournament was held in a Round Robin format, initially divided into sixteen blocks, with the top two from each block then proceeding to the top 32. Rounds were best of five, allowing each fighter up to two losses. The top 8 included two more Eradicators, another Liberator and a PRISM build. Unlike at Kyoto, the Kanto tournament included videos of the matches including the final Narukami v. Liberator fight (above), providing a rare look at how the highest levels of Japan's competition play out.

The deck distribution this time included 29 Eradicator decks, 17 of them being Dragonic Descendant-Gauntlet Buster Dragon builds, with 11 others including Vowing Sword Dragon in the mix alongside Gauntlet and Descendant. Other decks included 22 Liberators, 7 PRISM, 3 Pacifica, and 4 Majesty Lord Blaster builds

News: Liberator of the Round Table, New Clan Revealed

Recently pictures of the much-awaited Gold Paladin Alfred have surfaced, revealed the following data about the card;

Liberator of the Round Table, Alfred

Power 11000/No Shield/Gold Paladin/Human

Continuous【V】 Limit Break (4): During your turn, this unit gets +2000
power for each of your rear-guards with "Liberator" in its name

Activate【V/R】 : [Counterblast (2) cards with "Liberator" in their name] Look at up to 1 cards from the top of your deck, search for up to 1 《Gold Paladin》 among them, call it to an open rearguard circle, and put the rest of the revealed cards on the bottom of the deck.

Continuous【V/R】: Lord

Update: Clearer images have since clarified that Alfred only looks at the top 1, not the top 3 as previously thought.

Liberator of the Round Table has drawn considerable attention as the definitive, new Gold Paladin with Gancelot as his backup. Alfred answers most of the problems surrounding both Ezel and his original incarnation as the King of Knights; a strong base 11000 power simultaneously protects him and allows him to hit 21000 power independently, doing this even prior to limit break with Llew's assistance, and once he does hit limit break he can reach a consistent 31000, again with Llew's aid. The especial counterblast restricts him from being used in traditional Gold Paladin decks, but his base power lets him become a strong rearguard not reliant on a specific booster. With the Gold Paladins' rearguard focus and this card to bring a cohesive strategy to the fore, Alfred has become the subject of much excitement regarding the end of the crossride format in Japan and the soldification of a strong identity for Gold Paladin that can compete with their ever-strengthening Royal predecessors.

Images previewing BT10 have shown a box design patterned off of BT01: Descent of the King of Knights, with the new Alfred featured on the front and Dragonic Descendant on the back. Both Alfred and Blaster Blade Liberator are being illustrated by Itou Akira, the franchise's overall creative influence and primary author, who was also responsible for the original Blaster Blade and both Alfred designs.

In other news, image mockups for the next round of official sleeves have revealed that Misaki will not be using Oracle Think Tank for the duration of Link Joker, but that her new cards from a new clan altogether, Genesis. Of the Genesis cards so far revealed, their main grade 3 is known to be War Goddess of the Moonlit Night, Artemis, based on Artemis the Greek god of archery and the hunt, while the only other Genesis card revealed is unknown, but appears to be patterned on more Japanese motifs. Reactions are mixed as all deck changes thus far in the franchise are generally held to be mishandled by fans, but it appears that with the major Shinto deities exhausted on the OraThin side of things, Bushiroad has chosen to create a new clan for the Greek pantheon. Artemis has been illustrated by Azusa, who previously illustrated Battle Sister Ginger, Cup Bowler and Sacred Guardian Beast Nemean Lion, among other cards.

On the Bermuda Triangle side of things, Eternal Idol, Pacifica was recently revealed in the same capacity as Artemis, but what kind of card she will be is not yet known. She will be receiving her own sleeve, and some have taken her prominent resemblance to Sendou Emi as a sign that Aichi's younger sister may become a larger figure during Link Joker, as she was previously used to advertise EB02 during the first season. EB06: Dazzling Divas is due for a March 23rd Japanese release and a July 2013 English release, updating Bermuda Triangle for the modern scene. Eternal Idol is being illustrated by Takuya Fujima, who was also responsible for the original Pacifica's artwork, and is otherwise known for his work with the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid manga.

The product page for VGE-BT05: Awakening of Twin Blades has revealed that there will be 82 cards in the set and with 22 Rares, 2 more than was present in the Japanese set. Past booster sets have introduced a practice of integrating cards that were promos in their original Japanese release into main sets for their English release. Current speculation is that one of these promo cards may be Creeping Dark Goat, a Shizuku-type Shadow Paladin first vanguard that has been very popular in Japan as a replacement for Fullbau and the Blaster evolving line.

(via ameba)