Top 8 Profiles
晴れる屋
Austin Hatfield (1st after Swiss rounds)
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Austin Hatfield, 22, living in Tokyo, network administrator
Q2: Where’s your base community and what shop do you usually play at?
Famicom-kun (2nd Shop), Tachikawa.
F-Conclave, Fussa.
Q3: What was your Standard deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Blackless Four-Color Ascendency, 6-1.
It’s good against midrange. Most decks I saw were midrange.
Q4: What was your Modern deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Wary Girls [Norin Sisters], 5-1-1.
It’s my favorite deck and it’s good against Delver.
Q5: Please tell us what appeals to you about tournaments.
I like Modern, prizes, and pro players.
Q6: What is your Magic ambition for 2015?
To do well at Magic.
Shota Miyashita (2nd after Swiss rounds)
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Shota Miyashita, 21, Saitama Prefecture, student
Q2: Where’s your base community and what shop do you usually play at?
Hareruya.
Q3: What was your Standard deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Abzan Planeswalkers, 6-1.
I wanted to use Siege Rhino and Elspeth, Sun’s Champion.
Q4: What was your Modern deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Cruise Burn, 5-2.
I thought it would likely be strong and easy to borrow off someone.
Q5: Please tell us what appeals to you about tournaments.
It’s a nice way to spend your time, along with a bunch of other players having fun.
Q6: What is your Magic ambition for 2015?
I want to get on the Pro Tour.
Masaaki Hitomi (3rd after Swiss rounds)
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Masaaki Hitomi, 27, Tokyo, office worker
Q2: Where’s your base community and what shop do you usually play at?
HTC [Hareruya Tournament Center]. BMA [Big Magic Akihabara].
Q3: What was your Standard deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Abzan Aggro, 6-1.
Teruya [Kakumae] took down a PTQ with this list, so I copied it.
Q4: What was your Modern deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Abzan Junk 4-1-2.
[Yoshihiko] Ikawa provided the list.
Q5: Please tell us what appeals to you about tournaments.
Spacious, cool venues.
Q6: What is your Magic ambition for 2015?
I want to keep my friends close at heart.
Takatomo Hayashi (4th after Swiss rounds)
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Takatomo Hayashi, 30, Tokyo, Amenity Dream clerk
Q2: Where’s your base community and what shop do you usually play at?
Amenity Dream – Kichijoji, Hareruya.
Q3: What was your Standard deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Sidisi Whip 5-2
I want to get a bunch of Akatsuki-gata tokens in play.
Q4: What was your Modern deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
UR Delver 5-0-2
It makes tokens.
Q5: Please tell us what appeals to you about tournaments
You can smoothly join in on a tournament any time.
Q6: What is your Magic ambition for 2015?
I want to change jobs to begin reliably earning prize money.
Yuusuke Sasabe (5th after Swiss rounds)
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Yuusuke Sasabe, 25, Tokyo, graduate student
Q2: Where’s your base community and what shop do you usually play at?
・0-5 Friends Association
・PWC [Planes Walker’s Cup] circuit
・Hareruya
Q3: What was your Standard deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Abzan Midrange 6-1
Easily the strongest (the main engine’s just too much).
Q4: What was your Modern deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Jeskai Geist 4-2-1
I didn’t have anything but this deck.
Q5: Please tell us what appeals to you about tournaments.
A little less people at GPs/PTQs.
Q6: What is your Magic ambition for 2015?
Play on the Pro Tour.
Norikazu Ichikawa (6th after Swiss rounds)
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Norikazu Ichikawa, 26, Aichi, office worker
Q2: Where’s your base community and what shop do you usually play at?
Smile King Takisoupaluks – Yoshihara Shop
Mishimaya
Q3: What was your Standard deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Green-Black Constellation 5-2
It has the advantage against Abzan (which is even slower than a midrange deck) and Whip decks.
Q4: What was your Modern deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
[Yusei] Gotou’s Birthing Pod 5-1-1
I wanted to use Finks and Rhino, which are super effective against Burn and Delver.
Q5: Please tell us what appeals to you about tournaments.
I like large-scale Standard tournaments.
Q6: What is your Magic ambition for 2015?
I wanna win in Limited, too!
Yuuki Ichikawa (7th after Swiss rounds)
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Yuuki Ichikawa, 26, Magic Online, BIGMAGIC-sponsored pro player
Q2: Where’s your base community and what shop do you usually play at?
Magic Online
Q3: What was your Standard deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Abzan Aggro 6-1
Strong.
Q4: What was your Modern deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Canadian Threshold 4-2-1
My life.
Q5: Please tell us what appeals to you about tournaments.
High level tournaments
Q6: What is your Magic ambition for 2015?
Platinum level, play in World Championship
Takeyuki Matsubara (8th after Swiss rounds)
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Takeyuki Matsubara, 27, Tokyo, office worker
Q2: Where’s your base community and what shop do you usually play at?
Nekoyama Legion, Hareruya
Q3: What was your Standard deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Steroid 6-1
I saw NakaChika [Chikara Nakajima] using it and the list was a blast.
Q4: What was your Modern deck, how did it do, and why did you select it?
Angel Pod 4-2-1
I’ve been using this shell since Modern began.
Q5: Please tell us what appeals to you about tournaments.
When nobody cheats, everyone can have a good time.
Q6: What is your Magic ambition for 2015?
Balance Magic with work.
