A new kind of gamer: Japan aims for the pros
Riot·12/1/2014, 11:13:00 PM·0 votes·23,295 views
Japan was largely passed over by PC gaming culture. Preferring home consoles and fighting games, Japanese gamers never quite embraced competitive PC gaming in the way their Chinese and Korean neighbors did. As a result, the small but dedicated group of Japanese League of Legends players has had to go at it alone. Without even a server to call their own, Japanese players established their own underground League of Legends scene: complete with long-term leagues, professional teams and streamers, and even an offline studio in Akihabara that attracts hundreds of spectators.
Just a few weeks ago, that scene hit a new milestone. Rascal Jester, one of Japan’s best teams, announced they would be moving into Japan’s first ever dedicated pro-gaming house as they aim to take their game to the next level. We caught up with the team's captain, Ryou “apaMEN” Odagiri, as they turned the page on this exciting new chapter.
Like many professional players, Odagiri has always been in love with gaming. He first transitioned from console to PC at 14. Though he started with MMOs, competitive first person shooters like Sudden Attack, Counter-Strike, and Special Force quickly caught his attention. In fact, for around half a year, Odagiri was one of the country’s best Special Force players: a position that earned him a spot in the World Championship, where he placed 5th overall.
The switch to League of Legends came three years ago at a friend's recommendation. And like many new players, he didn't find it easy. “Since LoL was the first RTS/MOBA-style game I had played, I wasn’t able to win at all at first and it wasn’t very fun!” he laughed, “Even so, I kept on playing, and as I gained the necessary skills and knowledge, I started to enjoy it.”
Things didn’t get serious for Odagiri until last December. Together with his friends he started a team called “PeachServerAllstars.” They were successful enough to gain a spot in the League of Legends Japan League (LJL), and that success spurred them to push even further.
Reforming as Rascal Jester, Odagiri and his team took first place in the LJL Winter Season and three Japan Competitive Gaming (JCG) Premier League Championships. Unfortunately, they were toppled in the LJL Grand Championship in a close set by rival team DetonatioN FocusMe. Even so, Odagiri and his team are aiming even higher. Switching from mid lane to jungle, he asserts that, “next time we're aiming to be the best in Japan: in both name and in reality.”
A few weeks ago, Rascal Jester announced they had accepted a partnership with CROOZ, a Japanese internet company, and would be moving into the country’s first ever professional gaming house. However, Odagiri says this wasn’t due entirely to their successes. Rather, it was due to their attitude as a team.
“In Japan, the strongest image of a gamer is someone who's so into their games, they don't recognize the real world,” he explains. “We felt like as long as that image stays dominant, it would be impossible to receive any support. Winning was always our first priority, but if winning is all it takes to be a professional gamer, then there are already pros in Japan."
"Realizing we could never receive any support with a bad attitude, we decided as a team when we formed Rascal Jester to live according to proper [Japanese] manners," he said. "As a result, we have been able to form a variety of connections, and it was that which led to being approached by CROOZ.”
The approach was tailored to the unique state of the Japanese market. Both CROOZ and the team are embarking on the daunting task of creating not only a winning team, but a brand new culture. While the team lives and practices under the same roof, they will also be required to work a day job at with CROOZ. Hoping to do away with the stereotype that “gamers can’t do anything besides play games,” CROOZ hopes to establish a new precedent for pro-gaming: a new type of gamer, who competes as a professional while working in the business world.
Rascal Jester has only recently moved into the house and they’re still working out the specifics, right down to who does the dishes. Describing his teammates, Odagiri explained “everyone is very close, and brimming with ambition to improve. Rkp is far taller than any Japanese person ought to be. Cogcog has a cute face, but he's evil. There's a rumor that Scotty and Rainbrain are together. We call Lillebelt the Archangel.”
At present, the team practices primarily through Ranked 5s on the Korean server, but likes to scrim whenever possible and are actively looking for new partners, no matter where they’re from. Forced to practice from their own rooms until now, Odagiri feels that bringing all the players under the same roof will allow them to work like never before: putting extra energy into strategic meetings and coming up with ways to raise their overall level as a team.
When asked about his favorite foreign teams, Odagiri pointed to Samsung White. “I especially looked to Samsung White's Looper, Pawn, and DanDy for inspiration. I love the way those players understand each other's style and put the team first. I wish we had been able to play against them, but now they're all broken up.”
Though they acknowledge their level is lower than that of the top international squads, Rascal Jester is determined to close that gap. “We want to win on the world stage,” he says. Odagiri hopes their efforts will encourage Japanese gamers to take notice and show them how fun League of Legends can be. “And through teams like ours and the companies that support them, I hope we can make things exciting enough for those currently playing console games to take an interest in PC gaming.”
Odagiri's also humble about his team’s current strength, but looks forward to a bright future. “I can't say that we're at a high level compared to foreign teams. However, we will get stronger step by step, until we can battle as equals with top pros from all around the world. We are working hard so that our fans will be proud they supported us, so please cheer us on.”
Japanese tournaments are over for now, but Rascal Jester promises to update their website when the next event is announced. In the mean time, Odagiri and the rest of his team will be streaming on both Twitch.TV and NicoNico Douga. You can visit the team’s website for each of their Twitch channels, and follow Odagiri on Twitter (Japanese only).
Images thanks to Hiromi Mizunaga.
Summoning a Rascal
Like many professional players, Odagiri has always been in love with gaming. He first transitioned from console to PC at 14. Though he started with MMOs, competitive first person shooters like Sudden Attack, Counter-Strike, and Special Force quickly caught his attention. In fact, for around half a year, Odagiri was one of the country’s best Special Force players: a position that earned him a spot in the World Championship, where he placed 5th overall.
The switch to League of Legends came three years ago at a friend's recommendation. And like many new players, he didn't find it easy. “Since LoL was the first RTS/MOBA-style game I had played, I wasn’t able to win at all at first and it wasn’t very fun!” he laughed, “Even so, I kept on playing, and as I gained the necessary skills and knowledge, I started to enjoy it.”
Things didn’t get serious for Odagiri until last December. Together with his friends he started a team called “PeachServerAllstars.” They were successful enough to gain a spot in the League of Legends Japan League (LJL), and that success spurred them to push even further.
Reforming as Rascal Jester, Odagiri and his team took first place in the LJL Winter Season and three Japan Competitive Gaming (JCG) Premier League Championships. Unfortunately, they were toppled in the LJL Grand Championship in a close set by rival team DetonatioN FocusMe. Even so, Odagiri and his team are aiming even higher. Switching from mid lane to jungle, he asserts that, “next time we're aiming to be the best in Japan: in both name and in reality.”
Redefining the Gamer
A few weeks ago, Rascal Jester announced they had accepted a partnership with CROOZ, a Japanese internet company, and would be moving into the country’s first ever professional gaming house. However, Odagiri says this wasn’t due entirely to their successes. Rather, it was due to their attitude as a team.
“In Japan, the strongest image of a gamer is someone who's so into their games, they don't recognize the real world,” he explains. “We felt like as long as that image stays dominant, it would be impossible to receive any support. Winning was always our first priority, but if winning is all it takes to be a professional gamer, then there are already pros in Japan."
"Realizing we could never receive any support with a bad attitude, we decided as a team when we formed Rascal Jester to live according to proper [Japanese] manners," he said. "As a result, we have been able to form a variety of connections, and it was that which led to being approached by CROOZ.”
The approach was tailored to the unique state of the Japanese market. Both CROOZ and the team are embarking on the daunting task of creating not only a winning team, but a brand new culture. While the team lives and practices under the same roof, they will also be required to work a day job at with CROOZ. Hoping to do away with the stereotype that “gamers can’t do anything besides play games,” CROOZ hopes to establish a new precedent for pro-gaming: a new type of gamer, who competes as a professional while working in the business world.
Aiming High
Rascal Jester has only recently moved into the house and they’re still working out the specifics, right down to who does the dishes. Describing his teammates, Odagiri explained “everyone is very close, and brimming with ambition to improve. Rkp is far taller than any Japanese person ought to be. Cogcog has a cute face, but he's evil. There's a rumor that Scotty and Rainbrain are together. We call Lillebelt the Archangel.”
At present, the team practices primarily through Ranked 5s on the Korean server, but likes to scrim whenever possible and are actively looking for new partners, no matter where they’re from. Forced to practice from their own rooms until now, Odagiri feels that bringing all the players under the same roof will allow them to work like never before: putting extra energy into strategic meetings and coming up with ways to raise their overall level as a team.
When asked about his favorite foreign teams, Odagiri pointed to Samsung White. “I especially looked to Samsung White's Looper, Pawn, and DanDy for inspiration. I love the way those players understand each other's style and put the team first. I wish we had been able to play against them, but now they're all broken up.”
Though they acknowledge their level is lower than that of the top international squads, Rascal Jester is determined to close that gap. “We want to win on the world stage,” he says. Odagiri hopes their efforts will encourage Japanese gamers to take notice and show them how fun League of Legends can be. “And through teams like ours and the companies that support them, I hope we can make things exciting enough for those currently playing console games to take an interest in PC gaming.”
Odagiri's also humble about his team’s current strength, but looks forward to a bright future. “I can't say that we're at a high level compared to foreign teams. However, we will get stronger step by step, until we can battle as equals with top pros from all around the world. We are working hard so that our fans will be proud they supported us, so please cheer us on.”
Japanese tournaments are over for now, but Rascal Jester promises to update their website when the next event is announced. In the mean time, Odagiri and the rest of his team will be streaming on both Twitch.TV and NicoNico Douga. You can visit the team’s website for each of their Twitch channels, and follow Odagiri on Twitter (Japanese only).
Images thanks to Hiromi Mizunaga.
