Japan's first pro caster on building an esports culture

Years of hard work have finally paid off. The winner of this season's League of Legends Japan League (LJL) will be officially invited to compete at the International Wild Card Invitational (IWCI) this April. With a path to Worlds open to its players for the first time, Japan's next task is raising a team capable of taking on the seasoned opponents coming out of regions like Brazil or Southeast Asia. To get a handle on how far they’ve has come over the years and what it took to get here, who better to talk to than the man who’s seen it all: Japan’s first-ever full time caster, Kouji “Eyes” Mitarai.

A Nation Finds its Voice

It's hard to imagine the LJL without Eyes. Whether as the frenzied play-by-play caster behind every match, or as the host of his weekly interview series "Eyes' Eyes," he's become the frontman for Japanese League of Legends as the rest of the world begins to take notice. Mitarai first started playing League back in Season 1, at a friend's recommendation, and it wasn't too long after that when he first picked up the microphone. Even though he had no experience at the time, Mitarai had always enjoyed Japanese WarCraft casts and decided to bring the same to League of Legends. After casting on his own for a time, Mitarai was asked to join up with DetonatioN -- Japan's largest pro-gaming organization -- as their dedicated broadcaster. When plans were made to start up the LJL, it was DetonatioN who recommended him for the gig. Now, Mitarai spends his weekdays keeping up with the leagues all over the world, researching everything from new meta to the best camera techniques, and has lately begun attending voice lessons in his spare time. And every Saturday night at 6:00 sharp, he joins his analyst and partner Ryousuke “Revol” Kakizaki to broadcast the best League Japan has to offer.

Putting a Face to the Play

The IWCI announcement was a game-changer for the Japanese scene. “I was overwhelmed,” Mitarai said, “I was incredibly happy that Japan's players will finally have a chance to take flight into the larger world.” It's taken a lot to get to this point, and it wasn't all because there's no Japanese server. “Before the LJL began, the Japanese community was very closed and insular I think. The players were nervous to even show their faces, because there's always been a strong trend in Japanese culture towards not showing your face during a broadcast.” With no online tournaments and little interaction with viewers, Japanese League was little more than a niche within a niche. But the LJL set out to change all that. Held offline in the heart of Tokyo's electronics district, the LoL Japan League brought players and viewers together to create a brand new culture, an endeavor Mitarai feels has been very successful. “I feel as though the resistance towards showing faces has gone away. I also think that because tournaments where the players are able to meet and interact with their fans, rather than online-only tournaments, have increased, real fans of the different teams and players are increasing. The atmosphere at this year's offline events was incredible.”

Unable to Commit

This change is still slow to take root. As unusual a job title “pro-gamer” is in the West, it's virtually unthinkable in Japan. Even though you can point to a number of “famous” Japanese pros in other games, such as Street Fighter legend Daigo Umehara, very few of them play for a living: leaving the current crop of League pros with few models and even less infrastructure. On top of that, the specter of college entrance exams looms heavily over every Japanese student's prime gaming years. Players like Rabbit Five's Shoutarou “Zerost” Ikeda have been forced to balance their practice with securing their future. And they’re not alone. Mitarai points to this inability to commit fully to gaming, and the inexperience of those involved, as the number one reason Japan's play is still behind. “Most players are playing League while working another job. As such, it's difficult logistically to secure a time for the team to practice together, and in the worst case some players find themselves unable to continue. A competitive environment, with professional players all living and practicing in gaming houses, is essential. And of course, the analysts, coaches, and managers are also very inexperienced.” Nonetheless, things are moving in the right direction. Thanks to previous successes, both Rascal Jester and DetonatioN FocusMe have been able to move into gaming houses this year, and both have recently been featured on morning news programs. Supporting staff like Mitarai and the rest at e-Sports SQUARE are able to make a living. And people are starting to take notice. For instance, the Tokyo School of Anime professional school recently opened an “Esports Department” where students can study playing, casting, or event management. Educational merits aside, it represents an increased awareness that esports is for real, and that it's coming to Japan.

Stepping onto the Stage

Of course, this all leads up to one thing: the International Wild Card Invitational in April. We're two months out, and there's still some growing to do if Japan wants to be a match for regions like Brazil. And even if they can build up their skills, Mitarai cautions that their mental game might be an even bigger obstacle. “Environment and experience” are Japan's two biggest weak points he sees, and no Japanese team has experience like this. Remaining focused, grounded, and positive will be essential. “I think it will be extremely important that the players are able to enjoy their matches. If they are able to win their first match, I believe they will be able to make it far in the tournament.” The LJL Season 1 Grand Finals, the match that will decide the Japanese IWCI representative, will take place on March 29th: giving them one last month to practice. It's been a long road getting here, and the Japanese esports scene has come a long way, but Japan’s best are aiming even higher. Can the Japanese scene become competitive with the rest of the world in time? Mitarai hopes so. “Japan's team is the one to watch during the IWCI!” The LJL airs every Saturday at 1:00 AM PDT. You can find the official website with the schedule and results here, and watch the Japanese stream (featuring Eyes) here on Twitch or the English stream here on Azubu.

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