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The Sentry™
Card# MTU-017

While his stats aren’t much bigger than those of the average 7-drop, Sentry’s “Pay ATK” power can drastically hinder an opponent’s attacking options in the late game.
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$10K Tokyo

Metagame Staff

October 17, 2005

In spite of fog and rain that delayed some of the players and judges, the first major Vs. System tournament in Japan started round 1 of tournament play at exactly 12:00 noon—right on time. It’s no surprise, considering the tournament is being run by Hobby Japan, who are veterans with a highly experienced staff. Old-school TCG pros such as Akira Asahara, Tsuyoshi Ikeda, Itaru Ishida, and Koichiro Maki, among others, came to see if their previous skills translate into Vs. System dollars. The remainder of the 65 player field was comprised of a mixture of mid-level TCG players and those who are new to TCGs altogether. Such a variance among skill levels led to interesting matches, as newer players often made unpredictable plays, and may not have developed the discipline to hide their tells.

In the end, it was Kunnihiko Kishishita defeating Koichiro Maki for the championship, and the right to be called the first Japanese $10K winner. Kishishita is full of confidence for the future, stating that Japan will have a Pro Circuit Champion in the future, and that champion will be him. With Kishishita and other Japanese TCG veterans leading the way, the country's innovative deckbuilders may not only make a major impact on Vs. System, but they may revolutionize the way the rest of the world plays it.

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Finals

Champion

Kunihiko Kishishita

Ryuma Narumiya

Kunihiko Kishishita

Yukio Kozakai

Masami Ibamoto

Kunihiko Kishishita

Koichiro Maki

Sho Komai

Koichiro Maki

Naoki Kubouchi

Itaru Ishida

Results	Standings
Round 1	Round 1
Round 2	Round 2
Round 3	Round 3
Round 4	Round 4
Round 5	Round 5
Round 6	Round 6
Round 7	Round 7
Round 8	Round 8
Round 9	Round 9
Round 10	Round 10

	$10K Tokyo Photos
	A closer look at the tournament!

	Interviews: Koichiro Maki
	"Formation was the hardest part of learning Vs. System, because it’s a new concept."

	Interview: Kunnihiko Kishishita
	"One day, we’ll have a Japanese Pro Circuit winner. His name will be Kunnihiko Kishishita."

	Interview: Shota Ishida
	"There is lots of math involved, and I like the shared turn structure. It’s really interesting."

	Second Interview: Masami Ibamoto
	"Japanese players are behind the rest of the world for Golden Age, since we only have Avengers in Japanese right now. For Sealed Pack and draft, though, we are good."

	Interview: Itaru Ishida
	"The tempo of the game is good. There is no boring time during the matches."

	Interview: Keita Mori
	"I’m usually covering events, so it’s been seven years since I have played competitively. This is my first big tournament of any kind."

	Interview: Shizutaka Nozu
	"I won because my characters are strong, and I got a little lucky."

	Interview: Tsuyoshi Ikeda
	Ikeda is a long-time TCG pro, and has been the face of Vs. System in Japan for months.

	Interview: Masami Ibamoto
	"Thunderbolts Plaza has really helped me to win today."

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