In mere days, a series of huge releases will change the tournament landscape worldwide. The arrival of Mezuki in Premium Pack 2 will bring Zombies back to the top tables. The new Collector’s Tins will have the game’s newest powerhouse monster, Stardust Dragon, in everybody’s Extra Deck. And the Extra Deck itself will be just one of the many new mechanics introduced in The Duelist Genesis: Synchro monsters are about to rock dueling to its core.

But for now, the current environment has at least one last hurrah, as Shonen Jump action debuts in Toronto for the first time ever! One month ago we saw Canada’s best clash right here at the Metro Toronto Convention Center in the Canadian National Championships. Top Canadian duelists like Yannick Dubeau, James Neumann, Matt Peddle, and Dale Bellido ground their way through one of the most grueling tournaments of the year, but at the end of the weekend it was Lazaro Bellido who claimed the title of Canadian Champion. Stunning highs were matched by terrible lows, as some top prospects made massive stumbles, but today those duelists are back to seek redemption.

But it certainly won’t come easy. 352 competitors have gathered here today for nine rounds of competition, and the field includes a ton of top American duelists. Chris Flores, Nareg Torossian, Vincent Tundo, Chris Bowling, Adam Corn, and many more are here in contention, making for a hotly-contested field.

With four top decks clearly defined through previous Day 2 appearances, the time may be right for innovation. Lightsworn, Dark Armed Dragon, Monarchs, and the fearsome Gladiator Beasts are at the top of the pack, and many top players today are seeing that as an opportunity to metagame heavily.