Good morning, and welcome to the first Shonen Jump Championship of 2009!
Five weeks ago today, we saw some of the East Coast’s greatest duelists convene at the Cobo Center in Detroit, and the battle that ensued gave duelists a lot to think about over the holidays. Gladiator Beasts and Gadgets made it back to the Day 2 tables, defying the metagame predictions of many. Calvin Tsang brought triple Threatening Roar and triple Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude to the finals, teching cards like Magical Mallet and Dark Eruption in a deck that would set trends for weeks to come. Black Garden saw its first major appearance in a Shonen Jump Championship, and has started appearing in Top 8 lists at Regionals. And while TeleDAD remained dominant, it was Psychic Commander with Black Rose Dragon, and Armageddon Knight with Necro Gardna that won the day in the hands of two-time Shonen Jump Champ Steven Harris.
Flash forward five weeks later: duelists have had ample time to work with the innovations and surprise tech cards presented at Detroit, and we may see the trends that started there take full effect this weekend. Just a scant few weeks remain in the current Advanced format, because on March 1st we’re scheduled for another round of Forbidden and Limited list changes. Was Steven Harris’ deck truly as good as it gets, or will we see more upsets?
That’s just one of the questions we’ll be asking today, as we bring you extended coverage thanks to the returning Julia Hedberg! Expect more interviews and more in-depth discussion than ever before, as we take some time out to talk to some of dueling’s best, plus more photos, more blog entries, and the ever-popular Scrub Brush Challenge. With over 620 duelists already signed up, this event promises to be huge. We’re kicking it off big in the New Year, with Premier Tournament Organizer Cascade Games live, from the South San Francisco Convention Center.
Welcome to the first Shonen Jump of the New Year — welcome to Shonen Jump Championship San Francisco!