Daigo Umehara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Daigo |
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Daigo Umehara in 2018
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| Current team | |
| Team | REJECT |
| Game | Street Fighter 6 |
| Personal information | |
| Name | Daigo Umehara |
| Nickname(s) | The Beast |
| Born | 19 May 1981 Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Career information | |
| Games |
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| Playing career | 1997–present |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Daigo Umehara (Japanese: 梅原 大吾, Hepburn: Umehara Daigo, born 19 May 1981) is a famous Japanese esports player and author. He is a master of fighting video games, especially 2D arcade games made by Capcom.
In the gaming world, he is known as "Daigo" or "The Beast." Daigo is one of the most well-known Street Fighter players ever and many consider him the greatest of all time. He has been competing for a very long time, which is rare for a pro gamer. He even holds a Guinness World Record for being "the most successful player in major tournaments of Street Fighter."
Before he was officially a pro gamer with a sponsor, the media in Japan called him "the god of 2D fighting games" (2D格闘ゲームの神, 2D Kakutō Gēmu no Kami).
Contents
How Daigo Became a Gamer
Daigo started playing fighting games at arcades when he was about 10 years old. His first games were Street Fighter II and Fatal Fury: King of Fighters. He discovered that he loved competing against other people.
When he was 13, he started playing a game called Vampire Hunter. He became so good that he once won 286 matches in a row at an arcade in Akihabara. He only stopped because the arcade had to close for the night.
His first big tournament win was in 1997 in a Vampire Savior competition.
First International Victory
In 1998, when he was 17, Daigo won the official Street Fighter Alpha 3 tournament in Japan. This victory earned him a trip to San Francisco, California, to play against the U.S. champion, Alex Valle.
This was Daigo's first time traveling outside of Japan for a tournament. In a very close match, Daigo won 2–1. This victory made him an international star.
The "Beast's" Play Style
For most of his career, Daigo's main character has been Ryu. His style is often based on zoning, which means keeping his opponent at the perfect distance to control the fight. He is also very skilled at fighting up close.
In Street Fighter V, he switched to playing Guile. Daigo explained that he wanted a character who could compete against the very best characters in the game. He said, "It's boring if you go to a tournament and you know you're going to run into a really bad match up."
The Most Famous Moment in Fighting Games
One of the most legendary moments in esports history happened at the Evo tournament in 2004. Daigo was playing against the American player Justin Wong in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.
In the final round, Daigo's character, Ken, had almost no health left. Any special attack from Justin's character, Chun-Li, would have won the match, even if Daigo blocked it. Justin launched a powerful multi-hit "Super Art" move to finish him off.
In an incredible display of skill, Daigo used a technique called a "parry" to block all 15 hits of the attack without taking any damage. A parry requires perfect timing. To parry the whole move, Daigo had to press the joystick toward his opponent at the exact moment each of the 15 hits would land. He then countered with his own combo and won the match.
This moment is now called "Evo Moment 37." It is one of the most-watched gaming clips of all time and is often compared to amazing moments in traditional sports, like Babe Ruth's called shot.
A Legendary Career
Daigo has had a long and successful career, winning major tournaments in both the Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter V eras.
The Street Fighter IV Era
After a short break, Daigo returned to gaming in 2008 for the release of Street Fighter IV. He quickly proved he was still one of the best.
In 2009, he won the Evo Street Fighter IV tournament. He faced his rival Justin Wong in the grand finals and won in a very exciting match. He won the Evo tournament again in 2010, becoming a back-to-back champion.
In 2010, Daigo signed a sponsorship deal with Mad Catz, a company that makes gaming equipment. This made him one of the first professional fighting game players to be sponsored by a major company.
The Street Fighter V Era
Daigo continued to compete at a high level when Street Fighter V was released. In 2015, he finished second at the Capcom Cup, the final tournament of the pro tour. He generously donated all of his $60,000 in prize money to a scholarship program that helps students study game design at New York University.
In 2016, Daigo was recognized by Guinness World Records for two achievements: "Most views for a competitive fighting game match" (for Evo Moment 37) and "Highest all-time rank in Ultra Street Fighter IV."
Over the years, Daigo has had many famous rivalries with other top players, like Tokido. Their matches are always highly anticipated by fans. Even after more than 25 years of competing, Daigo remains one of the most respected and feared players in the world.
Books and Manga
Daigo has shared his thoughts on gaming and competition in several books. His first book, The Will to Keep Winning (勝ち続ける意志力, Kachitsuzukeru ishiryoku), was a bestseller in Japan and has been translated into English.
There is also a manga series about his life called Umehara FIGHTING GAMERS!. It tells a dramatic story about his early days in the Japanese arcade scene.
Major Achievements
Daigo has won dozens of tournaments throughout his career. Here are some of his biggest victories:
- EVO Champion: 6 times (2003, 2004, 2009, 2010)
- Super Battle Opera (SBO) Champion: 2 times (2003, 2005)
- Capcom Cup Finals: 2nd place (2015)
- Guinness World Records: 2 records for his gaming success.
See also
- Umehara ga kimeta
