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[Joekage]

And this is why Daigo is the one of the best in the world. His footsies are amazing, his ground game is second to none and when it matters, his execution shines through.

You can call it dick-riding or whatever, but when you watch matches like these, you have to admire the extreme skill being put into these matches.

 

[abstract alien]

That was a pointless jump from moch

 

[Rice-Eater]

That was a pointless jump from moch

If you're talking about the last jump in match 4, then what can he do? There was like 9 seconds left, you don't sit there holding down back like Dhalsim or a charge character. Go in there and try to win the round. There is no time to be wiggling your stick back and forth.

And agreed Joekage, his level of play is just amazing.

 

[MarkMan]

My boy Daigo got this .

 

[Arde5643]

How does Daigo maintain that level of focus and mental stamina?
You can kinda see that Momochi's starting to break down now after every attempt of his to get in got thwarted by Daigo.

 

[abstract alien]

If you're thinking about the last jump in match 4, then what can he do? There was like 9 seconds left, you don't sit there holding down back like Dhalsim or a charge character. Go in there and try to win the round. There is no time to be wiggling your stick back and forth.

And agreed Joekage, his level of play is just amazing.

I agree, but it just looked like a blank jump with no hope of working. I mean, even I recognized it the second it happened and I'm terrible at this game by their standards. It is good that he did something though instead of nothing at all.

Also, I wish I could hit confirm like this. These two are just completely ridiculous with the tactics used during actual gameplay

Edit: Ex Hurricane Kick from Ryu isn't proving to be as effective against this level of Ken

 

[Joekage]

God, the patience Daigo has is amazing. I don't think he's jumped at Momochi once, besides a safe jump after an untechable knockdown. Alot of people will cry that this is boring but when you're a high level player, you can understand the spacing and technique required to win in that kind of environment. Daigo isn't turtling more so he's frustrating his opponent to make bad decisions which he capitalizes on incredibly accurately.

 

[Arde5643]

Fuck yeah!! Finally!! One point after all this time. Finally.

 

[Yoshichan]

CROWDS BE CHEERIN'
CROWDS BE CHEERIN'

For me

God, I love getting babes (okay, mostly men) from the SF community. THANKS YALL FOR YESTERDAY <3!!!

SUPAH SFIV FOH LIFE

 

[FindMyFarms]

Aside from that, his SF resume is the most impressive.

Actually I'd say vanilla/super sf4 is Daigo in his prime. Before those 2 games he was never a consistent 1st placer in anything. He won that alpha 3 tourney but that was the only one, and it was before the game got figured out and became more popular.

And on a sidenote, Daigo is pushin 30, don't know why age is being made out to be a big deal. Fighting games take reflexes of course, but not to the extent of other genres. I don't see why "older" players can't remain relevant.

 

[Arde5643]

Jeebus christ, Daigo just rushed near the end of that 2nd round and just totally mindfucked Momochi.

Fuck his skill - seriously, fuck that skill. :lol

 

[Solune]

God, the patience Daigo has is amazing. I don't think he's jumped at Momochi once, besides a safe jump after an untechable knockdown. Alot of people will cry that this is boring but when you're a high level player, you can understand the spacing and technique required to win in that kind of environment. Daigo isn't turtling more so he's frustrating his opponent to make bad decisions which he capitalizes on incredibly accurately.

Completely agree Joe. This is the issue i was referring to when Daigo played Mago awhile back and people crying him laming shit out.

 

[Teknopathetic]

"Actually I'd say vanilla/super sf4 is Daigo in his prime. Before those 2 games he was never a consistent 1st placer in anything."


What about Darkstalkers? I know there's not much/any English info on the Japanese Darkstalkers competitive scene in the 90s, but I do recall hearing he was quite dominant at that.

 

[abstract alien]

Man, Ken just doesn't care about that EX hurricane escape tactic :lol

 

[Conceited]

Wow@ that ultra :lol

 

[USD]

Uh oh, Momochi stepping it up?

 

[Arde5643]

OMFG, that catches cross-ups. Holy shit!! Didn't know Ken's U2 catches cross-ups. :lol

 

[abstract alien]

BEAUTIFUL

 

[Joekage]

MOMOCHI GOT HIS SWAGGER BACK!

 

[FindMyFarms]

"Actually I'd say vanilla/super sf4 is Daigo in his prime. Before those 2 games he was never a consistent 1st placer in anything."


What about Darkstalkers? I know there's not much/any English info on the Japanese Darkstalkers competitive scene in the 90s, but I do recall hearing he was quite dominant at that.

Wouldn't really call it competitive, not much info on it outside of daigo winning one tournament or something from that random interview.

 

[abstract alien]

Nice Moch!!!!!!!!

 

[FindMyFarms]

Damn Daigo chasin your ass down must be scary as fuck haha

 

[USD]

It is much more entertaining when Umehara's being aggressive.

 

[Rice-Eater]

Daigo stepped up his aggression a bit in that last match. Maybe he realized he needs to turn up the heat a bit.

 

[Kadey]

Who is commentating? That one guy with that laugh is cracking me up.

 

[USD]

Who is commentating? That one guy with that laugh is cracking me up.

It's Gama no Abura and Kokujin commentating (with Kindevu). Probably talking about Kokujin (the guy in the middle), the most annoying voice ever. :lol

 

[USD]

In the first half of the matches, Daigo wasn't focus attacking at all, but now he's destroying Momochi with LV3s.

 

[abstract alien]

Daigo stepped up his aggression a bit in that last match. Maybe he realized he needs to turn up the heat a bit.

Daigo is scary as shit as it is, but when he does this, it becomes borderline illegal. His ability to read while on offense is seriously outrageous :lol

The only other person I've ever had that sort of feeling about was RX's Urien in sf3...possibly even more so.

 

[DryEyeRelief]

I like Kokujin's voice.


Momochi keeps getting the right read but has his spacing wrong. Unfamiliarity with Ken?

 

[Arde5643]

Momochi's mindfucked again. Hopefully he'll recover soon - 1 more match for Daigo. :lol

 

[SmokeMaxX]

Damn Daigo is mind-fucking Momochi. Forces U2 and then immediately cancels his focus.

 

[Rice-Eater]

LOL, I think Daigo might actually be angry after losing 3 in a row to Momochi. He's going apeshit with focus attacks :lol

 

[Joekage]

Note: Ryu's focus attack has deceptively long range hahaha.

It's hitting Ken's outstretched hands, so hilarious.

 

[Dascu]

Momochi on the comeback?

Edit: Guess not. :-(

 

[abstract alien]

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

 

[Conceited]

Parfect!

 

[Arde5643]

Daigo got fucking P'ed on!!! Holy shit, Momochi!!

 

[jlai]

:lol @ that u2 sequence

 

[SmokeMaxX]

Lol everytime I see Daigo doing all these focus attacks (he's done them in past tourneys), I think it's an act of disrespect like "I don't have to play serious against you" and he'll continue to abuse it until the opponent shows they can beat it, which Momochi just did.

 

[Conceited]

Very entertaining stuff.

 

[Arde5643]

Damn, Daigo's so good, he tricked Momochi to do U2 by doing a safe jump.

 

[abstract alien]

Moch put himself in the corner :^(

 

[Yoshichan]

U2 :lol

 

[Joekage]

LOL THE END MATCH WAS XBL/PSN REPLAY WORTHY.

Get close? MASH DP

Low life, stuck in corner? ULLTTRRRAAA

 

[abstract alien]

.

 

[USD]

Momochi did play better than the middle third, but then Daigo stepped it up again.

3 hour break before the start of Daigo VS Sako.

 

[Dexa]

just missed the whole thing.

 

[USD]

just missed the whole thing.

You missed it live, but you can watch it here in the archive:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/10113034

 

[KajunW]

Actually I'd say vanilla/super sf4 is Daigo in his prime. Before those 2 games he was never a consistent 1st placer in anything. He won that alpha 3 tourney but that was the only one, and it was before the game got figured out and became more popular.

And on a sidenote, Daigo is pushin 30, don't know why age is being made out to be a big deal. Fighting games take reflexes of course, but not to the extent of other genres. I don't see why "older" players can't remain relevant.

If he's not in his prime, he's still very close to it. He may have marginally worse reflexes, but his experience in SF is just so much greater. I think his ability to shift gears in matches, like he showed against Momochi, is a testament to that.

What is your definition of 'consistent 1st placer'? In large tournaments?
He won *two* Alpha 3 nationals when the game was still new. He won the Vampire Savior nationals way back, and in 2007 he won the Vampire Hunter tournament without really playing the game much anymore.

I think Daigo is the type who learns quickly, and his amazing fundamentals allows him to pick up a game and dominate it in the beginning. As time goes on, you see (1) Daigo playing relatively less of the game and (2) some people specializing and then taking over a game (e.g. BAS at Alpha 3, and KO/Kuroda at 3S). So, who knows what will happen in a few years, but as long as he is motivated to play, I think he can remain one of the best for quite some time.

 

[arstal]

Actually I'd say vanilla/super sf4 is Daigo in his prime. Before those 2 games he was never a consistent 1st placer in anything. He won that alpha 3 tourney but that was the only one, and it was before the game got figured out and became more popular.

And on a sidenote, Daigo is pushin 30, don't know why age is being made out to be a big deal. Fighting games take reflexes of course, but not to the extent of other genres. I don't see why "older" players can't remain relevant.

I suspect that a branch of the fighting game genre will have to begin catering to older games with games that are more based on readiig people and less on reflexes. The 3d fighters tend to go a little more in that direction as is already.