Amazing accomplishment! But what do you mean by "westerner" and why do you make the distinction? All those in America and European countries? All non-japanese? Is it racial or geographic? For example, how are Japanese born and raised in England classified? Or a Caucasian born and raised in Japan?
I read this a lot in discussions about shmups, but I don't get why a distinction between Japan and "the West" is made for accomplishments done in these games. I don't really see that for other genres.
Basically a geographic distinction, specifically to delineate between two separate arcade cultures.
The North American/European culture which ended in the late 90s, where AFAIK Raiden III was the last localized shooter PCB. No CAVE games, no Grev games, no Raizing AFAIK. In other words the most interesting, most evolved era of shooters never came to these areas, so there was never a proper culture like there is in Japan.
Really I think there should be two categories: Japan and non-Japan really. Chinese players like x91 have turned in some amazing scores on CAVE shooters and I know there is a small Korean scene. The difference is the depth of knowledge, the dedication to learning the game, geographical spread and sheer numbers of players.
In that sense I think a distinction is fair. Not something to be used as a crutch by any means. People should aim for the sky. Players like MrMonkeyMan, Gus, Zaarock, NTSC-J, EOJ, Iconoclast and others have put up scores that directly compete with Japanese players on the Xbox360 as well as on PCBs. Similar dedication can produce similar results.
And re: your last point I think there are distinctions made in other genres actually. For instance in SF, Sabin is the best Dhalsim in the west, Justin the best Rufus. Who is the best in the world? We find out at Evo (or in shooters' case, in Arcadia).
