7th place, Pro Tour Theros
2nd place, Grand Prix Kyoto
2014
4th place, World Championship
2015
5th place, Pro Tour Magic Origins
2016
2nd place, Grand Prix Kyoto
Champion, Grand Prix Chiba
How long have you been playing Magic: The Gathering?
Since 1999 through to the present. I've never taken any time off.
What got you interested?
My little brother asked me to play back in junior high school.
What cards are near and dear to you?
Ancestral Vision.
How about your favorite Magic color?
That would be blue. It's the best for drawing cards, and it makes it easy to limit your opponent's actions.
Of all the decks you've played in tournaments, which did you enjoy most?
The Next Level Blue deck that I used in Grand Prix Kobe in 2009.
What format do you enjoy playing most—Standard, Draft, or something else?
Booster draft.
What tournament has stuck with you most?
Pro Tour Theros. That was the tournament where the Mono-Black Devotion deck that Koei Ito developed ended up spreading across the world.
What players do you look up to?
I really respect all the Hall of Famers from Japan, but if I were forced to choose just one, it would probably be Kenji Tsumura.
What are your goals for this season?
First, staying at platinum level.
Second, winning a Grand Prix.
Third, playing in the World Championship.
What do you want to accomplish as a pro Magic player?
Magic: The Gathering is an amazingly fun game, and I want to spread the word to more people so they'll play. I'd like to think that I can do that as a pro affiliated with Team Cygames.
What do you normally do besides playing Magic?
I've got some varied part time work; otherwise I read and listen to music—that sort of thing.
What other players are you friends with?
Almost 100% of my friends are Magic: The Gathering players, so there are really quite a few.
What do you always carry with you when you're out and about?
