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Please introduce yourself
I am Kokujin, Nice to meet you
I am Pierrot, Nice to meet you
I am RX, Nice to meet you
Tell me how was your experience and do you have any feedback on Dubai.
Its hot in Dubai, right now its very cold in Japan
Usually around new year we are used to cold weather, so it's different that its warm
New year equals cold weather in Japanese people's mind, because its always winter so I also feel strange
During daytime its warm and at night its cold
its great weather, we really enjoy it
Its winter in Dubai right now, you know that?
We feel like, wow this is winter!
Did you know there were Third Strike fans in Middle East/UAE?
I didn't know personally, but after receiving an email from Ayman, I started to notice that there are fans in this region, UAE
I didn't know until Kokujin told me either
How was your reaction?
It was very good
You didn't know, did you?
I go and visit many places, the crowd was really great
For a small crowd I was surprised
It's a small community but the motivation and vibe is great
We have a crowd in Japan and we are trying to make it more popular
but I feel the motivation here is more stronger than the one in Japan
Also in Japan third strike is becoming a bit more popular because of facebook
but still RX doesn't do facebook or twitter so he's not in the community
We keep encouraging him to get with the trend
Where you ever invited to other countries?
France, Australia, America
Only US I went and here, because I couldn't make it to other places because of work
I was called to Australia
but I never went abroad so I was hesitant to join overseas tournament
But this time to come to Dubai, Kokujin convinced me. So I issued a passport and came
I was called to America, Australia and different places, Also Brazil but I only choose to go to Brazil
and I met Turbo at the exihibition
and invited me to Brazil
Yah yah, Turbo came to Japan and then he took me to Brazil
That was great, When you got invited to UAE, everything was taken care of?
Yes! The hospitality is soo good here! We never got treated this well anywhere else, Its very warm
Its just like people in Kansai area of Japan
I'm from Kantou area
I'm from Nagoya
Yah, am in the middle!
I'm from Saitama
Urawa reds are very popular
Yes they are, I'm from very close
This tournament, can you tell me your feeling and experience?
I've never played in a hotel, this was the first time for me to play a tournament in a hotel
Kokujin probably played in hotels, but I was like Wow hotel!
Everyone really put on a show and the organization was really good
Ayman, Qassim
Mohamed, Khalid
Its very different because the tournament was challenging
but more friendly and warm
Yah, the crowd was amazing. It was a warm atmosphere with people cheering and talking
The tournament had a warm atmosphere ?
Didn't you think there were rivalries, a sense of competition
Yes yes there was
I like to play in competitive situations where there is no cheering. It's a very competitive atmosphere
Some games are very serious where the crowd doesn't talk, but this one was completely different with a vibrant crowd
Salem and Hamdan were very serious, it was competitive, the "Pokemons" match
but after the game both players were friendly and shook hands
felt that was very nice, to see that fighting spirit
In japan we don't shake hands
In japan people don't shake hands?
If it's a HUGE competition we might shake hands
We don't basically
its not about being rude, its our culture
Some of the serious games, its considered a bit rude if you go shake hands
Its all about the competition culture in Japan
Well, the winner will never go shake hand as not to offend the loser
If it ever happens, it would be from the losers side to show no hard feelings
Japanese players are cool aren't they cause they don't show emotion huh?
We try and be serious
I like playing serious that's why a lot of people think I'm mad
I think cause of your face
Has nothing to do with my face! I'm not mad, I just tell them that I'm being serious
I play serious but I usually smile
Yah his face is very friendly, always smiling even when he's not smiling
I'm playing seriously and I don't mean to smile, but I guess people think I'm smilingů even now!
Japanese people have this, mad serious face,, don't they?
Yes yes, probably because they are shy
UAE players level, what do you think about it? and are there any star players, other than me!?
Oh so we start with the second player?
Yes I'm the final boss, I don't appear!
For me, it was honestly Hamdan
It was Salem
not you but the other Salem
DieOxXiN
I like people with big combos
like Mohammed and Ayman, Flashy players, They have a solid play style
We never play the pad, we always play the joystick so it was surprising to see them play it
Is it considered offensive?
No no no
Well, because we have a lot of arcade places, no one plays pad We were really impressed that they can play with four buttons and two side buttons
Its more difficult than pads cause we practice in game centers No one in Japan knows how to play pad anymore
In UAE we don't have many arcades, just this place Different from Japan where you have a lot
Rizu, he got a great sense when he play, and I actually felt scared a bit when playing him
I have Khalid, I teach them many things He is my student
He called you "Sensei"
They were all strong, weren't they?
Yes they were, the level was still low because of lack of experience
But if you had as much knowledge and experience as us, I can see you guys easily becoming as strong as the Japanese
But how is the difference between playing online edition and going to a game center, do you think online helps improve your game?
I think you should practice offline, because online some of the characters are stronger than they actually are based on many factors
for example Remy and Chun Li
It's a different game
You have to consider them very different, Online and Offline. You just consider online an enjoy time game
but offline is serious because there are no distractions.
To eliminate lag and delay you need to have a great TV with absolutely zero lag sometimes requiring extra hardware
And for us in Japan we don't have that kind of space at home to play the online game, also its costly
To become really good, and better, what shall the players here do? Please advize
To become better you need experience and knowledge, but above all it requires motivation, That keeps you improving
Experience of course, but even when you lose at that time you need to ask yourself why did I lose? What can I do better? What did my opponent do to me that I couldn't counter and work from there?
All the players will think the same and with that everyone keeps improving and beating each other
and everyone's strategies keeps sharpening and lifts the community, The reason Tokyo became high level is because of that reason
Exactly what Pierrot said
Training mode and practicing in training mode really sharpens your skill and understanding of the character
I use to practice combos for six hours straight trying my best to get combos I see in videos right
Well in risk return, I think that's the concept you guys need to understand
If you avoid playing risky then your reward would be a higher win chance
When you have a slight chance for them to attack you you'll always get the biggest blow
Its all about risking the attack and if there is a slight chance your opponent can slip in a counter your damage will be huge
Ken especially if he has his gauge full he can deal a lot of damage when pressuring
its very close and disappointing that the people play it in that way
How was UAE's new year's party for you guys?
UAE's party was really great, and the fireworks were fantastic
Yah Burj Khalifa
Even in Japan we have a lot of fireworks, but here was over the top and the energy was great
Usually in Japan its very quite, people relax at home with the family, This was my first experience outside the country during new year
First time in my 30 years and after I got married
I just feel bad my wife couldn't come with me
Why don't you just buy a gift for her to get rid of your guilt
Wife? Are you married?
Yes, I got married this year
Pierrot, are you married?
Ah, No No No
me me me? I'm probably next!
The open space, Burj Khalifa it was very beautiful and very bright for me
yes it was beautiful
before I came I had an image of Arabic Muslim women being very shy and always at home because they are covered
But we could feel that the new years is a family event, and actually the veiled women were very loud and active with their families
It really changed our stereo type and image of them
RX you are more shy than these Arabic women!
He's very shy
He's very shy and he's also very unlucky
Unlucky boy
Yes may be shy and unlucky but really had fun here
too bad he's unlucky
Again please come again, come and play hard
Yes we'd love to come back again
Everybody has to experience what we did, its amazing to be here
Yah Japanese people don't know that its an amazing experience
People have to experience this to believe it
We always had a sad new year's till now right!
As a closing, do you have any message you'd like to say to the UAE fans?
First of all
We really appreciate your hospitality and thank you for treating us really well
We enjoyed that you all enjoyed our play, We really felt that people here play the game with strong passion
Even for us Japanese players, We felt that we need to enjoy the game as much as you do
We play it competitively but the passion is not as strong
Please continue enjoying and training hard
RX probably said everything I wanted to say
but I really want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart
I appreciate the fact that everyone enjoyed having us here in Dubai
uh.. exactly the same opinion as RX I guess!
You said everything I wanted to say
I hope Kokujin will have something better to say
Even though I have the same things to say, I really felt the hospitality was amazing
Everyone was warm and kind hearted, it might be a small thing
I smoke cigarettes and one of the guys (Qassim) would actually come out with me to smoke just to keep me company
He'd see when I want to smoke and joins me and talks to me and tells me to come again
Hell ya I'm coming back!
I appreciate that
Ya I don't know how many times we heard the phrase "No Problem" from the guys!
Yah even when we went to the restaurant, I tried to pay for the food
the guys would say "No No No No, No Problem"
It was funny yet so welcoming
Yah it made us feel good
We really appreciate that kind of hospitality
Yah even if we request something sudden
Yes yes, they wouldn't complain, they would just do it for us
I think at some point we were selfish, because we started saying for example "hey we want to go see or try that place"
and they would just do it. I think we were kind of demanding
I'm just agreeing to you guys, I feel you both are saying everything that I want to say so
Yah we are!
Its kind of not fair that only us Japanese players experience this
so please if you decide to invite more different players so you can try out a diverse range of players I will definitely help you get in contact with them
Yes also if you are coming to Japan please let us know so we can return the favor, don't be shy
Yes we'll also treat you all to Sushi
Also from us, We were very happy that you came and thank you
Thank you
Please try hard to come next year
Yah it depends on my job
No problem! Your job will say NO problem!
Okay I'll quit my job and come!
Yah you can, just divorce your wife and come here so you don't feel guilty
Marwan is here so you'll be okay!
Yah Marwan your biggest No.1 Fan
Everyone thank you very much
Thank you all very much!