L_A, Fuudo, Chibita, Myke​

VF5FS Pre-Launch Party Interview: Chibita and Fuudo
The interview below took place during the VF5FS Pre-Launch Party. Please note that this is not a direct transcript of Chibita and Fuudo's replies, but rather a translation-come-summary of what they had to say. Enjoy!

What is the most important defensive mechanism in FS?

Chibita: Defense? I don’t use defense! Since I get hit a lot, I’m more concerned about hitting the other guy more!
Fuudo: Fuzzy guard is probably the no.1 defensive technique. This is then followed by knowing when and where to abare (attack from disadvantage when you guess a throw is coming).

What is your opinion on tiers in FS? Does everyone have an equal chance?

Chibita: I don’t really think about tiers or which character is stronger than another. I think every character has a chance to win. Even if you tell me Jacky is really strong, I don’t see Jacky players winning every tournament.
Fuudo: I also agree that every character stands a chance at winning.

Are you coming to EVO this year to compete in FS?

Chibita: hmmm... I'm thinking about it.
Fuudo: Yes, I'm definitely going to be there, and will enter VF5FS!

Is there interest from other Japanese Virtua Fighter player to attend EVO this year?

Fuudo: I know of at least three people that are seriously considering going: Kamaage, Aopai, Shironoko. I also know that some others are interested as well.

Do you like the direction that VF has taken with FS?

Chibita: I think that FS feels a little slower than VF5, but I really like the side attack game in FS much more!
Fuudo: I felt that VF5 had more emphasis on technique, which is something I really liked.

Is there anything you’d like to see added in a future version of VF?

Chibita: (after long thought) hmmm... It's not something I ever think about. I just look forward to them releasing a future version!
Fuudo: I'd like to see more emphasis on execution techniques. For example, crouch dash inputs which previously could be used as a command for a throw, also had the ability to duck under a high attack.

A recent Arcadia magazine showed FS as being more popular than SF4 in Japanese arcades. How do you feel about VF’s chances at becoming popular outside of Japan?

Chibita: hmmm... I'm not sure of it’s chances, but I definitely want it to be popular outside Japan. I definitely think it’s an easier version to get into, and probably the most accessible version of VF for beginners.

Is there a specific aspect of the game that can make it stand out amongst the competition? What makes VF stand out?

Fuudo: when playing VF, you’re playing against a person. In 2D games, you’re usually just playing against the other character.

With only two people reaching the Tenshoushin rank - Itoshun and Joseph - what is your opinion on how rare it is to reach this rank? Do you like how the ranking system works?

Chibita: I don't like that the ranking system is much more looser now. By that I mean you don't even have to be the same rank to affect another player's ranking. I also feel that it's really hard to reach the final rank of Tenshoushin.

Who are the up-and-coming VF players from Japan these days?

Chibita: There are always a lot of strong players, but I can still beat them all! (laughs)

Do you know about Busta and Shiwa, these guys are young (approx. 20 yrs old?) and quite strong?

Chibita: They’re still young so... they’ve got some more learning to do.

For new players transitioning from VF5 to VF5FS, what should they focus on the most?

Chibita: Learn your combos, including your wall combos, and Yutori (easy throw escape) is really important too!

Who do you consider are the strongest players in Japan at the moment?

Chibita: Lots of players are strong, but I’m really the strongest. (laughs)
Fuudo: The usual bunch are still strong (e.g. itoshun, joseph, etc).
Chibita: ... and even if I lose, I still feel that I’m stronger! (more laughs)

Did you prefer the multiple throw escape system or the new FS system, and why?

Chibita: I preferred the TE system in VF3 better, but without the yutori input. (In other words, TE still required yomi and you had a small window to enter the input).
Fuudo: I preferred the TE system in VF4 with multi inputs, because I was quite good at it.

Will you ever play the console version of FS online?

Chibita: I definitely think I'd like to play it, as it would be a great chance to play people abroad.
Fuudo: I definitely want to try it online!

What is your favourite version of Virtua Fighter?

Chibita: VF5 (Note: after much back-and-forth between VF3 and VF5, Chibita finally settles on VF5)
Fuudo: My favourite was VF4.

However, they both liked and enjoyed every version they played!

We know that Fuudo plays Street Fighter, so do you (Chibita) play any other games as well?

Chibita: Nothing recent, but used to play Street Fighter EX as Blanka!

What motivates you to stay at the top of your game?

Chibita: My motivation is the good feeling I get from winning! More importantly, it feels good to do something that looks awesome while others are watching. Winning by itself is boring!
Fuudo: I'm not really motivated by winning or anything like that. I just like to play, and it just happens that I end up playing well!?

Who is your main character, and have you always played with them?

Chibita: I started with Akira, but then switched to Lion in VF3 and haven't looked back ever since. I've never even thought of changing character actually, and I'd go as far to say that if Lion was taken out of VF, then I may not even play again!
Fuudo: I started with Lion in VF4, but then switched to Shun in VF5 and FS. I then started using Jacky in FS Rev.1, but I tend to prefer Shun in tournaments as I feel he is a simple character. Jacky has some very difficult combos which I would risk dropping during a tournament, so in these situations I'd prefer to use Shun.

When you (Fuudo) compete in more than one fighting game, especially at EVO, how do you balance your training across two games?

Fuudo: Depends on the timing of tournaments. If I just have a VF or SF tournament coming up, then I can just focus on the one game. But my training methods differ between the two games. In VF, I'm only really interested in the people I'll be playing again, and so I'll try to look for their habits. In SF, on the other hand, it’s less about my opponent, and more about my opponent's character. There are a lot of character matchups to learn in SF, and this takes a lot of time!

End of interview. Huge thanks again to Chibita and Fuudo for taking some time out for us to do this interview, despite how tired and jetlagged they were! Also, special thanks to L_A, Mai (SEGA) and Pat (SEGA) for help with the translations!