Author: Zavian "mushin_Z" Sildra

A closer look at some of Toronto’s top Street Fighter players and personalities–continued.

In my prior set of interviews casting a spotlight on Canadian fighting game fanatics, I spoke with members of the Montréal FGC–the MTLSF scene. But right next door to Montréal is the domain of their longtime rivals: Toronto. Perhaps an even a fiercer scene resides in Ontario’s capital, and these two cities combined form a maelstrom of serious Street Fighter competition in Canada. Toronto is also presently playing host to its own Red Bull Proving Grounds regional qualifier: Fight For The 6ix.

To get a look into what makes Toronto’s scene what it is, I reached out to conduct written interviews with six fighters from Canada’s largest city. Yesterday we began with StDxBlitzMan, SJ, and StarmieGee; today we’ll continue with The Fifty/Fifty founder Andrew Le Nguyen, also known as Drewface, competitor and organizer Charles “Chokehold” Downer, and 17-year-old fighter Brutus. Ottawa’s Toffee provides some additional closing comments as well. Responses have been edited for clarity.

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mushin_Z: Where are you from, and how long have you been involved with the Toronto fighting game scene?

Drewface: I’m from a borough called York Region, that is one hour away from Toronto. I however identify myself with Toronto, since I’m there more often than I am at home. I’ve been in the Toronto scene for almost ten years now–man, I’m getting old.

Chokehold: I live in a town about half-an-hour north of Toronto called Richmond Hill. I’ve been involved in the Toronto FGC for about eight years now.

Brutus: I’m from Whitby, Ontario, it’s about a 20-minute train ride away from Toronto. I first got involved in the FGC in 2012 as a spectator sport–I was twelve at the time. I started playing after Evo 2015 with USFIV. I only played USFIV online, and that’s where I met my first community, the A4 community. My first time being involved with the Toronto scene was a weekly for SFV in summer 2016.

mushin_Z: How long have you played Street Fighter games? How did you get started?

Drewface: I’ve played Street Fighter games since I was five years old, on my grandparent’s Super Nintendo with my cousins. My family is highly competitive, so we all strived to beat each other in almost all aspects in life.

Chokehold: I have been playing Street Fighter ever since I got into the scene, around the ’09 boom of new players. I started out watching streams and videos of tournaments on YouTube. Eventually after playing with friends, I went to a tournament at a local comic book store and met some cool people; been around ever since.

Brutus: I’ve been playing fighting games casually my whole life from SSF2T, SFIII, MvC2, UMvC3, Injustice, MK9, etc. Competitively, I’ve been playing since post-Evo 2015. I got started because I was watching Evo, and a friend messaged me asking for USFIV tips (he knew I played fighting games casually), from that I learned the game was on sale on Steam and bought it.

mushin_Z: What is your favorite game in the Street Fighter series, and why?

Drewface: My favorite Street Fighter is Super Street Fighter II Turbo, it’s easy to pick up yet difficult to master, and still holds up in fun factor today. It goes to show you don’t have to balance everything to make it fun.

Chokehold: It would have to be Street fighter IV, more specifically USFIV, because I liked the long combos and Red Focus Attacks.

Brutus: My favorite game in the franchise is definitely a coin toss between USFIV and SFV. USFIV got me into the scene, and I’ll always have good memories of it. SFV is the game I’m having the most success in, and I love playing it.

mushin_Z: Do you prefer a fightstick, pad, or hitbox?

Chokehold: Fightstick.

Brutus: I used to play on pad when I played casually, but now I play on an arcade stick.

Drewface: Initially when I started, I loved using a Dual Shock 2 pad–but now I 100% prefer an arcade stick over any other medium for fighting games.

mushin_Z: Who do you main, and why? Is there a character you wish was selectable in Street Fighter V, but isn’t (yet)?

Chokehold: In SFV I main R. Mika, because I like how when you get her V-Trigger, it kind of feels like you have an assist from Marvel vs. Capcom. Also she fits my playstyle–I like to rush down.

Drewface: I play Ryu, I love the characterization and personality he has; he is a student of fighting and always strives to be the best he can be. Competitively, I feel like he encompasses a wholistic learning approach to even be competent with him. Thus, I will always respect any Ryu player, since Ryu has to overcome game mechanics with basic fundamentals to win.

Brutus: I main Zangief because I love to mind games and hard reads. Zangief really rewards that. Also I love playing to entertain the crowd, and I think my playstyle with Zangief really does that well. If I could add one character, it would definitely be Cody. I think his game plan from USFIV would be really strong in this game. Just don’t destroy his frame data [laughs].

Teabagging⁉️ @CanadaCupGaming : https://t.co/Piz6K7IAJ5 #RedBullProvingGrounds pic.twitter.com/TR8yWGIMWs

— Red Bull eSports (@redbullesports) April 1, 2017

Drewface: There are quite a few characters I would love to see; I would love to see Sodom or any samurai/sword wielding character in the series (even Garuda), Skullomania–since I love characters with funny personalities–and Sagat.

Chokehold: The Canadian ice hockey character that shoots hockey pucks for fireballs, and whacks people with a stick–yeah, I’d love to see that in SFV.

mushin_Z: What’s your best matchup, in your opinion? Worst?

Drewface: My best matchup is the mirror match/shoto mirrors. It’s just plain Street Fighter, and I can really express myself in that match in every game, despite how dull Street Fighter can get. My worst are generally newer characters to the series, and heavy mixup characters.

Brutus: My best matchup is Laura. I practice against a really good Laura player a lot, so I don’t think there’s anything a Laura could do to surprise me. Also I think Zangief beats her up pretty bad. My worst matchup is definitely Dhalsim. I have a lot of tech to fight the character, but it’s such an uphill battle. I need to practice with Shane Walker more.

Chokehold: I feel like my best matchup is probably Dhalsim, because one of my good friends that I practice with a lot uses him. Also that matchup in general is pretty good for Mika–once she gets in, Dhalsim has a hard time getting away, I feel.

mushin_Z: Where do you usually play?

Drewface: I generally play at three places: Toronto HQ, a place I call home, and where most of Toronto’s FGC culture is developed. Any Friday night and you’ll see a Canadian star-studded cast of former and current top players socializing, having a good time and best of all throwing down. It is definitely the pinnacle of Toronto Street Fighter and the best part is, it’s unique. It is run by the community and made for the community. It closes late and you can get a ton of great sets in to learn from an OG, or any competent Canadian player–and its run out of a storage room, like you’d see in Storage Wars. Shout-outs to Paul187, DarkDragon and the HQ team.

Next: Akiba Kissa, a cafe that is based off of otaku culture, and has its own arcade room. This is my new place to play and I’m here just having a great drink or chomping on some pocky while mashing buttons with my friends. It’s fun, relaxing, and one of the great places to play at. It is currently my favorite place to play, and it has a great selection of manga too, so when I’m salty I can read Berserk or Vagabond.

Finally, A&C Games, one of the hotspots in Toronto; it is the place to play on Wednesday nights and run by TorontoTopTiers–it’s a friendly place, and a great starting point for anyone going down the FGC rabbit hole.

Brutus: I’m mainly an online warrior. The weekly I go to the most is TorontoTopTiers, AKA Stun City. I can’t go as much as I want to, because of school/travel costs.

Chokehold: I usually just practice at home with friends. Also, I try and go to the Toronto weeklies as much as I can. As of late, I’ve been going to some of Toronto’s new esports bars. Places like Raiders E-sports Bar and Meltdown. Great to see the esports presence growing in Toronto. Red Bull is running Proving Grounds: Fight For The 6ix at Raiders, and the TorontoTopTiers weeklies being held at Meltdown.

mushin_Z: Your thoughts on online competition?

Drewface: I rarely play online, I believe lag ruins the experience and Capcom has failed to deliver a suitable online environment for player development–once again. I’ve seen great players learn online, and I’ve seen terrible habits develop online. I believe the real experience is not based on online rankings, but the good old tournaments, so I always encourage the social aspect of meeting up offline and sharing the passion of fighting games and conversing in what we all have in common.

Chokehold: I don’t play online too often. I’m in the Diamond ranks. The online competition can be pretty fierce; for me personally, I use it to train matchups and try new things out. If I play for too long, I feel that I develop bad habits and the bad connections can get frustrating.

Brutus: People online are definitely a lot more nutty, but I think playing against those types of players teaches you to adapt really fast.

mushin_Z: In your opinion, who are the players to watch in the Toronto community?

Chokehold: There are a lot of players that I get excited to watch in the Toronto scene, there’s a young guy named Rass who’s been beating people up with Balrog, GentleStep is an Ibuki player that has improved a lot lately, Sin is a Bison player that is new to the scene and is really solid, I could go on with a whole list of names. I really just like watching the Toronto scene grow, every year it seems like it’s getting bigger and there is some new talent popping up.

Brutus: Current top five in Toronto, in no order, in my opinion are Rass, Solomon, Sin, Shane Walker and Italdan.

Drewface: Well, here’s a detailed list that I bet most people wouldn’t have:
– KS-Tali: Famous for being a troll, but offline he helps others around him get better, and on top of that with his methodical offensive play and air tight setups, he is bound for greatness as long as he enjoys the game. In Ultra Street Fighter IV his Poison was a pioneer in innovation, and in competitive play he has made a name for himself.
– Amato: The epitome of passion and emotion, his exciting decision-making and thorough analysis on the fly make him a well-versed player and fun to watch as well.
– SJ: Probably the most talented player I’ve experienced watching in a while, with a great attitude and hunger for success. His talent for skill knows no bounds and he continues to surprise me with his progress in any game–the man touches a game and he’s good or great at it. He’s great at Marvel, defeating a slew of known players in America, (Justin Wong, Unknown, Flux to name a few), and in Street Fighter he is no joke either.
– Italdan: One of the hardest-working players I know, and a veteran who finally is recognized for his skill. He’s always been representing Toronto well, and has a great understanding of momentum. He has great mental fortitude and always makes every match exciting.
– Shane Walker: A ‘sim player with an aggressive style and a personality to match. The most electrifying man in Toronto FGC today.
– GentleStep: A player whose execution show no limits and methodical breakdown make him a threat in the future. His play in SFIV was fantastic and technical, and while Street Fighter V is not as technical as SFIV, he still manages to impress everyone in Toronto with creativity and ability to respond to situations with the most optimal answer.
– Broshadian: A player whose intuition and reads are fantastic–his Spider-Man in Marvel 3 and Abel in Street Fighter IV were known to upset a few names. He was the best in Toronto for Street Fighter IV.
– BlitzMan: A great student of the game, and best of all just a fun guy to be around, always joking around and equally kicking ass, he has always been able to stay on top of the scene with his great play, ability to learn, and risk-reward assessment.
– LES: Some may say he’s the best Bison in North America; with his technical knowledge, great reads, and pressure, he is no joke. He doesn’t come out as often but when he does, he never fails to make a splash. And he’s a great graphic designer!
– Chokehold: One of the best Marvel players we have, and one of the best Mikas! He’s defeated Chi-Rithy in Street Fighter V, won tournaments, and was at the pinnacle of Toronto Marvel play. A great attitude, and aggressive style with great reads, he never fails to entertain and place well.
– Jimmy Fierce: The best Ryu in Canada–whenever he comes out of the cave, he always shows people what clean and fundamental look like. Fantastic player and a shoto brother-in-arms.
– General Luke: In Street Fighter IV his pressure with Bison was fantastic and suffocating. In Street Fighter V his ability to change the pace and capitalize on it makes him a threat.
– Vastend: A newblood in Street Fighter V who quickly rose through the ranks with his great pressure, surprising everyone. His timing on offense, and ability to assess as a situation, make him an exciting player to watch. I can’t wait to see how he grows into becoming a great player in the scene.
– Baked Eyez: A highly energetic player, with creativity to match, he always finds new ways to open you up and that’s what makes him fun to watch, and one of the players to keep an eye out for.
– Sin: A player that can control the pace to a whim, his Bison pressure and ability to strive under pressure make him also great to watch. His hunger to learn and improve make him a threat.
– Solomon: A newblood in Street Fighter V, his Balrog and Birdie knows no fear, and with his great insight/views on Street fighter V he’s definitely fun to watch. Using “turns” and momentum really well have made him win a few locals recently. His passion for Street Fighter V and positive personality make him another player to watch along with Vastend.
– Flipside: A player who is continuing to learn with Karin, a new blood in Street Fighter V. He continues to pull upsets and shows great development in his play rising through Toronto ranks in weeklies.
– CountBlack: His Elena was awesome, and his Laura as equally entertaining as it is knowledgeable. While he doesn’t come out much, he is always someone to pay attention to when he does.
– OrangeMan: His Rashid play make him a sleeper for any top 8 in Majors!

mushin_Z: How has the Toronto FGC impacted your experience with the game? Has your own skill improved through interaction with the Toronto SF scene, and has involvement with the Toronto FGC increased your enjoyment of fighting games?

Drewface: There are times when I don’t enjoy playing the game–it’s tiring, boring. The scene is what brings me back, the people, the hype moments, the friends I’ve made. I wouldn’t trade this for anything. My skill in not only Street Fighter has improved, but my graphic design ability–my views and perspectives on things have grown from growing up in the scene.

Chokehold: My experience with the scene has been overwhelmingly positive. Everyone is really nice, and I’ve met some lifelong friends for sure. Although I do feel like the Toronto scene sometimes needs a reminder to stick together–especially when internationals come down for big tournaments like Canada Cup. My skill has definitely improved having played in the scene, getting to play new people/playstyles is always a good thing, in my opinion.

Brutus: The Toronto scene has been nothing but a positive force. They’re super cool guys/girls to talk to and hang around. One way Toronto helped me improve is with my nerves; just playing these guys on a competitive level offline has helped my nerves a lot.

mushin_Z: Has any particular player acted as a mentor, or a rival for you?

Drewface: Gerjay, Teddy Bauza, and Jamie and Rey for ST have helped me a lot. My rivals have always been Jimmy Fierce and Blueblazer since we were kids. (But they body me fraaay…)

Brutus: My ‘Gief brother is definitely Ironstien. We trade tech and help each other out a lot. I have two current rivals: my most prominant rival is Shane Walker. Shane has always bodied me, so it’s a goal of mine to take a FT3 off of him in tournament. My second rival is Italdan. Me and Italdan have only played twice. Both matches were last game, last round. He won the first set, and I won the second. Since then there has been some friendly trash talk between us on who would win the next set, so it’ll be very interesting.

mushin_Z: What major tournaments have you attended? Have you traveled to tournaments outside of Canada?

Drewface: Toryuken, Canada Cup (all the Toronto ones), NEC 2011, Winter Brawl (last year), MAT, LanETs, Rumble in the Tundras. I have traveled…

Chokehold: I’ve attended a lot of major tournaments over the years, outside of Canada some of my faves would have to be CEO, Summer Jam, and SoCal Regionals.

Brutus: The only offline major I attended was Canada Cup 2016. I’ve never been outside of Canada.

mushin_Z: How well have you placed? How would you describe the experience of traveling to compete?

Brutus: I drowned in pools. I went 2-2. I lost to XSK_Samurai, and LordJimmyBones‘ Dhalsim.

Chokehold: I got top 32 at this past Summer Jam for SFV; in Canada I’ve won a couple events for SFV and UMvC3 as well. The experience of travelling to compete is great, I like meeting new people and seeing new places.

Drewface: Depending on the game, my placement has a huge variation from either drowning in pools to top 32. The experience of bonding with people in your community and getting an insight on other scenes is something any person in the FGC should always do. It gives you an outside perspective.

mushin_Z: How often do you encounter players from other cities in Toronto? Do they fit in easily while visiting?

Chokehold: At most of the big tournaments, I’ll encounter a lot of people from other cities coming down to Toronto. Most of the time I’d have to say everyone fits in pretty easily (I hope so?).

Drewface: I mean, it happens almost every four months, so pretty frequently. A lot of people love the Toronto community–it still has that old school hype with the new school cool. Many people fit in and feel comfortable if they get to know the scene. Toronto itself is a beautiful and fun city to be in, as well. Shout-outs to Drake/Tory Lanez/PartyNextDoor.

mushin_Z: Are there any players from outside Toronto you see/compete with regularly?

Chokehold: Outside of Toronto… there is a player named “Bee” from Edmonton that I try and see/compete with as often as I can! Shout-outs to Bee.

Drewface: We often see K-Brad, Noel Brown, Chi-Rithy, Dieminion often. We used to see Andre (Jago) often as well. He loves it here.

mushin_Z: Do you stream?

Brutus: I stream on www.twitch.tv/brutus.

Chokehold: I don’t stream as often as I want, but I do have a Twitch channel. It’s www.twitch.tv/TheChokeh0ld.

Drewface: I stream! I usually show people how to design certain items, or drawing lessons. As well, I run a streetwear brand called The Fifty/Fifty. I grew up from 15-year-old to a 25-year-old in the FGC scene, hence my deep roots and the roots of the brand. [Many Toronto players sport “50/50” as a tag prefix as a sign of support for the brand, including Brutus.] My graphic design portfolio can be found at drewface.com. Also shout-outs to r/StreetFighter, they’ve been supporting my brand since day one. A personal thank you to the scene, and all Fifty/Fifty supporters!

mushin_Z: What games other than Street Fighter are you into, and why?

Drewface: Counter Strike Global Offensive (I love FPS), Overwatch, Dark Souls, Zelda, Guilty Gear Xrd, Tetris, Dragon Quest–they’re just fun games.

Chokehold: I really like the Marvel vs. Capcom series, and am pumped for Marvel Infinite. I love those games for the crazy characters and combos, and the fact that every match feels like something new happens is super fun.

mushin_Z: What does Toronto offer a Street Fighter fan that can’t be found anywhere else?

Drewface: Toronto is kinda like Cheers–you walk in and everyone knows your name, and it feels at home. The multiculturalism, and the many faces and connections that have come and gone, can really be anyone or anything. I feel it makes Toronto really unique.

Chokehold: I feel like the Toronto scene offers a Street Fighter fan the opportunity to see a lot of new talent that are slowly and steadily becoming world class. I look forward to seeing the Toronto scene have a bigger impact on the FGC as a whole, in the future.

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50/50|Brutus is just one fighter in the “next generation”–players that have grown up alongside the last two Street Fighter titles, after the fading away of the old arcade scene in North America. Toronto and Montréal both naturally draw in a lot of players from the surrounding areas to join their scene, and another young player (and oftentimes commentator with JakyoManor) breaking into the Street Fighter scene in Toronto is Toffee, from Ottawa. I asked her for a few words on what it’s like joining an established FGC scene at her age. She recently brought out her Ibuki to compete at Fight For The 6ix, and shared her experience:

As a younger player, its very easy to be intimidated going into the Toronto scene, there’s a huge amount of trash talking, side-betting, and all sorts of thuggery and rowdy behavior. I, however, was right at home. I have to admit I had a leg up coming in–I had met and interacted with a large majority of the people there. One of the things that drew me to the Toronto scene–instead of the Montréal scene–was the diversity. There are tons of women and young players in the scene. You can imagine as a 15-year-old girl that would make me feel more comfortable, but as I met more and more people, it quickly became more and more apparent how welcoming everyone is.

When I sat down to play, I quickly won over most of the crowd by taking a swift victory. The second match, however, I faced a Bison player who after I took one round, downloaded me and took the first game with a perfect. I began to spiral, panic clouding my judgment. Then, some members of the crowd started to cheer me on, I gathered my thoughts, and went into the next game with my head held high. However–I lost that one too, due to a string of bad decisions. The crowd, however, wanted me to have my redemption. They campaigned for my next match to be on stream, as well. I won my next match thanks to the crowds’ support, and won one more match before going down in losers.

While the Toronto scene may seem hard on the outside, they’re definitely some of the nicest people I’ve met in the FGC, and I can’t wait until I visit again.

A closer look at some of Toronto’s top Street Fighter players and personalities.

In my prior set of interviews casting a spotlight on Canadian fighting game fanatics, I spoke with members of the Montréal FGC–the MTLSF scene. But right next door to Montréal is the domain of their longtime rivals: Toronto. Perhaps an even a fiercer scene resides in Ontario’s capital, and these two cities combined form a maelstrom of serious Street Fighter competition in Canada. Toronto is also presently playing host to its own Red Bull Proving Grounds regional qualifier: Fight For The 6ix.

To get a look into what makes Toronto’s scene what it is, I reached out to conduct written interviews with six fighters from Canada’s largest city. Today we’ll begin with SetToDestroyX‘s Matthew “BlitzMan” Lam, local competitor SJ (celebrating in the feature image, above), and streamer StarmieGee. Responses have been edited for clarity.

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mushin_Z: Where are you from, and how long have you been involved with the Toronto fighting game scene?

BlitzMan: Richmond Hill, a small suburb not too far from Toronto. I’ve been playing in arcades since I was nine, but I started joining tournaments for maybe twelve years now.

StarmieGee: GTA–“Greater Toronto Area&#8221$$ I live in Brampton. My first Toronto Major was at A&C for Toryuken in 2015.

SJ: I’ve been in the Toronto FGC for five years. Originally I started with The King of Fighters XIII and BlazBlue as my first serious fighters, but I started playing Street Fighter competitively when Ultra Street Fighter IV came out.

mushin_Z: How long have you played Street Fighter games? How did you get started?

BlitzMan: I remember playing when I was five at the video rental stores, and I’m now turning thirty very soon… I remember joining the 3rd Strike community very late, and people were so far ahead in skill, so when Street Fighter IV came out I was just good from the start, I was lucky.

StarmieGee: Since October 2014. I forced a friend to play a [different] game on Twitch, and then he forced me to try Street Fighter.

SJ: I’ve been playing Street Fighter since I was in grade school. My dad would bring me and my brother to the arcade on a random Sunday, and we would play nothing but Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Obviously we were mashing but we had so much fun. I followed the scene and started getting more into fighters in high school when Street Fighter IV, BlazBlue and Tekken 6 came out on consoles. I didn’t enjoy playing SFIV that much, but I did enjoy watching the high-level play. I discovered the local scene years later when I searched “Toronto fighting game tournaments” and found Toryuken (Toronto’s yearly major). Shout-outs to Google.

mushin_Z: What is your favorite game in the Street Fighter series, and why?

BlitzMan: I still think Street Fighter III: 3rd strike is the best, because the system is so complex, combos are hard, it’s truly the hardest Street Fighter to master and I love challenging or flashy combos!

StarmieGee: USFIV was fun. Just a lot of character selection, and by the time I joined, Street Fighter IV was on its last year and it felt like a clean game.

SJ: I would have to say Super Street Fighter II Turbo. It’s a very fast-paced fighter that rewards matchup knowledge and solid play. I play Vega and I frequently play the game on FightCade.

mushin_Z: Do you prefer a fightstick, pad, or hitbox?

SJ: Fightstick all day. I was a pad player until I started learning Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 in 2013. I find a stick much easier then a pad when it comes to execution.

BlitzMan: Fightstick, just because I’ve been playing on it for most of my life.

StarmieGee: I started on pad for a few months, and then switched to a fightstick.

mushin_Z: Who do you main, and why? Is there a character you wish was selectable in Street Fighter V, but isn’t (yet)?

SJ: I main Rashid in Street Fighter V. Mobility is one of the key things I look for when I choose my characters. I got super hype when I first saw Rashid run around and throw tornadoes on people. His playstyle also reminds me of a Marvel Versus. character, which I’m a big fan of. I want Capcom to put in Rufus from Street Fighter IV!! He was my main when I played USFIV. While I didn’t enjoy the SFIV series that much, I definitely loved playing Rufus.

StarmieGee: Juri and F.A.N.G. Characters with a higher difficulty in skill interest me, and keep me going. F.A.N.G is hilarious, I find him fun to play; Juri is just sexy. Nobody else would want it… but bring back Honda. I miss my hubby.

BlitzMan: I’m a huge Yun and Ken fan, but currently in SFV I’m playing Karin/Ken/Laura. For SFV: Yun please! You can make him low tier! He makes porkbuns! No meat buns no life!

mushin_Z: What’s your best matchup, in your opinion? Worst?

BlitzMan: At the moment I think I’m strong against playing Balrog and Urien, Worst, I’d say Chun-Li, or 50/50 grapplers.

StarmieGee: I mean… I main F.A.N.G. I honestly don’t even have to say more. Is F.A.N.G still in this game? [laughs] In all seriousness, I don’t think I have a “worst.” I hate grapplers. I press so many buttons, it doesn’t do me any good. Best? I would say Chun-Li, and not because of my character, but because my partner plays her and I get good exposure.

SJ: Best matchup: I would say any character that has a hard time getting out of Rashid’s pressure. Alex, Nash and F.A.N.G come to mind. His worst matchup I would say is Cammy. I feel like she is a better version of Rashid, with more consistent damage. It’s a hard matchup, but still winnable.

mushin_Z: Where do you usually play?

BlitzMan: There’s a couple of places–online is so bad, especially with Canadian internet service providers, I play sometimes at A&C Games downtown, Toronto Street Fighter Headquarters in Scarborough, and a manga cafe–Akiba Kissa–in Markham. At A&C they hold weekly tournaments, so our version of NLBC or WNF is held there. Fridays there is TOSFHQ, or Akiba Kissa. TOSFHQ is run by some of the players from Toronto, and is often a place for high-level competition. Akiba Kissa is a great manga cafe with custom-built arcade cabinets, great environment and great drinks.

SJ: I usually play at A&C or TOSFHQ when I have the time to do so. I haven’t been going to either venue as of late due to work, so now I usually play at home. A&C is a gaming store located in downtown Toronto that also runs fighting game tournaments hosted by TorontoTopTiers. TOSFHQ is located at a storage unit east of Toronto where some of the best players in Toronto play every Friday. HQ also runs really hype BBQ events for the FGC in the summer. If you are in Toronto and you play fighting games, make sure you check both places out!

StarmieGee: At home online. Once in a blue moon I go to Toronto’s weekly. I played a bit in almost every city in the GTA, and I would have to say A&C is the most consistent in turnout, and gives you great chances to expose yourself to different matchups.

mushin_Z: Your thoughts on online competition?

BlitzMan: I played a lot of online during the beta, weird because the servers were in better condition. I currently have two accounts both sitting at Ultra Platinum back when there was only like 50 or less Diamond players, but nonetheless online is a terrible experience here in Toronto. Maybe it’s just my internet, or the speeds that Canadian Internet service providers offer, but competition online is usually unplayable. In SFIV I learned a lot about matchup knowledge, which is what I usually use online for, however SFV match up knowledge isn’t as critical to know compared to older iterations of the games, in my opinion, but the way SFV netcode is combined with my country’s bad internet infrastructure… I don’t want to put myself through a headache. Last time I tried searching for a Ranked match it took 30 minutes to find one match, and play two games. Time well spent…

SJ: I do play online SFV but I mainly use it for matchup experience. I do think online competition is good especially if you have no local competition, but the experience will never be as good as offline play.

StarmieGee: I almost always play online against stream viewers, instead of Ranked. Ranked is great to see where you are at, and climbing the ladder is great, but I like to play against a variety of ranks, vs. playing with a bunch of people my skill level (which is bad). With friends/viewers I get to compete against better players, which I think pays off. I do lag here and there, so I prefer offline overall.

mushin_Z: In your opinion, who are the players to watch in the Toronto community?

BlitzMan: There’s so many to list! I don’t even think I’m good at gauging skill in SFV, but in my opinion I’d say Mr. Trite (any game), CountBlack (Laura), OCV_LES (Bison), STDxVan (Nash/Urien), Rass (Balrog), General Luke (Cammy), GentleStep (Ibuki), Vastend (Vega), Italdan (Chun-Li), Solomon (Birdie/Balrog) SJ (Rashid) BM|OrangeMan (Rashid). There’s honestly too many.

StarmieGee: Italdan, BlitzMan, Van1up, OrangeMan. The reason I say these guys is because not only do they place well in tournaments, they actually travel and represent Toronto at other North American majors.

SJ: Italdan, BlitzMan, Shane Walker, LES, and Chokehold. Those players have been the most consistent so far in SFV. We also have strong talent outside of SF that you should be watching. We have players like Karn (KOF), Psykotik (BlazBlue), Rebelo (Killer Instinct) and the NRS brothers Biohazard and Honeybee.

mushin_Z: How has the Toronto FGC impacted your experience with the game? Has your own skill improved through interaction with the Toronto SF scene, and has involvement with the Toronto FGC increased your enjoyment of fighting games?

SJ: The Toronto FGC is like family to me. While we want to beat each other, we also want each other to improve. We do trash talk each other a lot, but most of us know not to take it to heart. I would say I owe most of my success in fighting games to my local scene. Playing with the top players helped me perform well in major tournaments.

StarmieGee: I never left a weekly without learning something different. It makes my experience with the game more diverse, and is a reminder that the FGC is so much more than just an online game. Roots is offline, and because I never grew up with Street Fighter, the scene is a reminder of how supportive people are and how competitive this game is. There’s only really two kinds of people: someone who encourages you, or just another person to compete with. But the Toronto FGC taught me to cheer for my own (any Canadian). [My skill has improved] a bit–I used to work on many of the days the weeklies were, so I haven’t gone as much as the regulars. After a good experience at Toryuken, I went to Evo and traveled around the world playing Street Fighter. My experience with the Toronto FGC made such a great impression on me for FG tournaments. I love fighting games a lot more now.

BlitzMan: It’s gotten worse for me, to be honest, with the release of Street Fighter V. The Toronto FGC lost so much talent and skillful players after the game’s release. The community is growing with new faces, and that makes me happy, but at the same time I’ve lost probably four of the strongest players in the community, and my closest training partners for the last eight years. I do really enjoy seeing the newbloods step up their game though, and that makes me really happy, but I’m also becoming an old man and I miss the rivalries and trash talk sometimes. =D Of course [my skill has improved]! I can’t play online like 90% of the time, so where else could I get better! Everyone of all skill levels from the community push me to become a better player. It’s kind of amazing how you can gain so many long-term friends from an offline interactive social video game. I don’t think I’d be playing fighting games at all if it wasn’t for the Toronto FGC. I’d probably be playing Dota2 or Overwatch.

mushin_Z: Has any particular player acted as a mentor, or a rival for you?

BlitzMan: Well, throughout Street Fighter IV I had a lot of mentors and rivalries. A group of us would get together probably every day in summer, or multiple times a week during school to play. There was JS_Master (Balrog), Eric Hai (Ryu), Spiralguy, and Mr. Trite. We’d all push each other to get better, think of strategies, practice matchups and often trash talk each other. None of us wanted to lose to the other in tournament, so we’d often practice together to always be one step ahead. Later on in the game’s lifespan, Riceata (Blanka) moved to Toronto and I played with him the most. I’d say all of these players impacted my life, and the way I play.

SJ: The two players that acted as a mentor for me were Mr. Trite and Drewface. Playing Trite in USFIV and UMvC3 improved my overall fighting game skillset. Drewface taught me proper fighting game mindset and mentality. I find both skillset and mindset equally as important when it comes to competitive play. A lot of players have been rivals to me. Shout-outs to Broshadian, Chokehold, Joker, Italdan, Pikachu-Salty, Shane Walker, and KS-Tali.

StarmieGee: Justin Wong actually invited me to my first major, in my own city. Justin Wong, K-Brad, Noel and Infiltration were actually the ones who got me to get out the house to play. Infiltration taught me so much about FGC culture regarding money matches, experiences with crowds, and competition. Justin has been there basically from the beginning. He’s been my support when things were a bit rough in the scene, and guided my way when I wanted to give up. As for gameplay, Gllty is my coach. I love her.

mushin_Z: What major tournaments have you attended? Have you traveled to tournaments outside of Canada?

BlitzMan: I recently got sponsored, so I get to travel to more events, but I mean there’s too many to list. I’d say older times I went to Season’s Beatings 5, or the older Toronto majors T-series (Which I want to bring back!), but if were talking about recently, CEO, Evo, SCR, Canada Cup obviously. I really want to go to Combo Breaker and DreamHack Texas this year.

StarmieGee: Inside Canada: Toryuken 4 & 5, EGLX, Red Bull, Canada Cup (two years), LAN ETS (Montréal). Outside Canada: Evo (last two years), Summer Jam, Final Round. Much more to come this year…

SJ: Toryuken was my first tournament ever, and I have been going there every year. I also attended Canada Cup, when they started hosting the series in Toronto. Outside of Canada I’ve been to Final Round, CEO, and a few big East Coast Tournaments. Make sure you guys come to Toryuken and Canada Cup this year!

mushin_Z: How well have you placed? How would you describe the experience of traveling to compete?

StarmieGee: Not well. That is all.

BlitzMan: I only made top 8 twice last year. As for the rest, there’s too many to count, but not as good as I’d like. [laughs] I’ve had some terrible experiences traveling to compete, mainly due to airlines/airports or cabs. Other than that It can get exhausting having week to week events go home, have to go to a tournament at home then fly out for another tournament in another city. But It’s also an amazing experience at the same time, meeting new people who share the same passion and seeing new cities!

StarmieGee: But traveling to places I never been with friends is the best thing since entering the FGC. I have made so many friends online that I met at the tournaments I travel to, and I definitely met friends in different countries I think I will have for life. I also played SF in France at Meltdown (probably my favorite traveling experience).

SJ: For SFV the best I’ve done so far was top 16 at Summer Jam and top 64 at Canada Cup last year. I’ve placed well at majors for Marvel vs. Capcom 3, making top 3 at Canada Cup and Frosty Faustings. As well as placing top 16 at Final Round, NEC and Summer Jam. I always find traveling and playing other players from around the world to be so thrilling. You encounter so many players and their unique style of play.

mushin_Z: How often do you encounter players from other cities in Toronto? Do they fit in easily while visiting?

BlitzMan: Pretty often… I’d say the players that visit Toronto the most would be, EG|K-Brad, Dieminion, Beeball, and Riceata. Chi-Rithy, Snafoo and the MTLSF crew come whenever they can, too. The Toronto SF community is super welcoming to all. Anyone can easily fit in. The Canadian FGC in general such a diverse melting pot of ethnicities and cultures, it’s almost impossible to feel left out.

StarmieGee: Often. Quite a handful of people at A&C are not actually from Toronto, but the outskirts. Fitting in is not easy, in my opinion. The Toronto SF is aggressive in competition, and also closely-knit. When you go, you don’t feel like sitting and having a nice chat with people. I feel that people have a “let’s get to work” mentality. It’s not a very social environment.

SJ: Usually anytime a Toronto major happens. The Toronto scene is a very loud but welcoming scene. I find that the outside players really enjoy how hype we can get.

mushin_Z: Are there any players from outside Toronto you see/compete with regularly?

StarmieGee: Yes–because I almost always play online, and most of the viewers and friends are actually from the West Coast.

BlitzMan: Hmmm.. Maybe Chi-Rithy? I played a lot with Dieminion, Snafoo, Riceata, and K-Brad when they stayed at my house for Toryuken. Compete with “regularly,” not too sure… I know I lost to EG|Ricki Ortiz three times last season. Her Chun-Li is too strong!

SJ: I usually compete with Chi-Rithy and the MTLSF crew anytime they come to Toronto, or when I go to Montréal. Justin Wong, K-Brad, Noel Brown and RayRay are also players I encounter a lot, because they tend to go to our local majors.

mushin_Z: Do you stream?

StarmieGee: http://twitch.tv/starmiegee

BlitzMan: I did stream very often! Unfortunately, I don’t have the equipment at the moment. Hopefully I can again soon! www.twitch.tv/blitzman_g

SJ: I do stream from time to time. Might start streaming more. Catch me at www.twitch.tv/ontimeslackers.

mushin_Z: What games other than Street Fighter are you into, and why?

BlitzMan: I was really into Dota while I was playing 3rd Strike; I used to join foosball tournaments before Street Fighter tournaments, too! Foosball/table soccer was huge in Toronto arcades/pool halls. As of right now I watch a lot of CS:GO, and am trying to hit Masters in Overwatch. Too many Street Fighter IV players went to Overwatch!

StarmieGee: I grew up playing WoW, and actually play MOBAs like LoL and HotS. I currently love Overwatch. Games, to me, are great if the character kits are amazing and the graphics are good.

SJ: I play a lot of other fighting games other than Street Fighter. My favorite fighting game of all time is Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. It’s a crazy-fast fighter that requires you to play solid, or else your whole team dies. I am a big fan of the Versus series and I am very excited for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. I also enjoy Guilty Gear and BlazBlue. Outside of fighters, I’ve been recently been getting into Counter Strike: Global Offensive. I’m not that much into shooters, but this game is very challenging and the competitive play is very intriguing. I’ve also been going back and playing GameCube games, because I never owned a GameCube [laughs]. Luigi’s Mansion so far is my favorite.

mushin_Z: What does Toronto offer a Street Fighter fan that can’t be found anywhere else?

BlitzMan: I’d say the Toronto FGC isn’t just a community to play games. We’re a big family across different races, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. We share our passion, while having a good time with community events such as fundraisers for charities and community BBQs! We’re all just having good fun and good times.

StarmieGee: Racial diversity. They used to do this thing on weekly tournaments where beside the player name would be the flag of his or her nationality. I thought it was awesome to showcase how diverse the community was. In general, I think Toronto is very similar to other FGCs around North America, which is great–because if you are from another community, it won’t feel so different.

SJ: I’ve traveled to many scenes around North America and I would say no one gets as hype as my own scene. We yell and trash talk so much especially when the outsiders come down to compete with us. I find our hype makes the tournaments much more exciting and interesting.

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For some additional comments, I reached out again to Toronto-based streamer JakyoManor, who was previously included in Part 2 of my Montréal interview set; she has been branded a “traitor”–both affectionately and not–for her connections to both the Toronto and the Montréal scenes. She had this to offer:

The Montréal and Toronto FGC have a complex relationship. We are bitter rivals within our homes, and yet we are all love and support in International tournaments. We’ve been competing against each other since the arcade days. Toronto always had a strong 3rd Strike scene, and Montréal had the better CvS2 players. Toronto also had a strong showing for MvC2 and 3. Today, the FGC in both cities has evolved.

The Montréal scene is quiet and calculated–with the players playing in a venue that is akin to a lounge, where players reflect on where and how they can improve their playing. Toronto is a loud and vibrant community, with an almost rite-of-passage mindset to welcoming new players. They’re going to sweat you a bit to make sure you have the courage to stay and compete. Both cities have their OGs, and their new bloods. What makes the relationship between these adversaries so interesting is how intense the atmosphere becomes when they get together. Maybe it’s rooted in the deep-set past of French vs. English, or the constant struggle between the cities’ respective hockey teams? Whatever it is, it makes a tournament between these two cities electrifying! I have been to several tournaments and nothing, NOTHING, can get a crowd going like two players from these cities being pitted against each other. When the two FGCs meet up, it’s going extremely loud, it’s going to be funny, full of side bets, French cursing, and bitter grudge matches. It’s hard to believe just how much fun you can have winning (or losing) so much on side bets and how the cities really get together to champion their respective area.

The rivalry between Toronto and Montréal makes Canada strong. The competition is not one set in hate, but in constantly keeping ourselves in check, wanting more. It’s a great way to get the fire going, and to make players hungry from both cities. I love the Canadian FGC. I hope we start getting top 62 and 32, and eventually grab those top 8 spots! Patience. Work. Rivalries!

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Tomorrow in Part 2, we’ll get to know more about Drewface and the 50/50 brand, as well as talk to Chokehold, and Brutus–one of the scene’s youngest rising stars.

[Feature image courtesy of Mae Vandelay]