A personal opinion on the Kawasaki Open 2008.

First, I would like to express mixed feelings about the result of the finals. I did not expect for the life of me that Nakajima would end up second (with a 14.xx solve!) in the finals, after virtually trampling everyone else in the first. Well, that 12.66-12.30=0.36s difference really did it for him. I just find it amazing and disappointing (ok, personal bias) that Gunji won first place even though he had a DNF (first solve).

Maybe this just proves that visibility isn't the only factor in determining whether a cuber really is good. Well, it really doesn't. It's just funny how Gunji remains so fast and yet isn't that visible at all online (as compared to Nakajima).

As for other records, a lot of Asian Records were set. Gunji is now second overall in the fastest solve of the 3x3x3 (second only to Ron van Bruchem's 9.55 solve). Gunji set a new AsR for the 4x4x4 average while Ookusa totally wiped out existing AsR's for the 5x5x5. Hiraya (boo, I was rooting for Tomy, haha) set the WORLD RECORD for the average in OH, clocking in at an amazing 20.69s average.

Japanese cubers are improving way too fast. But if this is a sign of things to come, I am predicting that in the next few competitions this year, a lot more records are going to be broken. And maybe, I hope not though, the 9.xx barrier will be broken, lucky or otherwise.

EDIT: Here's the link.

When I read the results, I was stunned REALLY.
Nakaji lost, well Gungz is fast. and as you've said he isn't
that visible online.

But I think the Japs are driving the international cubing scene crazy, watch out UK people. LOL.

this just wants me to improve more, i want to get PH to the top.
hahaha.

nice man...i really knew Gunji would beat Nakajima one day...although I was really a fan of Nakajima, I couldn't deny the fact that Gunji is as fast as well...and mind you guys, he's really not that visible compared to other cubers...I'm really hoping I could see more of Gunji's solves like Nakajima's...can't even see him in youtube aside from when he appeared in the Japanese TV

gunji is actually good! he has defeated nakajima in a previous competition in japan (not only in the kawasaki open 2008). nakajima only beat gunji once, and that was in the world championship. nakajima won there while gunji was third... gunji has been cubing for a looong time while nakajima was been cubing for a little more than 1 year... talk about experience, gunji is better... he is well rounded too. nakajima only competes in the 3x3 and 3x3 OH.

ineexpect ko rin na si tomy ung magwawagi sa OH. tapos biglang may sumulpot na kung sino. well, sa 5x5x5 inaasahan ko na na si ookusa magwawagi, pero akala ko siya (si ookusa) rin ang mananalo sa 4x4x4. konting praktis pa siguro ni gungz at mahahabol niya na si ookusa.

onga. sayang naman. kala ko si nakaji mananalo.

Zeinest815 wrote:ineexpect ko rin na si tomy ung magwawagi sa OH. tapos biglang may sumulpot na kung sino. well, sa 5x5x5 inaasahan ko na na si ookusa magwawagi, pero akala ko siya (si ookusa) rin ang mananalo sa 4x4x4. konting praktis pa siguro ni gungz at mahahabol niya na si ookusa.

onga. sayang naman. kala ko si nakaji mananalo.

oh my god! ngayon ko lang napansin. may bigla ngang sumulpot na magaling sa OH. World record pa! wow!!!! second time niya pa lang magcompete, tapos nakuha niya na yung world record. Keisuke Hiraya of Japan is someone to watch out for!

nagulat din ako dun sa baba ng times niya. almost sub 20!

Gunji is more relaxed compared to Nakajima as i noticed in the documentary featuring the japan team on the world championships. Anyways you don't have to be visible online to determine you are good. Gunji has already defeated nakajima twice in a competition. Japan cubers are really dominating the speedcubing world these days, i wonder how are the European cubers doing, especially the French team.

If you want to watch a video of Mitsuki Gunji doing a PLL time attack, just click the link below:

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kix0koBUy4

Some time back, some 'geeks' theorized something known as the Asian Competition Phenomena. It applies to everything that involves competition (online gaming, network gaming, video games, sports, etc.) and, basically, it says that Asians have the tendency to be the best in a certain trend once it arrives in Asia.

Take DotA for example. Before, the number one in the world was a European. Suddenly, Singapore came in and dominated one WCG after the other. Way back, there was Starcraft. Once, it was an American game. Then Korea totally owned the game that Blizzard basically plans to stage Korea as SC2's launch country.

I think the same thing applies with cubing. Japan will own it for quite some time until the other Asian countries eventually come up to par. The cubing phenomenon is, officially, up for about 5 years now, almost a decade after it lied low for a while. I'm hoping that we will be able to enter said scene. I don't think it's difficult at all, but we are badly in need of support.

===

I read up and, yeah, Gunji's been cubing a lot longer than Nakajima. Nakaji tends to be a lot more tense that Gungz when in a competition (explains his POP in the WC2007). Hiraya is also a stunner. Second competition, then a WR. In average, too, nonetheless!

The Kawasaki Open is an eye-opener... I wonder how many hidden cubers really are out there. With the internet as the main network cubers are using to contact each other, I hope that many of these hidden cubers will appear.

Malay niyo... Baka meron na palang sub-10 sa atin pero di lang nagpapakita. Haha.

Anyone noticed the sharp dive of times from rank 12 to rank 13? From 21.73 to 29.27. So unlike the previous competitions. For some reason, many Japanese cubers decided to skip the event. Logistics? Maybe.

Considering how young our PCA is, we have a lot of bright things to look forward to. We are the newbies and yet the times during the Diliman Open are good. Philippine cubing will soon be a threat to many cubing records.


OOOOPS:
Gunji is Mitsuki Gunji of Japan. Gungz is Yu Jeong-Min of Korea.

betong wrote: Philippine cubing will soon be a threat to many cubing records.

oh yeah! i'm really looking forward to that time too! the kawasaki open for me really is inspiring. wohooo God bless to Philippine Cubing!

sayang naman...2nd lng c Yu...pero c Yu p rin idol ko...wahahahha