To the American Melty Blood Community:
For those who did not know who I was or didn't know who was running your bracket until now, I apologize if I haven't introduced myself to you before. I was that black guy standing on chairs screaming into megaphones for names. My name is SilentShinobi and I have been running brackets for Melty Blood at FR for all the 4 years it was there. I am also an activist for this game and has pretty much had a hand in most of the Melty festivities this past weekend. I would like to say first and foremost that I do appreciate everyone's attendance at Final Round this year. Final Round has always been a community driven tournament series and I am no exception to giving credit to the community for doing what it can to make it.
With a hoarse voice and alot on my mind after this weekend known as the 15th anniversary of Final Round, I have to congratulate you guys for breaking barriers just like we have 2 years ago. Numbers wise, this has turned into the biggest EC Melty Blood tournament in the history of the game in America; exceeding NEC '09 which was the first PS2 Actress Again major. It is also the 2nd biggest tournament only being overshadowed by Evo 2010. Region wise, we had participants from over 20 states and expanding 5 countries which turns FR into a very diverse tournament filled with people from all over the world who love the game. Skill wise, runbacks were ran back and has shown to become the tournament that Japan's supremacy over America was halted. From strong OG players such as Pfhor, Choco, and Voomer to the East Coast's rising stars within LordKnight, Ehrik, and FRXV champion Tonberry. From West Coast finest HF-Blade, Numakie, and Bellreisa to Japan's very own Garu, Chelsea, and even the Marvel champion Kusoru. To top it off from a stream monster's perspective, we broke 2200+ simultaneous viewers by the start of Grand Finals Sunday morning. A show to behold indeed.
How could this have happened?
As I said before, this entire operation was community driven. From the promotion to JP and beyond of FR to the setups you played on. This is what Final Round was all about, and it was because of ShinBlanka that we were able to expose this to a point where we couldn't have done it all alone. The only people I can think of that could something as crazy as this is you, and only you. In my eyes, this community has definitely made a way out of no way and shown only a small percentage of what you guys are capable of. I've talked to many of you over the weekend and you all were pretty much satisfied and amazed at what this entire tournament ended up becoming. I do appreciate the words that will forever be remembered from this weekend and won't take them for granted at all.
We have done well for Final Round and words cannot express what I saw develop over the weekend. I am honestly impressed and show praise to you lot. If you weren't here, you definitely missed out.
Consider this a milestone in all things Melty Blood in America; a milestone that was only possible by the community themselves.
As a tournament organizer, this has been an experience and a real endurance test for me. Never have I done a bracket of this amount by myself. To finish off 73 players to a final 8 in the time frame that I've done it was a real accomplishment and I hope to do this again in the near future. I do appreciate everyone for being prompt to their matches even though the setups themselves were not labeled. You got to know your opponent and were able to communicate with me about the status of your matches. Even though then my voice wasn't at its best, some of you lent your voices to me. Even though I was away from the bracket to tend to other announcements and my own tournament matches, some of you protected my bracket and kept it up to date. Thank you.
As a player, I feel as though I have not given myself completely to most of you eager to play me. I've only played 3 sets this entire weekend, not including my tourney matches. To be honest, it comes with the territory of being an organizer. The ability to weigh the importance of both shows responsibility to what you must attend to. Unfortunately, most of my time this weekend was being spent away from playing the game. Whether it be by ballroom setting up, organizing tournament, ripping and running to have it run smoothly, finishing up grad schoolwork, sleep catchup, or just downtime to chill and not just play. In conclusion, I do sincerely apologize that I said I was going to play you, but ended up not doing so over the weekend. Like I said before, the load of being an organizer to the load of advancing my skill was only showing me what needed to be done over the weekend in order for everyone else to have a good time.
Do I regret it? To be honest, I don't. Because I will always be at a tournament I won't have to be held down to just organize. =P
I am glad to had met some old faces I haven't seen since the very first Melty Blood tournament here at Final Round, to Evolution, and over the years around the country. If my time in the game cannot excuse my absence from the game, my conversation with you all definitely brings me back to the reason why I play this game in the first place. Unfortunately, the next few months will be very hard to ensure any time solidified in the game. As I've already told most of you, I am graduating on the 15th and I have to focus on a college graduate mindset afterwards. This doesn't mean I'm quitting, but I am definitely on an advancement hiatus for awhile until I get my life straight. I'm sure most of you do post-college grads know what I'm talking about.
Where you go from Final Round is up to you. All I'm trying to sum up is that you all have done much this weekend to show how much you care about the game. I assure you, your hard work has not gone in vain and hollow ground. You have exposed this game once again successfully. Do not let go of this chance you have!
- Until Next Stage.
@TSB_Shinobi on Twitter.
To Brandino: Just listen to me next time you get caught up in the SK vortex again. Nobody wins.