Satoshi Kato

Satoshi Kato is the winner of the SHONEN JUMP Championship held in Nashville, Tennessee. Read on to see what he says about his tournament experience and how American Duelists compare to Japanese Duelists!

Conversation Between Satoshi Kato and Shonen Jump
SHONEN JUMP: First off, congratulations on winning the SHONEN JUMP Championship! Can you let us know how you first got into the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME? Satoshi Kato: I started playing the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME ten years ago when my brother introduced to me to the game. When I started, my Deck was very weak. I had almost no effect monsters and no good magic and trap cards. I stopped playing seven years ago but started up again two years ago.

SJ: Which Duel was the most difficult win for you this tournament and why? SK: The final! My opponent used a Zombie Lightsworn Deck. My Deck is very weak against "Caius the Shadow Monarch." I played very carefully. Plus his Deck also had a Zombie engine. Zombie engine makes it quick and easy to perform a one-turn kill. I had to have "Tragoedia" or "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness."

SJ: How many tournaments have you attended? If this is not your first tournament, how did previous tournaments help you in winning this time around? Do you see any areas of improvement you can take from this tournament experience to the next one? SK: I've played in four SHONEN JUMP Championships. The tournament in Los Angeles was very good for testing my Deck out. Zombies are very strong and Lightsworn as well. I used the same Deck I used in Japan, but it was not a good Deck in the U.S. I had to change to win the tournament. How do I play against "Burial from a Different Dimension" and "Beckoning Light"? I thought about it for a long time, and I found the answer—"Sky Scourge Norleras"! judgment dragon "Judgment Dragon" is one of the cards in Satoshi's Deck!

SJ: To be a successful Duelist, it's essential to customize a Deck you can believe can win against most other Decks. What kind of Deck did you build for this tournament? Which were the most important cards you brought? SK: I used a Lightsworn Zombie Deck with "Phantom of Chaos." "Judgement Dragon" destroys all cards on the field, and "Sky Scourge Norleras" destroys all cards. Since Zombies take advantage of the Graveyard, I got off to a good start with "Sky Scourge Norleras." It was my key to victory.

SJ: What do you look for in a monster card when building a Deck? SK: I made a Deck with good Effect monsters. Effects help me to control games.

SJ: New players make a lot of mistakes. What advice would you have for them? SK: New players should focus on where their advantages lie, and how to turn those advantages into a win. Also, how many cards you have in your hand and on the field is very important.

SJ: Are you a fan of the anime or manga? If you could Duel any character from any of the Yu-Gi-Oh! series, who would you challenge and why? SK: I really like Zane Truesdale. He uses amazing combos. "Future Fusion" and "Overload Fusion" are so awesome. finals Satoshi's in the midst of his final Duel!

SJ: What's the coolest part of going to an SJ Tournament? SK: I can meet and make a lot of friends. Since I am from Japan, I cannot meet my foreign friends easily. Plus I can have great matches!

SJ: Do you have a specific Dueling strategy in mind when the Duel starts? Or is your strategy mostly based off of reacting to what your opponent does? SK: My strategy is to make a Deck with a surprise card. I keep my surprise card in my hand and wait for the right time to play it. If it’s successful, then my victory is that much closer.

SJ: SHONEN JUMP magazine often offers exclusive cards found nowhere else. If you had a "dream" card you would like to see put out, what would it be and why? SK: I want a God card! Obelisk is already out, and Ra is also out in Japan. I want "Slifer the Sky Dragon" for its amazing effect. And it has great art!