Kakeru
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"Kakeru" (previously known as "Uzura") is a Japanese Fighting Games player currently representing IBUSHIGIN.
He is a Capcom Cup champion, having won the 2025 edition for Street Fighter 6; he also won Gamers8 in 2023, an invitational that preceded the Esports World Cup.
Biography[edit]
Kakeru started playing fighting games in 2011, eventually becoming known for his Ryu in Street Fighter V.[1] He made his first overseas tournament appearance at Red Bull Kumite Las Vegas in November 2021, but gained more recognition in the west upon his return to Las Vegas for EVO 2022. After winning a highly competitive Japanese tournament hosted by Kawano to get there, he turned heads with an iconic 2-1 upset over Caba en route to a 33rd place finish.[2]
Despite not being drafted for the 2023 Street Fighter League, Kakeru was one of the first Japanese players to stand out after the release of Street Fighter 6, earning a ticket to the Red Bull Kumite 2023 South Africa LCQ by dominating another competitive online bracket, this time playing as JP. He won the LCQ over EndingWalker to advance into the main event, defeating NL and Problem X on his way to a strong 3rd-4th place finish. In August 2023, Kakeru entered EVO 2023 as one of the favorites, defeating Marvisto, Masoma, Acqua, NuckleDu and MenaRD in order to qualify for the Winners Semifinals. On the last day, he fell short of the Top 4 after losing to AngryBird and Tokido in back-to-back last hit, last round situations. Shortly after this result, Kakeru was invited to the Gamers8 SF6 Invitational in Saudi Arabia, where he defeated NL, Valmaster, Daigo Umehara, Vxbao, MenaRD, Punk and AngryBird (twice) to win his first international Major tournament in all of Street Fighter and taking home $400,000 USD. Despite failing to qualify for Capcom Cup X, he finished the season with a notable win at Blink Respawn 2023 and a grand finals appearance at EVO Japan 2024.
Kakeru picked up Akuma and M. Bison for the second season of SF6, proving to still be one of the world's best players while using other characters by finishing Topanga Championship 5 in 2nd place. To start the 2024 Capcom Pro Tour, he finished EVO with a disappointing 49th place, and ended his run at the inagural Esports World Cup in 9th place. While his efforts overseas did not go his way, Kakeru remained dominant against local competition in Japan, qualifying to Capcom Cup 11 by finishing in 1st place in the most competitive World Warrior circuit; it was around this time where he returned to maining JP after a balance patch at the end of the year.
He was one of the heavy favorites coming into Capcom Cup 11, convincingly winning his group with only one loss to Tokido. He dominated the final double elimination bracket by beating Blaz (twice), NoahTheProdigy, and Leshar while not losing a single game until the Grand Finals. Blaz in particular shocked the world with 5 consecutive set wins (with four of these being 3-0's), but Kakeru stayed calm and composed all the way through; he defeated Blaz 3-1 to win his first Capcom Cup, becoming the second player to ever earn $1,000,000 in a single fighting game event in doing so.
Results[edit]
Street Fighter 6[edit]
| Date | Place | Tier | Event | Result | Prize | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025-03-08 | 1st | Tier 1 | Capcom Cup 11 | 3 : 1 | $1,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025-01-05 | 2nd | Qualifier | CPT 2024 World Warrior: Japan #5 | 1 : 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024-11-17 | 33rd - 48th | Qualifier | CPT 2024 World Warrior: Japan #4 | 1 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024-11-03 | 25th - 32nd | Tier 1 | CPT 2024: Japan Super Premier | 1 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024-10-20 | 17th - 24th | Tier 1 | CPT 2024: Singapore Super Premier | 1 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024-10-06 | 2nd | Qualifier | CPT 2024 World Warrior: Japan #3 | 2 : 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024-09-01 | 17th - 24th | Qualifier | CPT 2024 World Warrior: Japan #2 | 1 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024-08-11 | 9th - 12th | Tier 1 | Esports World Cup 2024 | 0 : 3 | $20,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024-07-28 | 1st | Qualifier | CPT 2024 World Warrior: Japan #1 | 3 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024-07-21 | 49th - 64th | Tier 1 | Evolution Championship Series 2024 | 0 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024-07-14 | 2nd | Tier 1 | Topanga Championship 5 | 5/1 | Grp. S. | $6,332 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024-06-30 | 1st | Tier 3 | Bald Head Cup #6 | 3 : 2 | $6,882 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | Place | Event | Result | Prize | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025-03-22 | 1st | Beast Cup KUMITE 3on3 | 3 : 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025-01-25 | 5th - 6th | Street Fighter League Pro-JP 2024 | 20 : 70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025-01-12 | 9th - 12th | Topanga Charity Cup 14 | 4 : 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023-11-19 | 2nd | FAV CUP 2023 Open Qualifier | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023-07-30 | 3rd - 4th | Tokyo Online Party 2023 Summer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Street Fighter V[edit]
1v1
| Date | Place | Tier | Event | Result | Prize | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023-04-02 | 97th - 128th | Tier 1 | Evolution Championship Series: Japan 2023 | 3/1 | Round 2 Pools | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023-02-13 | 33rd - 48th | Qualifier | Capcom Cup IX Last Chance Qualifier | 1 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023-01-29 | 2nd | Tier 2 | eSports BATTLE in OKINAWA 2023 | 2 : 3 | $1,926 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022-12-03 | 33rd - 48th | Tier 3 | CPT 2022 World Warrior: Japan #5 | 0 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022-11-27 | 13th - 16th | Tier 3 | CPT 2022 World Warrior: Japan #4 | 1 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022-10-22 | 65th - 96th | Tier 3 | CPT 2022 World Warrior: Japan #3 | 0 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022-09-11 | 33rd - 48th | Tier 3 | CPT 2022 World Warrior: Japan #2 | 1 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022-08-21 | 17th - 24th | Tier 3 | CPT 2022 World Warrior: Japan #1 | 0 : 2 | 鶏めし | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022-08-07 | 33rd - 48th | Tier 1 | Evolution Championship Series 2022 | 0 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022-03-20 | 9th - 12th | Tier 3 | FAV CUP 2022 Open Qualifier | 0 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022-03-13 | 29th - 36th | Tier 2 | Street Fighter 5: Champion Edition Japan Open 2022 | 0 : 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021-11-14 | 13th - 16th | Tier 1 | Red Bull Kumite 2021 - Las Vegas | 1/2 | Grp. S. | $500 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Street Fighter IV[edit]
1v1
| Date | Place | Tier | Event | Result | Prize | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015-09-20 | 49th - 64th | Tier 1 | Tokyo Game Show 2015 | L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Media[edit]
Gallery[edit]
Kakeru at Red Bull Kumite 2023
References[edit]