Akhil “Tetsu” Kakar stands out amongst the Fighters Showdown’s participants thanks to his spirited playstyle and enthusiasm for Tekken 7. Earlier this year, he was placed first in the Core Gamer Treff TWT Dojo Event and is now more prepared than ever to step onto the Tekken World Tour Master stage. He’s arguably the best Claudio player in the world, and fans would certainly love to see more of his expertise in the upcoming tournament.
We recently spoke to Tetsu about his future visit to India during the Fighters Showdown. As such, he’s ecstatic to participate in the Tekken World Tour Master and further expressed his opinion about Tekken 8, the fighting game community, and more.
GL Tetsu speaks about Tekken 8 and more
Q. It’s a pleasure to talk to you. As a participant in the Fighters Showdown, what do you expect from the event and how prepared are you?
Tetsu: I am eager to meet the Indian community and compete against a lot of their players. I feel well prepared since I’ve been practicing hard and grinding the game for the Tekken World Tour.
Q. Since you’re half Indian yourself, what are your thoughts on India hosting the Tekken World Tour? Would you like to visit the country again to participate?
Tetsu: I love the fact that India has its own tournament and it being in the Master tier is incredible. I wish to visit India more often for tournaments.
Q. What do you plan to do during your stay in India? Tell us something you want to do outside of Fighters Showdown.
Tetsu: Since I have family in India, I will definitely visit them and try to enjoy some quality time with relatives that I haven’t seen in a long time.
Q. Which international player would you like to fight against in the Fighters Showdown?
Tetsu: I want to play more against Indian players instead. I’d like to witness their playstyle and see if it’s similar to mine.
Q. Have you ever played against an Indian player? If so, how are they different from the European pros?
Tetsu: Unfortunately, no, but I have watched videos of players like Loveneet, Tejan, and Rohit.
I know for a fact that India has strong players and I’d like to test my abilities against them.
Q. Can you give us an insight into the German Fighting Game Community, mostly about their preferences and the popularity of Tekken 7 in the community?
Tetsu: The German skill level has been rising since the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have a lot of new, strong players. Their strength comes from online play, and it’s still a big tool for us players to improve.
Using any platform the right way and putting in effort can make you a strong player regardless of your starting environment, be it online or offline.
Q. Claudio has been your staple pick, and you used him against one of your most challenging opponents, Super Akouma, in the Tekken World Tour Finals. Can we expect to see your Claudio in the Fighters Showdown?
Tetsu: I’m definitely playing with Claudio as my comfort pick for the tournament, but who knows, I may have a surprise or two in my pocket.
Q. On the topic of Tekken 8, how excited are you about its gameplay, and which characters are you looking forward to playing upon its release?
Tetsu: I am super excited for Tekken 8. I tried it in the Alpha. From start to finish, I enjoyed every second of it. I’m obviously looking forward to playing Claudio and hopefully the brand new characters.
Q. What are your opinions on the new Heat system in Tekken 8 and how do you think it will impact the gameplay going forward?
Tetsu: I like the idea of the Heat system, but I feel like it will need a bit of optimization in terms of gameplay and balance.
In my opinion, the feature will encourage Tekken 8 players to think more about certain move choices, which I really like.
Q. Which characters from Tekken 7 would you like to see return to Tekken 8, and why?
Tetsu: I would like to see Lidia again because she’s my favorite character in the game, alongside Claudio.
For Sephiblack, I sincerely hope he gets his Miguel back.
Q. Which Guest character would you like to see in Tekken 8? It can be anyone from other games or movies.
Tetsu: I think I would enjoy a character from Mortal Kombat like Scorpion, Sub Zero, or one of their 2D characters again. I think a nerfed version of Akuma would be nice as well.
When Tetsu isn’t busy with tournaments, you can catch him streaming on Twitch or posting occasional content on YouTube. Additionally, interested readers can follow his Twitter for more Tekken content.
To participate in the upcoming Indian event and potentially get a chance to play against Tetsu, you can register by clicking on this link.
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