Grand Prix Tohoku

Winner Profile

Name: Masayuki Higashino
Age: 21
Residence: Osaka, Japan
Occupation: part-timer (various part-time jobs)
Started Magic with Revised
Favorite Block: 4th Block. "I like old Magic. I guess in the old days, the internet was not a factor and you never knew what decks you'd see. Decks were very original. I like fun decks."
Plays Magic about 12 hours per week.
Practices with his teammates on Team Muneo. (30 membes on Team Muneo!!!)
Team is run by store-owner and Level 3 judge Muneo Shibata
Favorite fomat: any limited format
Favorite color: Black (he played a Hatred deck at APAC championships).
Draft strategy: "Since Legacy came out, I pretty much go into a draft thinking 'red'."
Hobbies other than Magic: video games

Japan National Championships: First (National Champion)
APAC Championships: Fifth Place
World Championships: 128th place

Inside the venue, the Wasse Convention Center, Sendai, Japan	Outside the venue
Mike Elliott of Magic R&D at the gunslinging corner	Magic artist Terese Nielsen
The final draft	GP Tohoku Finals, Masayuki Higashino vs. Kazuyuki Momose
Finalist Momose	Higashino at work
Higashino; the satisfaction of a job well done	Presentation of trophy to Higashino by Jeff Donais
The top 8 with Jeff Donais and Chris Zantides