CIAO everyone
It’s been a very very very long time!!!
When was the last time we met and talked about our travels?
Beginning of 2017? Wow, way too much, I need to start this series of articles again!
2017 and the first half of 2018 haven’t been without travels, quite the opposite, maybe one day I will write a special article about it; I may call it “The Chinese adventure”! So far, only a few previews have been available to those who follow me on Facebook.
Today, we are starting a new series of articles about my travels to Magic events… I have indeed missed writing them!
Grand Prix Chiba 2018
Grand Prix Chiba 2018 was my international event number TWO HUNDRED (!!), and what a great reason to end the GP opening a Black Lotus!!!
Japan
Japan, known as the “Land of the Rising Sun” is a county consisting of 6852 islands, and is located off the Eastern coast of Asia, but I usually say that it’s actually a different PLANET.
The behavior of its people is to me unique in the world, and I still have to find another country where kindness, politeness, order and dedication to work can be compared with the Japanese.
You can find the “Japanese feeling” everywhere, even in small aspects like the baggage belt at the airport.
Here you have the photos of the two times I took my bags at the baggage belt; I will not tell you which one Tokyo is and which one Rome is!
Formality and order
Japan is known for its perfect (and sometimes difficult to understand) ability to follow rules and for its protocol and procedures.
Here you have the photo of the tournament room; I should have taken one photo in the morning and one in the evening, just to show you that they looked almost exactly the same! Yes, when we exit the room at the end of the day, the environment is so clean and tidy that it looks like in the early morning.
On the first day, I was lucky enough to enter the building at the end of the BigMagic staff meeting; maybe you notice something special in their posture? 😉
The Magic hand
People say that there was an Unlimited draft with four Power9 cards, including a Black Lotus.
I confirm, it happened.
One of the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of Magic was a series of Unlimited and Beta drafts on the Sunday of five GPs.
Chiba was the last one, and, just before starting the draft, I was told that no Black Lotus had been open… yet… YET!
The tournament
The format of the tournament was Sealed Deck, which means that two important parts of the main event are
- Product Distribution
- Decklist management
Khanh Le Thien from France took care of an efficient product distribution, while Alex Yeung from Hong Kong made sure that all the decklists were accounted for.
Curious moments
A good breakfast need healthy, tasty and… nice looking food!
Comics stores, with many rows and people reading
A line to… I didn’t actually understand what this line was for ^__^
A stormtrooper who failed to be selected for the Star Wars movies, as he is actually able to kill the enemies!
Time to go back home
The Japanese adventure has ended, and it’s time to go back home, but it will be for less than 24 hours.
Next adventure will be Grand Prix Turin, my HOMETOWN <3