【BUZZ e-sports】Participating in "Kagaribi," Japan's Largest Smash Bros. Tournament! Aiming to be the "Strongest and Most Admired Team." Introducing the Current Team Structure
BUZZ e-sports, an e-sports team operated by BUZZ GROUP Inc., announced its participation in "Kagaribi," one of Japan's largest Super Smash Bros. Special tournaments, to be held on May 3-5, 2026. The team aims to enhance its competitive strength and recognition, reintroducing its current structure and members.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 2, 2026 at 04:15
- 🔍 Collected: May 1, 2026 at 20:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 1, 2026 at 20:39 (37 min after Collected)
BUZZ GROUP Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Ken Watanabe) announces that its e-sports team "BUZZ e-sports" will participate in "Kagaribi," a domestic Super Smash Bros. Special tournament to be held on May 3, 4, and 5, 2026, along with an introduction of its affiliated members.
**Challenge to "Kagaribi," one of Japan's largest tournaments**
"Kagaribi" is known as one of the largest domestic tournaments for Super Smash Bros. Special, attracting top players from both Japan and abroad to a high-level competitive scene.
BUZZ e-sports aims to improve its competitive ability and expand its recognition through participation in this tournament. The two players participating are Taikei and Hero.
**Kagaribi Participating Members Introduction**
**Taikei | Taikei**
Category: Super Smash Bros. Special
World Ranking: 85th*
Japan Ranking: 49th*
A top-class Sonic player in Japan, active globally.
A word from Taikei:
"I'm really fired up for Kagaribi's first event at Makuhari Messe! I've been achieving good results recently, placing 3rd in a 100-person tournament and 5th in a 300-person tournament. Kagaribi's level and scale are incomparable to other tournaments, and even top players can lose in the qualifiers, so I'll be focused from the start. Also, this time the TOP 24 will be on the final day, so I'll do my best to remain until the third day! There's not much time left until Kagaribi, but I'll refine the details and give my all."
**Hero | Hero**
Category: Super Smash Bros. Special
World Ranking: 106th*
Japan Ranking: 65th*
A player globally recognized as the world's best Bowser user*.
(*According to Liquipedia Smash UltRank/Regional)
A word from Hero:
"I'm focusing on stably getting through the qualifiers as usual. First, I want to calmly enter the matches by doing what I need to do. I've had many online matches, so I want to maintain stable play by utilizing that experience. I've achieved better results than my seed, placing 13th in the recent Sumabato* as well, so I want to carry that momentum into the next Kagaribi. In the main tournament, I aim for results better than my seed, fighting carefully in each match. I still feel there's room for improvement, so I'll do my best to show results, including that aspect!"
(*A historic large-scale tournament in Kansai)
**About BUZZ e-sports**
BUZZ e-sports is an e-sports team established in April 2023. With the concept of being the "strongest and most admired team," it aims to balance competitive strength and communication power.
**Other BUZZ e-sports Members Introduction**
**Ayana Tsubaki**
Category: Mahjong
Team Ambassador
B2 League member of the Japan Professional Mahjong Association. Active as a talent and MC, she has achieved success in her 5th year as a pro, winning the 5th Fuzz Cup and the TV Asahi-sponsored IKUSA team battle. As a professional mahjong player, she also has deep ties to the e-sports world, bringing new value to the team.
**Lightning Igarashi**
Team Manager
Responsible for operations and management supporting player activities.
**Abu**
Team Owner
Leads BUZZ e-sports as the team founder.
**Korius | Korius**
Category: Granblue Fantasy Versus -Rising- (GBVSR)
Joined BUZZ e-sports as a player active in the fighting game scene.
**Background of this announcement**
Until now, each member of BUZZ e-sports has been active individually, but with the opportunity to participate in "Kagaribi," one of Japan's largest tournaments, the team has decided to reintroduce its team structure and affiliated members. Additionally, a fighting game player newly joined in August 2025, indicating the team's expansion across multiple genres.
**BUZZ esports Ueno**
As one of STUDIO BUZZ's facilities, BUZZ esports Ueno specializes in various events such as live streaming, game program recording, and distribution, and is also operated by the team.
BUZZ esports Ueno HP
https://buzz-st.com/esports-ueno
**BUZZ**
Over 250,000 monthly users, with over 400,000 members! With the motto "A place where entertainment is born," it operates over 84 stores nationwide, primarily in the Kanto region.
**Challenge to "Kagaribi," one of Japan's largest tournaments**
"Kagaribi" is known as one of the largest domestic tournaments for Super Smash Bros. Special, attracting top players from both Japan and abroad to a high-level competitive scene.
BUZZ e-sports aims to improve its competitive ability and expand its recognition through participation in this tournament. The two players participating are Taikei and Hero.
**Kagaribi Participating Members Introduction**
**Taikei | Taikei**
Category: Super Smash Bros. Special
World Ranking: 85th*
Japan Ranking: 49th*
A top-class Sonic player in Japan, active globally.
A word from Taikei:
"I'm really fired up for Kagaribi's first event at Makuhari Messe! I've been achieving good results recently, placing 3rd in a 100-person tournament and 5th in a 300-person tournament. Kagaribi's level and scale are incomparable to other tournaments, and even top players can lose in the qualifiers, so I'll be focused from the start. Also, this time the TOP 24 will be on the final day, so I'll do my best to remain until the third day! There's not much time left until Kagaribi, but I'll refine the details and give my all."
**Hero | Hero**
Category: Super Smash Bros. Special
World Ranking: 106th*
Japan Ranking: 65th*
A player globally recognized as the world's best Bowser user*.
(*According to Liquipedia Smash UltRank/Regional)
A word from Hero:
"I'm focusing on stably getting through the qualifiers as usual. First, I want to calmly enter the matches by doing what I need to do. I've had many online matches, so I want to maintain stable play by utilizing that experience. I've achieved better results than my seed, placing 13th in the recent Sumabato* as well, so I want to carry that momentum into the next Kagaribi. In the main tournament, I aim for results better than my seed, fighting carefully in each match. I still feel there's room for improvement, so I'll do my best to show results, including that aspect!"
(*A historic large-scale tournament in Kansai)
**About BUZZ e-sports**
BUZZ e-sports is an e-sports team established in April 2023. With the concept of being the "strongest and most admired team," it aims to balance competitive strength and communication power.
**Other BUZZ e-sports Members Introduction**
**Ayana Tsubaki**
Category: Mahjong
Team Ambassador
B2 League member of the Japan Professional Mahjong Association. Active as a talent and MC, she has achieved success in her 5th year as a pro, winning the 5th Fuzz Cup and the TV Asahi-sponsored IKUSA team battle. As a professional mahjong player, she also has deep ties to the e-sports world, bringing new value to the team.
**Lightning Igarashi**
Team Manager
Responsible for operations and management supporting player activities.
**Abu**
Team Owner
Leads BUZZ e-sports as the team founder.
**Korius | Korius**
Category: Granblue Fantasy Versus -Rising- (GBVSR)
Joined BUZZ e-sports as a player active in the fighting game scene.
**Background of this announcement**
Until now, each member of BUZZ e-sports has been active individually, but with the opportunity to participate in "Kagaribi," one of Japan's largest tournaments, the team has decided to reintroduce its team structure and affiliated members. Additionally, a fighting game player newly joined in August 2025, indicating the team's expansion across multiple genres.
**BUZZ esports Ueno**
As one of STUDIO BUZZ's facilities, BUZZ esports Ueno specializes in various events such as live streaming, game program recording, and distribution, and is also operated by the team.
BUZZ esports Ueno HP
https://buzz-st.com/esports-ueno
**BUZZ**
Over 250,000 monthly users, with over 400,000 members! With the motto "A place where entertainment is born," it operates over 84 stores nationwide, primarily in the Kanto region.