Disabled Street Fighter 6 player launches crowdfunding campaign to take on USA EVO2024 with his chin and fingertips 

Esports para player Shunya Hatakeyama announced that he will launch a crowdfunding campaign on March 29, aiming to compete in the Evolution Champion Series (EVO) 2024 tournament. Hatakeyama specializes in fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and has adapted how he plays over the years because he has muscular dystrophy.  

Hatakeyama goes by the nickname Jeni. He not only competes in esports competitions but is also involved in promoting game accessibility at ePARA, a barrier-free esports organization in Japan. Hatakeyama has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder in which your muscles weaken and degenerate over time. Due to its progression, Hatakeyama has almost no muscle strength to move his arms and legs, and his only remaining strength is in his fingertips and from the neck up. Despite this, he has continued to play fighting games by making his own chin controller, which allows him to use his lower jaw to operate a stick. He came up with the idea of using a toy by Japanese sex toy manufacturer Tengu to add cushioning to his homemade controller (Related article). Last April, he participated in EVO 2023. 

Hatakeyama’s biggest dream is to compete in EVO 2024, which is one of the world’s largest fighting game esports events. This year, it will be held in Las Vegas from July 19 to 21. 

EVO 2024 taking place in the USA means greater travel and accommodation expenses for Hatakeyama. He also needs three carers on his overseas trip to help him with daily life, getting around and managing his respiratory equipment. Therefore, the total cost of the trip for Hatakeyama and his carers, including tournament entry and six days’ accommodation in Las Vegas, is predicted to be around 4 million yen (approx. 26,500 USD). 

It is difficult to meet the costs of such a trip on your own, so Hatakeyama has set up a crowdfunding campaign on Campfire with the goal of raising 500,000yen (see link at the bottom of this article). The campaign will run from March 29 to April 30. Backers will receive rewards depending on their donation, which include a debriefing session on Zoom with Hatakeyama upon his return to Japan and T-shirts designed in collaboration with Japanese clothing brand MUTEKIJIKAN.  

According to Hatakeyama’s post on blogging platform note, he has been in a wheelchair since he was in the 2^nd grade of elementary school. As he was unable to move his body as he wished, he was attracted to games because they let him become stronger simply by pressing buttons. However, as his condition progressed, he became unable to hold commercially available controllers. Consequently, he had to give up playing fighting games at one point, however, he decided to try making his own controller with friends. With tweaking and adjustments, they were able to create a controller that Hatakeyama could operate with just his chin and fingertips, enabling him to return to playing fighting games. 

Hatakeyama is now aiming to play Street Fighter competitively at EVO 2024. The latest entry in Capcom’s long-running series has improved accessibility options, including a Modern Control schemethat allows players to unleash special moves with simpler inputs. Thanks to recent regulation changes for esports tournaments, it is now possible for para players to compete with a homemade controller. 

Hatakeyama has reached Master Rank 1500 in Street Fighter 6, playing as E. Honda using the Modern Control scheme. He is continuing to work on his game, and we are keeping an eye on how his challenge goes.  

Chief Tournament Organizer of Japan’s EVO2024 committee Yasuaki Matsuda also commented on Hatakeyama’s announcement:  

“Fighting games’ appeal goes beyond the fact that there are no disadvantages in terms of player size, age or gender. I think that one of the most appealing aspects of fighting games is that they are deeply rooted in a community with a culture where players not only compete against each other but also work together. By banding together as a community to help Jeni realize his dream of competing in EVO in the USA, I believe that we can convey the wonderfulness of fighting games to even more people, ultimately people all over the world. Please lend your support to Jeni’s challenge.”  

Hatakeyama’s crowdfunding campaign will run on Campfire from 12am JST on March 29 to April 30.  

Written by. Verity Townsend based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2024-03-27 12:12 JST)