Makihito Mihara
Encyclopedia
is Japan
ese Magic: The Gathering
player. Best known for winning the 2006 World Championship, Mihara's resume includes two more Pro Tour top eights, and three Grand Prix
top eights including a win.
in 2003. Over the three years that followed, he played a number of Pro Tours, but without much success; his best finish being a 53rd place at Pro Tour Kobe. Mihara first came to prominence at the end of the 2005 season, with a Grand Prix top eight in Kitakyuushuu, a top eight that featured seven other players who had all made the top eight of a Pro Tour before. The following season
, Mihara managed to establish himself on the Pro Tour, playing all five events and designing the CAL, one of the major decks in extended. Mihara's breakout performance came at that years World Championship in Paris
. After three days of competition, Mihara was in seventh place, and in the quarterfinals of a Pro Tour for the first time. In the quarterfinal, Mihara played Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa
, and almost lost the match to misplays, but managed to draw the exact sequence of cards he needed to win. Mihara's semifinal opponent, Gabriel Nassif
, was considered to be a heavy favourite in the match, but Mihara managed the upset in five games. In the final, he played Ryo Ogura. Mihara handily defeated his countryman without losing a single game. The following season
, work commitments meant Mihara could no play as many events, but he made the most of the ones he did attend. After a sixteenth place finish in Geneva
, Mihara returned to the top eight at Pro Tour Valencia. Mihara was unable to duplicate his success from the World Championship, and lost in the quarterfinals to Giulio Barra by three games to zero. Mihara rounded out his season with an eighteenth place finish at the World Championship, to finish the season on 32 pro points. After an unimpressive 152nd place finish in Kuala Lumpur, Mihara made his third Pro Tour top eight at Pro Tour Hollywood 2008. Like in Valencia the previous year, Mihara's tournament ended in the quarterfinals, losing to Jan Ruess in five games. Although unable to impress on tour, his best finish being a 113th place, Mihara did manage a strong finish off Tour, winning Grand Prix Okayama. The 2009 season
was somewhat of an off year for Mihara. While he did not put up any top eights on the Pro Tour or Grand Prix level, he did earn enough points to remain qualified. His only top eight since then, was a 2nd place finish at Grand Prix Sendai 2010, losing to Brian Kibler
in the finals. Later that season, Mihara finished third at Japanese nationals earning a spot on the Japanese national team, alongside Ryuuichirou Ishida and Tamoya Fujimoto. At worlds, the Japanese team won the team competition, making Mihara only forth player to win both individual and team world titles.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
player. Best known for winning the 2006 World Championship, Mihara's resume includes two more Pro Tour top eights, and three Grand Prix
Grand Prix (Magic: The Gathering)
Grands Prix are professional Magic: The Gathering tournaments, awarding cash prizes, Pro Points and invitations to Pro Tours. They are open to all players and are usually the biggest Magic tournaments. The first Grand Prix was held on 22–23 March 1997 in Amsterdam...
top eights including a win.
Career
Mihara's Pro Tour career began at Pro Tour VeniceVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
in 2003. Over the three years that followed, he played a number of Pro Tours, but without much success; his best finish being a 53rd place at Pro Tour Kobe. Mihara first came to prominence at the end of the 2005 season, with a Grand Prix top eight in Kitakyuushuu, a top eight that featured seven other players who had all made the top eight of a Pro Tour before. The following season
Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 2006
The 2006 Pro Tour season was the eleventh season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. On 18 December 2005 the season began with parallel Grand Prixs in Lille and Charlotte. It ended on 3 December 2006 with the conclusion of the 2006 World Championship in Paris. The season consisted of 22 Grand...
, Mihara managed to establish himself on the Pro Tour, playing all five events and designing the CAL, one of the major decks in extended. Mihara's breakout performance came at that years World Championship in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. After three days of competition, Mihara was in seventh place, and in the quarterfinals of a Pro Tour for the first time. In the quarterfinal, Mihara played Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa
Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa
Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa is a Brazilian Magic: The Gathering player. He is the first South American player to have seven Pro Tour top 8s. In 2011, Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa became the youngest player to ever reach 300 lifetime Pro Points.- Career :Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa began his professional...
, and almost lost the match to misplays, but managed to draw the exact sequence of cards he needed to win. Mihara's semifinal opponent, Gabriel Nassif
Gabriel Nassif
Gabriel Nassif is a French professional card player. He is known for his continuous success on the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour and was the 2004 Pro Tour Player of the Year. He also enjoys playing poker, having moderate success at the World Series of Poker in recent years...
, was considered to be a heavy favourite in the match, but Mihara managed the upset in five games. In the final, he played Ryo Ogura. Mihara handily defeated his countryman without losing a single game. The following season
Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 2007
The 2007 Pro Tour season was the twelfth season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. On 9 February 2007 the season began with Pro Tour Geneva. It ended on 9 December 2007 with the conclusion of the 2007 World Championship in New York. The season consisted of 16 Grand Prixs and 5 Pro Tours, held in...
, work commitments meant Mihara could no play as many events, but he made the most of the ones he did attend. After a sixteenth place finish in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Mihara returned to the top eight at Pro Tour Valencia. Mihara was unable to duplicate his success from the World Championship, and lost in the quarterfinals to Giulio Barra by three games to zero. Mihara rounded out his season with an eighteenth place finish at the World Championship, to finish the season on 32 pro points. After an unimpressive 152nd place finish in Kuala Lumpur, Mihara made his third Pro Tour top eight at Pro Tour Hollywood 2008. Like in Valencia the previous year, Mihara's tournament ended in the quarterfinals, losing to Jan Ruess in five games. Although unable to impress on tour, his best finish being a 113th place, Mihara did manage a strong finish off Tour, winning Grand Prix Okayama. The 2009 season
Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 2009
The 2009 Pro Tour season was the fourteenth season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. It began on 17 January 2009 with Grand Prix Los Angeles, and ended on 22 November 2009 with the conclusion of the 2009 World Championship in Rome. The season consisted of nineteen Grand Prixs, and four Pro...
was somewhat of an off year for Mihara. While he did not put up any top eights on the Pro Tour or Grand Prix level, he did earn enough points to remain qualified. His only top eight since then, was a 2nd place finish at Grand Prix Sendai 2010, losing to Brian Kibler
Brian Kibler
Brian M. Kibler is an American game designer currently working with Gamer Entertainment, a gaming consultancy. In 2010 Kibler designed Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer with Justin Gary, Rob Dougherty, and John Fiorillo. Previously he worked on Chaotic and was the lead designer of the World of...
in the finals. Later that season, Mihara finished third at Japanese nationals earning a spot on the Japanese national team, alongside Ryuuichirou Ishida and Tamoya Fujimoto. At worlds, the Japanese team won the team competition, making Mihara only forth player to win both individual and team world titles.