Team Heretics’ Evi: “As a top laner, I feel I’m competitive. Helping the team win is my main goal.”

As the first Japanese professional player in the European League, Evi challenged unprecedented battles and shocked the world with a series of unexpected solo kills. With the Winter Split behind him, what is on Evi’s mind now? A comprehensive interview by LoL Ninja.

この記事は以前投稿したEvi選手のインタビューの英語版です。英語圏のコミュニティの皆さんにEvi選手のことをもっと知ってもらいたくて作成しました。

Which top laner left a lasting impression in Europe?

LoL Ninja: Hello, Evi! You have done Winter Split.

Evi: Hello, LoL Ninja! Thank you very much. It was truly encouraging to have the support of everyone in Japan, even though the matches were broadcasted during difficult hours. Unfortunately, our results didn’t quite live up to expectations.

LoL Ninja: Evi, we were super excited to see all those solo kills you pulled off! Of course, getting a bunch of solo kills doesn’t guarantee great results, but you still looked awesome doing it in the LEC!

Evi: Really? That’s so awesome to hear! I also feel like I’m holding my own as a top laner, even in Europe.

Evi feels confident 👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/G5ytQATGax

— Team Heretics (@TeamHeretics) February 11, 2023

LoL Ninja: I think you’re totally holding your own! Speaking of European top laners, is there anyone who particularly stood out to you?

Evi: Well, I’d say Adam and BrokenBlade are the ones who come to mind.

Adam has a deep understanding of his champions. I think he could easily reach Challenger on the KR server.

BrokenBlade, on the other hand, has impressive fundamental skills. I feel like the quality of each of his small movements is outstanding.

If I were to describe them, Adam is like an all-out attacker wielding a two-handed sword, while BrokenBlade is more of a balanced type, firmly holding both a sword and a shield. They’re both amazing players.

LoL Ninja: It’s incredible that you managed to solo kill those two famous European top laners!

Evi: Well, but it hasn’t converted into victories for the team… Even if I win individually, it doesn’t mean much if I can’t help the team win.

What is the true challenge facing Team Heretics?

LoL Ninja: You might be right about that.

However, as a viewer, my impression is that even though you, Evi, put in a lot of effort, the other players seem to make mistakes mainly in the macro aspect of the game, which leads to giving up the advantage.

Evi: First of all, macro mistakes are mistakes made by the entire team. I don’t think they can be attributed to individual players.

Moreover, all five members of Team Heretics come from different teams, so our ingrained understanding of the game and macro perspective truly varies. That’s why I believe it’s natural that it takes time for us to adapt.

These differences affect every aspect of a team game.

To make it easier to understand, let me give you an example. Consider team composition.

Suppose there’s a 3AP composition with an AP top, AP mid, and mage support. Personally, I think this can be a viable option depending on the situation. However, for some players or teams, it might be considered common sense that a 3AP composition is never viable under any circumstances.

Another example is lane pushing after securing Baron. Some teams might believe that a 1-3-1 split push across three lanes is the best option, while others might prefer a safer 1-4 split push across two lanes for risk management.

As you can see, what each person considers to be common sense can be different. We need to verbalize these unconscious norms and carefully align them; otherwise, our team’s performance won’t improve.

There’s no magical solution to instantly resolve these challenges. I believe we have no choice but to face each issue head-on and work diligently to resolve them one by one.

We continue to give it our all in both #LEC and Superliga 🫡

PASSION | Episode 4

— Team Heretics (@TeamHeretics) February 16, 2023

LoL Ninja: What about in-game calls? Are there any language barriers that might prevent successful communication, leading to disruptions in macro play?

Evi: To tell you the truth, language barriers don’t play a significant role in in-game calls.

To begin with, there’s no time to explain one’s intentions in detail during a game. In order to think quickly as a team, we basically communicate using pings and conveying general intentions.

This is the case even when speaking in Japanese. So, whether or not one is fluent in English doesn’t actually have much of an impact.

Nevertheless, communication mistakes do happen frequently in-game. The reason is that language barriers become an issue during out-of-game feedback and discussions.

As I mentioned earlier, we align our team’s common understanding and rules during feedback and discussions outside the game. At that time, we use language to communicate, and it can be challenging when subtle nuances don’t come across due to language barriers.

Such issues can become obstacles to sharing our team’s understanding and rules, leading to in-game communication mistakes and macro mistakes.

LoL Ninja: I see. So that’s why in a previous interview, you, Evi, said that you weren’t too worried about in-game calls.

Team Heretics Evi "I came here to meet someone stronger than me."

The legendary Japanese LoL player, Evi, sets out on a new adventure as the first Japanese player in the European League. LoL Ninja explores the driving force behind his steadfast determination.

Indeed, it’s quite challenging to deal with mistakes that originate even before the in-game action starts.

Evi: That’s right. This is both an intriguing and challenging aspect of LoL. I believe anyone who has played LoL can relate to this, as it’s such a complex game that you can almost say the same situation never occurs twice.

What is needed to become a top laner who can lead the team to victory?

LoL Ninja: So, in the midst of all that, what do you think you need to focus on right now as a top laner to keep leveling up your game, Evi?

Evi: It might be technical skills, but more importantly, I think it’s necessary to fit my own performance into the team.

For example, if there are few calls from other teammates in the game, I’ll make more calls. Or, I’ll ask the player who calls less to “call more.” Conversely, if the other four players are making lots of calls, I’ll reduce my own calls or take on the role of summarizing the calls.

I believe it’s important to optimize my presence in the team in this way.

LoL Ninja: There are many challenges to tackle, and it sounds tough.

Evi: But it’s so much fun! New environment, new challenges. Every day is truly fulfilling. The fact that everything is difficult is what makes me so passionate. I’m really happy.

LoL Ninja: It seems like something typical of you, but do you feel any stress?

Evi: Hmm, I don’t think so, particularly.

However, when we lost to SK, it was mentally tough for me. I wanted to repay Peter-san for bringing me to LEC, which is the ultimate opportunity for me. Not being able to give Peter-san a victory was frustrating for me.

Is SeeEl seriously losing his temper?

LoL Ninja: I see. By the way, speaking of coaches, there has been talk in Japan about the strategic coach, SeeEl, approaching the players after the game with a very intense expression to give feedback. Is he really angry?

Evi: Hmm, I’m not sure haha. He might really be angry, who knows haha.

SeeEl san is a very enthusiastic coach who gives us solid guidance. He is also very flexible. Even though he is a coach, he quickly admits his mistakes and can revise his opinions, which I think is really amazing!

LoL Ninja: You were lucky to have such good coaches!

Evi: My coaches and teammates are the BEST! I always tell them “I love my team!” every chance I get!

We can evolve towards the spring split

LoL Ninja: You always seems to be a communication expert!

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with us today, even though it’s your day off. Thanks to your hard work, we can share information about you with Japanese fans.

Evi: Thank you too! I don’t consider this work, so it’s no problem at all haha.

I’d like Japanese fans to know more about my daily life outside of gaming. Maybe I’ll ask for help from you if I come up with any ideas. I’ll definitely consult with you if that happens!

LoL Ninja: Anytime. Please give a message to your fans in Japan.

Evi: Thank you very much for always supporting us, even during the difficult times to watch. Your support is really encouraging!

We are not satisfied with our performance in the winter season, and I know that you, the fans, were not satisfied either.

However, we have identified the challenges we need to address in order to improve our performance for the spring season.

As a team, we will work together to solve these challenges, improve our game, and show you an even better performance in the spring season!

Please keep supporting us!

管理忍

EVI LET’S GOOOOOOOO gozaru

Recommended Posts