Introduction

In this blog, I will mainly write about the background of DFM and Cloud9 so that you can enjoy the Mid Season Invitational (MSI) that will be held from May 6th. Please feel free to read it as a pre-MSI information.

What is MSI 2021?

The League of Legends (LoL) world tournament MSI will be held in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, from 10:00 pm on May 6th, Japan time. This will be the first time in two years that the tournament will be held, as it could not be held last year due to the current situation.

*MSI is a world tournament held twice a year in the competitive scene of LoL, held in the middle of the year. Unlike "Worlds" (another world tournament) held at the end of the year, only one team from each region participates and competes for the dignity of the region. For more information, click here

In addition, like Worlds 2020 held at the end of last year, the tournament will be held with measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including thorough health management of players and staff, as well as a quarantine period after entering Iceland.

DetonatioN FocusMe (DFM) will represent Japan in the League of Legends Japan League ( LJL ). They will face the following teams in the group stage (qualifiers):

• DWG KIA (LCK, Korean League)
• Cloud9 (LCS, North American League)
• Gillette Infinity (LLA, Latin American League)

DWG KIA is a strong team that is undoubtedly a favorite to win the tournament. It will be interesting to see how other teams, including DFM, can compete against the team that won Worlds 2020.
Next up is Gillette Infinity, a long-established team based in Mexico that has been active since 2014. With many veteran players, we can expect them to put their experience to good use in battles.

The rivalry between DFM and Cloud9

And what I want to cover in this blog today is Cloud9 and DFM .

In fact, DFM has a history with Cloud9. DFM performed well at Worlds in 2018, and was one win away from becoming the first LJL team to qualify for Worlds , but Cloud9 prevented them from doing so. The final game was very close (in fact, DFM was slightly favored), but DFM lost the final team fight in front of the enemy's main base, and the game was over. It was a very disappointing result for the players and fans, as they were really just one step away from winning.

(The final team battle begins at 3:56)

In this blog, we will look at the changes in both teams over the last three years and what we can expect from them at MSI 2021.

Cloud9 changes

■ The only member who is the same as three years ago

Cloud9 has changed significantly over the past three years. First of all, there is only one member who is the same as at the 2018 World Championships: jungler Blaber. He was still called a rookie at the time, but now he is the backbone of the team. It is no exaggeration to say that Cloud9's aggressive playstyle is born from him. He also won the LCS Spring MVP.

Perkz, Zven and Mithy reunite

Those who follow the overseas professional scene may already know this, but Perkz (MID), Zven (ADC), and Mithy (current tactical coach) were originally active members of G2 Esports in the European League.

The last time they played together was at Worlds in 2017, and this is their first reunion in nearly three years. They made it all the way to the finals at MSI in 2017, but unfortunately lost to SKT. Perkz went on to win MSI in 2019 as a member of G2 Esports, but for Zven and Mithy, this MSI is a golden opportunity to recapture their glory.

■ Full of veterans

Compared to when they played against DFM in 2018, the biggest difference is that they now have a lineup of internationally recognized veteran players. At the time, the lineup was a mix of rookies and veterans, but this year they have a team of experienced players from jungle to support. In particular, Perkz will be participating in MSI for the fourth time, tying Faker's record for the most appearances of any player. He has a number of accomplishments in international matches, so he is particularly worth paying attention to.

Additionally, top laner Fudge is the youngest rookie player in the LCS, but he has been playing in the Oceania Challenger Series since 2018 and is a talented player who was promoted from Cloud9's academy team.

In conclusion, Cloud9 is a completely different team than it was at the beginning of 2018. In addition, the team's overall ability seems to have improved dramatically.

Changes in DetonatioN FocusMe

■ Joining Aria

Compared to C9, the changes in DFM's lineup are not as big, but the addition of mid laner Aria has the biggest impact. Unlike Ceros, who is good at controlling situations and has even been called an "anti-carry," Aria's aggressive and fearless playstyle has brought about a big change in the way the whole team moves.

His KDA is the best in the LJL, and his CS is also very high. It will be interesting to see how well he can laning against ShowMaker of DWG KIA and Perkz of Cloud9, who are considered to be superior to him, and this will be a focus of attention.

■Kazu returns to the team

It's a rare story, but Kazu, who was the coach when they fought Cloud9 in 2018, is returning as a player (support) this year. There were some scenes in the first half of the spring season that made it seem like he was off the ball, but he has gradually stabilized. We can expect him to make use of his coaching experience at MSI.

Almost all of the members who were disappointed in 2018 are still in DFM. As mentioned above, Cloud9 is now a completely different team, but the jungle showdown between Blaber and Steal will undoubtedly be a rematch. Cloud9 seems to have gotten a lot stronger since 2018, but many of the DFM members are still burning with the desire for revenge.

lastly

What did you think? It's fun to cheer on your own country's team at an international tournament, but I hope you'll find a favorite team from another region. Also, by learning about the backgrounds of each team and player, as I wrote about this time, you will have a more fulfilling viewing experience.

As a company that handlesCloud9 items , FUTAROKU is having a hard time deciding whether to support C9 or DFM, but we're looking forward to a hotly contested match.

The MSI kicks off at 22:00 on May 6th, Japan time.
The first match between DFM and C9 will start on May 8th at 1am
Don't miss it!

Streaming: https://www.twitch.tv/riotgamesjp

CLOUD9 Collection:

https://futaroku.gg/collections/cloud9

Blog lineup:

[Blog 1] 10 reasons why G2 ESPORTS became one of the best teams in the world

[Second blog post] Let me tell you about the appeal of desk mats.

[Blog 3] 10 things that make us excited for FNATIC's future