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Lilypichu Harada EVO 2024 Showmatch

fragster Pablo 20. July 2024

At EVO 2024, streamer LilyPichu surprised everyone by defeating a surprise challenger during the Sajam Tekken Slam: Beat-A-Pro event. The challenger was none other than Tekken 8 Game Director Katsuhiro Harada.

The Beat-A-Pro event featured stage host Sajam selecting audience members to battle against a variety of Tekken 8 streamers, including PhiDX, BoxBox, and Scarra. Many of these participants had also competed in the Sajam Tekken Slam, which had taken place online in March.

Harada steps on stage to face LilyPichu at EVO 2024

In the fifth and final round of the community exhibition matches at Evo Showcase, Tekken 8’s Game Director Katsuhiro Harada faced popular variety streamer and musician LilyPichu. Brought on stage by Sajam, the match gathered significant attention.

LilyPichu, who has ardently played Tekken 8 since its launch, showed her skills progressing to the Mighty Ruler rank with a Tekken Prowess of 143,000. A dedicated Lili main, she also received coaching from PhiDX, a renowned content creator and professional, who stood by her on stage.

The highly anticipated clash drew the interest of fans, blending the worlds of development and dedicated gameplay.

LilyPichu (Lili) vs Harada (Feng)

Series 1 – Harada Wins 3:1 Over LilyPichu

LilyPichu’s nervous hands were evident before the match, yet she managed to deliver strong combos, reducing Harada’s health bar by over 50% in rounds 2 and 3. Additionally, she executed a Rage Art in round 1, although it wasn’t enough to defeat Feng, the character chosen by Harada.

Harada, showcasing impressive wall carries and breaks, appeared remarkably composed. He successfully won the first series 3-1, much to the enjoyment of the audience and commentators.

Series 2 – LilyPichu Wins 3:1 Over Harada (including a Perfect Round for LilyPichu)

The second series began with Harada winning round 1 easily. However, a humorous Rage Art mistake led to his loss in round 2. LilyPichu then achieved a flawless victory in round 3.

In round 4, Harada seemed to forget that Heat Burst is no longer lethal when LilyPichu was at pixel health. LilyPichu capitalized on this with a slow-motion Matterhorn finish, securing her win in this series.

Harada in disbelief - LilyPichu secures the second series with a slow-motion Matterhorn finish

Series 3 – LilyPichu Wins 3:2 Over Harada (Rage Art pixel health finish by LilyPichu)

In the final series, Harada initially led with a 2-0 advantage. Despite this, LilyPichu’s exceptional sidewalk techniques kept her competitive in the match. The climax occurred in the fifth round when LilyPichu executed a Rage Art with almost no health left, clinching the series and impressively defeating Harada, who is none other than the Game Director of Tekken 8.

Final Thoughts

The match between LilyPichu and Katsuhiro Harada at EVO 2024 was a highlight for many. Seeing Harada play on-stage alongside creators who have significantly promoted the game in North America was a real treat.

LilyPichu’s victory was no accident; both players displayed great skill, making for an evenly matched showdown. Her initial decision to let someone else have a chance to play demonstrated her admirable character. The crowd erupted when she executed a Rage Art in the final round of their best-of-three series. It was the perfect conclusion to the Sajam Tekken Slam: Beat-A-Pro event.

Harada’s sportsmanship shone through, especially when he humorously remarked that he might quit the game after his loss.

For those interested, the full VOD of the LilyPichu vs Harada showmatch is available on the Evo Day 1 VOD on Twitch, complete with the correct timestamp.