20Lucky

Rank
Joey “Lucky” Aldama
 Score
20 Main(s) Fox 8.436
Region: SoCal
Tourney Results 49th at EVO 2013
1st at 3x SSS’s
Summary:
Recently beginning to take the game seriously again, Lucky has shown that he hasn’t lost his ability to play by winning three consecutive Super Smash Sunday tournaments (an amazing feat considering the series’ high caliber of players, including S2J, Fiction, Fly Amanita and Westballz). Known to train with MaNg0 and Alex19, Lucky has developed a unique Fox style that is a menace to deal with. He has the ability to pressure his opponents without attacking their shields, often hitting them as they try to escape. With all of his recent hard work, don’t be surprised to see Lucky place top 8 or better at upcoming U.S. nationals.

19s2j

Rank
Johnny “S2J” Kim
 Score
19 Main(s) Captain Falcon 8.458
Region: SoCal
Tourney Results 13th at EVO 2013
17th at Apex 2013
5th at NCR 2013
Summary:
Arguably one of the most exciting players to watch, S2J combines raw aggression with sheer speed, overwhelming his opponents with stylish “zero-to-death” combos. His ability to space effectively without shielding allows him to run circles around his opponents. He has had a great deal of success at both regionals and nationals despite having the curse of frequently having to play Armada in the early stages of winners bracket, a streak that lasted 3 consecutive nationals.

18Zhu

Rank
Julian “Zhu” Zhu
 Score
18 Main(s) Falco 8.483
Region: NorCal
Tourney Results 17th at EVO 2013
13th at Apex 2013
5th at LanHammer
Summary:
Zhu’s work ethic allowed him to improve very rapidly in the early stages of his competitive career. He quickly went from losing to random players to defeating some of the best in California. Zhu refined his gameplay in SoCal while training with MaNg0, who initially thought Zhu’s mindgames were “bad” at best. Over the years he has shown how Falco should be played, with safe approaches, consistent combos, and fluid movement. At his peak he was seen as a threat to beat almost anyone in the world. Despite his lack of recent practice, Zhu can use his experience and fundamentals to go far in any bracket.

17javi

Rank
Javier “Javi” Dantes
 Score
17 Main(s) Fox 8.500
Region: Mexico
Tourney Results 13th at Apex 2013
4th at Apex 2012
Summary:
Known for years to be one of the best in Mexico (along with his brother Twin/Tuga), but with little footage to go by, Javi has been the player to beat in his home country. His dominating 4th place finish in the losers bracket at Apex 2012, including a 2-0 over Dr. PeePee, proved to the world that there are still hidden bosses. He did very well in a repeat showing at Apex 2013 where he ultimately fell to Hax. He uses an arcade stick-style grip rarely seen in the Smash community to enable his extremely swift movement and unique Fox playstyle. Though he is busy with school and can’t find much time to travel, we all hope that 2014 will show us a couple more performances by this crowd-pleasing international heavy-hitter.

16SW

Rank
Otto “Silent Wolf” Bisno
 Score
16 Main(s) Fox 8.550
Region: Washington
Tourney Results 9th at EVO 2013
9th at Apex 2013
4th at LanHammer
Summary:
Otto Bisno, A.K.A. “Silent Wolf,” is most famous for his impeccable tech-skill. He has constantly pushed the envelope in terms of Fox’s technical capabilities, and his contributions to the character’s metagame can readily be seen in the playstyles of many top Fox players. With humble roots in the SkyPal and Combo Status era, Silent Wolf has worked diligently to climb his way to the top. He is now the number one ranking member of the Washington crew, and has been for a few years. Otto is currently a chef at “Starlight Desserts” and is working toward a degree in Geology.

15Unknown

Rank
Ryan “Unknown522” Ford
 Score
15 Main(s) Fox 8.578
Region: Canada
Tourney Results 2nd at Canada Cup
2nd at Impulse 2013
2nd at Toryuken 2
Summary:
 One of the oldest members of the Toronto Melee community, Unknown522 is generally considered to be among the top players of Melee’s main character, Fox McCloud. His playstyle is a mix of perfectly timed aggression and defense which can make his opponents feel as though everything they do is a mistake. Notable placings include 9th at Apex 2012, 2nd at Revival of Melee 5, and 2nd at Impulse 2013. He also hosted Toronto’s A&C Games tournament series for two straight years and is exceptionally good at a wide variety of video games, particularly the Mega Man X/Zero series and competitive Pokemon.

14Leffen

Rank
William “Leffen” Hjelte
 Score
14 Main(s) Fox 8.603
Region: Sweden
Tourney Results 9th at EVO 2013
17th at Apex 2013
3rd at Smasher’s Reunion
Summary:
Some are turned off by Leffen’s blunt opinions of Melee and other smashers, but no one can doubt his ability to compete with the best. His mastery of movement leaves many in awe as he executes perfect wavedashes from the ledge into invincible up-smashes. He’s had strong performances at both Apex 2013 and Evolution 2013, taking out PewPewU and having a nail-biting set with Hungrybox. He does struggle with consistency when his technical skill is not up to par, but Leffen is still widely considered to be one of the best Fox mains in Melee history.

13Ice

Rank
Mustafa “Ice” Akcakaya
 Score
13 Main(s) Sheik/Marth 8.675
Region: Germany
Tourney Results 7th at EVO 2013
25th at Apex 2013
2nd at B.E.A.S.T 3
Summary:
Shooting a projectile at Ice is essentially the same as firing it at yourself, thanks to his impressively consistent powershields. After dropping Marth and focusing solely on Sheik, Ice has seen great success both in the United States and in Europe, finishing top 8 at Evolution 2013 and winning several European nationals. Ice exemplies the strengths of European play with clean technical skill and optimized punishes. Rarely will you see Ice mess up wavelands or follow-ups.

12PPU

Rank
Kevin “PewPewU” Toy
 Score
12 Main(s) Marth 8.723
Region: NorCal
Tourney Results 17th at EVO 2013
7th at TBH3
1st at LanHammer
Summary:
With two wins over MaNg0 in 2013 and previous close sets with Hbox and Dr.PP, PPU has made it known that he’s aiming for the top. Kevin Toy’s combo- and dash dance-oriented playstyle complements his tendency to relentlessly juggle his opponents and finish them off with tippers or spikes. He’s also proven himself to be an adaptable tactician by making his mark on Doubles tournaments in 2013. Truly a jack of all trades.

11Axe

Rank
Jeffrey “Axe” Williamson
 Score
11 Main(s) Pikachu 8.750
Region: Arizona
Tourney Results 13th at EVO 2013
9th at Apex 2013
7th at KoC2
Summary:
Axe will surely go down in Melee history as one of the greatest mid tier players of all time. While he also sports a Falco and a Young Link, it’s his technical and aggressive Pikachu that has left scores of bodies in its wake and made him such a popular player. Axe has almost single-handedly raised the general consensus on Pikachu’s potential, taking games and sets off of top players and placing in the top 5 at multiple majors. He is also known as an excellent sport and can frequently be seen congratulating his opponents on their performances in the comments sections of his recorded matches.

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