Tournament Report: Champion of the JP NA WGP 25/26

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The release of Mob Psycho 100 got Tyler into the game and he started playing via webcam during the dark ages since January 2021. He mainly plays English, but has participated in WGP in 2022 and 2025.

Prior Top Results include: WGP Nationals 2022 (online) Top 16; BCS Toronto 2022 Top 8; BCS Costa Rica 2023 3rd Place; BCS Toronto 2025 Top 16; BCS Pasadena 2025 Top 8; BSF Toronto 2023 2nd Place; BSF Vancouver 2023 3rd Place; BSF Vancouver 2025 Top 8; BSF Rosemont 2025 Top 8; BSF Toronto 2025 2nd Place; and Worlds 2024 Participant.

Now onto the interview!

Melanie Lynette (ML): How did the event go for you? Was there anything specific that you'd like to share from the start?

Tyler Tran (TT): I've pretty much stopped playing Weiss for 1.5 years now since I've moved on to play One Piece. I had to keep asking what every card did throughout the day and the only card I didn't have to ask for was solely the 3/2 Akane finisher. The only times I ever play are BCS and BSF and just rely on my fundamentals while playing my old decks. I played my local WGP Store Qualifier on a whim and got 2nd, but the event made me aware how much the game has power crept over the past few years. Because of this, I went into the event with no expectations. I almost chose not to participate in WGP Nationals as I was waitlisted for a One Piece event, but ended up not getting in. The morning of the event was when I decided I would go. I guess everything happens for a reason.

Winning Decklist:

BushiNavi Code: 5EKTQ

https://decklog-en.bushiroad.com/ja/view/5EKTQ

ML: What was your match up and how did Round 1 go for you?

TT: I won against Oshi no Ko: 4 Comeback (Door)/ 4 Gate (Pants). I had a fun game, even though I don’t remember a whole lot about this match! (I’m so sorry to my opponent!) I do remember seeing the 1/0 Kana combo for the first time and thinking I was done for the day because of how good it was!

ML: What was your match up and how did Round 2 go for you?

TT: I won against Gakuen Idolm@ster : Gate (Pants) / Choice / Comeback (Door). Friendly fire against Steve C. (2016 WGP Nats Champion). I was behind in damage all game. I recall durdling at 3/1, getting knocked to 3/5, and healing down to 3/2 (3/3 after refresh) to durdle another turn. I banked on surviving with 7/21 compression (24% chance) and penta-cancelling, taking only a single instance of 3. I got quite lucky here.

ML: What was your match up and how did Round 3 go for you?

TT: I won against Project Sekai: 8 Choice. I also had a great game against my opponent, but don’t remember a ton about this match up! I’m sorry!

ML: What was your match up and how did Round 4 go for you?

TT: I won against Azur Lane: 8 Gate (Pants). I was ahead all game, but randomly almost died from 2/2 because I couldn't mill out leaving roughly 8 damage clean. I've played this opponent multiple times now throughout my Weiss career and think he is one of the best players in the game.

ML: What was your match up and how did Round 5 go for you?

TT: I lost against Oshi no Ko: 4 Comeback (Door)/ 4 Gate (Pants). I did not resolve a Level 1 combo at all this game and forced to try to go for game when my opponent was 2/3 with about 16% odds. Still enjoyed this game!

ML: And after deck checks, top cut! How did Top 16 go?

TT: I won against Kin-iro Mosaic: 8 Choice. My opponent was behind a level the whole game. I resolved triple finisher at 3/0. My opponent was 1/7 deck state and I knew I'd win with 6 damage with refresh. I played double finisher, with a level 0 as my third attacker. Having to side with my finishers, and having resources to only burn 2 a total of 3 times, I had 4 instances of 2 damage which were enough as my opponent top canceled one of my instances of damage, leaving no chance to cancel into a new deck.

ML: And next, Top 8. What was your match up?

TT: I won against Oshi no Ko: 4 Comeback (Door)/ 4 Gate (Pants). Round 5 rematch! I was ahead in damage the entire game. My opponent went for game while I was 2/5. Since I was playing a compression deck, “icy tail” (especially this version) can be extremely lethal. I was lucky enough to have a bunch of Level 1s at the bottom of my deck and by the end of the combo, I was at 3/0 exactly, with no climaxes in deck. My opponent had 2/6 deck state. No climax, I fielded my regular finisher , a level 0 attacker, and my icy tail finisher. I swung with the icy tail finisher for 2, it sticks, and I was able to fully icy tail the remaining 2 climaxes. My opponent went into new deck, and canceled the burn 2, I swung for 1 next which stuck. I then did a burn 2 which stuck, but my last attack for 2 triggered for 3 when my opponent was 3/6, but this was able to stick since my opponent was decompressed after fully resolving triple combo.

ML: On to Top 4 then! Super exciting! What was your match up?

TT: I won against Love Live! Nijigasaki: 4 Comeback (Door) / 4 Standby. My opponent was unable to do the Ai wall early in the game. I was ahead in damage, but my opponent randomly almost killed me from 2/2 with double finisher and a standby trigger into a restander. I was able to live and went for finisher. I don't recall what was exactly the lethal turn, but I closed it out!

ML: And then, Finals! What was your match up?

TT: I won against Gakuen Idolm@ster : Comeback (Door) / Gate (Pants). I was ahead all game. I was low level 2 when my opponent went for it. I remember my deckstate was really bad and his icytail (6 memory) whiffed and I managed to cancel a 5 swing on 5. Into a new deck another icy tail also whiffed. Pretty sure I survived the turn at 3/0 and just closed out the game from there

ML: Congratulations on your accomplishment! Are there any final reflections or shout outs you would like to share?

TT: I’m sure there were other games that were close, but I truly only felt the game could’ve went either way in Top 8 and Top 4. Perhaps maybe I was nearing the Worlds Invite so the adrenaline was pumping.

Shout outs to the GTA (Toronto) Weiss Community- although I don’t play at locals anymore I regularly communicate with them in our Discord group.

ML: And that concludes our interview with JP NA WGP 25/26 Champion Tyler Tran! A special thanks to Tyler for sharing with us! Congratulations to all who topped and good luck at Worlds in 2026!

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