Kakeru, one of many world’s strongest Avenue Fighter 6 gamers and a Capcom Cup champion, has been compelled to retire on the peak of his profession because of neurological points.
Kakeru Watanabe is a 28-year-old skilled Avenue Fighter participant whose profession began taking off after the pandemic in Avenue Fighter V’s ultimate years.
His outcomes actually began to indicate on the discharge of Avenue Fighter 6 in 2023, changing into one of many first Japanese gamers to make waves within the sport’s aggressive scene. That yr, he even made High 8 at Evo, ending 4th out of ~7,000 different opponents.Article continues after advert
Nonetheless, a few of his best achievements would happen in 2024, when he bought second place at Evo Japan, 2nd at Topanga Cup, and later received an important Avenue Fighter match of the yr — Capcom Cup.
Kakeru has additionally been on a roll this yr, ending within the High 8 at Pink Bull Kumite and second at Evo 2025 towards two-time Capcom Cup champion MenaRD… however issues began to come up on the Esports World Cup in August.Article continues after adArticle continues after advert
Immediately, he pulled out of the competitors, citing extreme meals poisoning that required emergency medical therapy. Issues have been quiet for Kakeru within the months that adopted, however in October, the participant dropped information that left the whole neighborhood shaken.
Kakeru retires after neurological dysfunction prognosis
Kakeru was scheduled to compete in Avenue Fighter League, a team-based competitors that began in August, however was notably absent as a result of aforementioned well being issues that cropped up in the course of the Esports World Cup.
On October 22, each Kakeru and his workforce, ZETA Division, introduced that he had formally retired from aggressive preventing video games for the foreseeable future, revealing that he’s scuffling with neurological dysfunction.Article continues after advert
“I’ve determined to retire from my actions as an esports participant,” Kakeru wrote in a publish on X.
“Roughly two months have handed because the sudden suspension of actions.Throughout this time, I sincerely apologize from the underside of my coronary heart for inflicting you all nice fear and inconvenience with out with the ability to report the detailed scenario.Article continues after advert
“The ‘neural dysfunction,’ which was the explanation for the suspension of actions, continued, making it tough to proceed competing as a participant.”Article continues after advert
ご報告いつも温かいご声援、本当にありがとうございます。この度、ZETA DIVISIONから発表がありました通り、私はeスポーツ選手としての活動を引退することを決断いたしました。突然の活動休止から約2カ月が経過してしまいました。…— ZETA Kakeru(翔) (@Kakeru_FGC) October 23, 2025
Neurological dysfunction is outlined as a situation the place the mind has points sending and receiving data from the physique. It will possibly trigger a wide selection of signs relying on its severity, together with weak point, coordination issues, muscle spasms, complications, and even seizures.
Kakeru has not given any additional details about the scenario on the time of writing. The preventing sport neighborhood has rallied behind him within the wake of this distressing information, celebrating his achievements and the plain mark he’s made on the scene in Avenue Fighter 6’s comparatively brief lifetime up to now.Article continues after advert
As laid out by Liquipedia FGC administrator ‘incross,’ Kakeru is at the moment the highest-earning Avenue Fighter 6 participant with an 80% winrate in match units — which means he hardly ever takes a loss in skilled competitors.
Better of Kakeru in SF6:• Highest incomes participant.• High 8 or higher in 14 out of twenty-two offline occasions, together with 2 EVO GFs.• All-time approx. match units winrate: 80% (Supermajor information) pic.twitter.com/bRjQKNck80— incross (@crossknockout) October 24, 2025
The truth is, out of the vast majority of main occasions he’s entered, he’s gotten to the High 8 and past, making him one of many sport’s strongest gamers. Followers and fellow opponents are hopeful he’ll recuperate quickly and return to the stage even stronger than earlier than.Article continues after adArticle continues after advert
