Hawaii holds the fond byname of the “Aloha State.” Within the Hawaiian language, the phrase “aloha” means “peace, compassion, and mercy.” It also has been commonly used as a term in the English language to hold the dual meaning of “hello” and “goodbye.”  With Kaiser’s recent departure from his team RunAway and his acquisition to Cloud 9, it succinctly plays into the old quote from Alexander Graham Bell; “when one door closes, another door opens.”

This is a bittersweet finale to a APEX fan favorite and the birth of a more fortuitous western opportunity. Kaiser has left behind his friends and family to set out to provide for his metaphorical kingdom, but to have a kingdom you need a king to bear the crown. The picture in your mind, a kingpin of peace, someone who rules with a literal iron fist over mercy and compassion, and issues it out like rations on a battlefield.

Enter the Emperor of Aloha, Ryu "KAISER" Sang Hoon.

Diving into a bit of the king’s backstory, we learn that he has always had an affinity for melee weapons and dashing all hope for his enemies. In some of his earliest footage on his personal Youtube channel, we can see Kaiser do what we know him to do best: crushing skulls. Kaiser got his start like many of the Overwatch professional players, by playing Team Fortress 2 (TF2).

In an almost foreshadowing of things to come, Kaiser was known for one thing in TF2 and it was being a “Shovel Knight.” He would rocket jump as Soldier around the map until he landed on an unsuspecting patron whom he would then club over the head with his shovel. The ensuing antics are just simply entertaining.

With that video in mind, we can see why Kaiser is easily one of the most aggressive and brutal Reinhardt players in Overwatch. He is not only confident outside of the game, but his play inside the server is filled with conviction and confidence of his own skill. Many people and pundits attribute his game-winning performance in the Semifinals of OGN’s APEX Season 2 as a large reason why RunAway made it to the finals.

Something that is truly interesting is the statistics behind Kaiser’s play. We know him to be an instinctual Reinhardt player, relying on gut calls and feeling to create an edge over his opponents. But if we look at the statistics provided by Winston's Lab, we can see an odd discovery. In APEX Season 2, Kaiser’s Reinhardt accounts for 18.1% of his team’s kills. Whereas, his Winston play accounts for 21.2% of his team’s kills. Comparatively these statistics are, on average, around 12.5% better than any other APEX Season 2 tank player in the League. This is not to say that is Winston is somehow superior to his Reinhardt, but it does add a bit more credence to the idea that his Winston play is showing tremendous growth and should be respected.

This exodus for Kaiser will ultimately be his return to rule over the idea of “aloha”. Reinhardt is easily the largest and most iconic tank hero in Overwatch. That being said, he more often than not be the first person you see as the team rounds the corner and he is the last person you see as his gigantic hammer crushes your skull into tiny, little pieces. This follows and plays into the wheelhouse that Kaiser brings. He is here to keep the peace for his team and show no mercy to the enemies that stand in his path.

Kaiser joins someone whom he has shown quite a respect for, noting in his recent AMA on Reddit that he thought former OPPA.Danwa flex player and now Cloud 9 teammate, Jaemo “Xepher” Koo was “... a hidden gosu”  he elaborated and said Xepher was a “...unknown, underrated play with high skills.” [1] Having Bishop and Xepher on board already makes the transition for the Korean national seemingly much easier. While Kaiser’s English is very good if there was any questions or concerns he can always rely on Bishop to help bridge any gaps that might arise.

Coupled with some of the greatest minds in the west, the addition of Kaiser helps to allow former tank player Gods to renew his role as DPS player for the team. In an interview with Radon on Esports Heaven, Bishop talks about his thoughts on Gods as a player, and has very good things to say about him, stating: “What truly makes him special, however, is that his situational awareness, or for the lack of a better word, game-sense, is at a level which cannot be reached by simply grinding the game. It is one thing to understand where one needs to be during a team fight based on the enemy composition, a completely different thing to predict probable outcomes and position accordingly without hesitation.” [2]

This goes to show that the king can and will always facilitate his team and allow them to shine. Whether it’s creating space between the carrier and himself or freeing up a potentially great DPS player off a role that perhaps he is not suited for is honorable. Kaiser is a solid addition to the Cloud 9 roster and is an additional threat the enemy has to worry about.

This is going to be a busy month for the newly formed team. On May 27, Cloud 9 will play in the Rivalcade Overwatch Rumble and this will be Cloud 9’s first showing with Kaiser. On June, 1st, Cloud 9 will depart for Europe to take place in the Overwatch TakeOver 2 tournament hosted by TaKeTv. Then Cloud 9 travels back to North America to compete in the recently announced Overwatch Contenders tournament taking place June 18th. With the investment that Cloud 9 has done to their roster, it would be surprising not to see them in the upcoming Overwatch League slated to happen sometime this year. TakeOver 2 and the Overwatch Contenders tournaments serve as apt crucibles to challenge and test this iteration of the Cloud 9 roster.

Kaiser is taking a risk. He is leaving everything he’s ever known to journey half-way across the world to play further his career in esports. Not only that, but the decision was made on behalf of his family, whom he plays to support with some of the funds and salaries that Cloud 9 issues him. This is the epitome of aloha. Kaiser has had to say goodbye to his country and family and had to say hello to a new venture in North America.

Picture this; a giant of a man, clad in metal adornments akin to something straight out of Arthurian legend, rounding the corner of a back-alleyway in London, and feeding you a lifetime supply of Iron and Steel straight to your jaw. This just about sums up Kaiser’s playstyle. He constantly lives up to his handle. His overwhelming offense plays king to any solace that the enemies may hold. In many instances, the tank players of many teams are delegated to protecting and aiding their DPS players in allowing them to succeed, not Kaiser. He is a threat and that’s what is so intriguing from an analytical perspective. Not only do the statistics back up this claim, but time and time again, Kaiser shows no mercy towards the opposing team, crushing skulls and charging the hopes and dreams of anyone who stands in his path ? straight into a wall.

With that being said, I welcome Kaiser into the North American scene and raise a toast to his majesty.

Three cheers for the Morderische Kaiser and three cheers for the Emperor of Aloha!

Joseph “Volamel” Franco has followed esports since the MLG’s of 2006. He started out primarily following Starcraft 2, Halo 3, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. He has transitioned from viewer to journalist and writes freelance primarily about Overwatch and League of Legends. If you would like to know more or follow his thoughts on esports you can follow him at @Volamel.

Images courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment, OGN, Ashkon Esports, and Kaiser’s Youtube Channel.