YoYoFactory / Super G Wavelength

Get yours new color, purple!

-Jun

Chief REWIND Special Color

Yo-Yo Store REWIND's special edition splash color.

Limitation: 20

Canvas (Lost in the Arctic)

Lost in the Arctic series by Jason Week

-Jun

Cold Metal - Ice Cream 2

This is the version two of Ice Cream which was released  in 2008. 

The bright two-color anodizing and cute packaging.

Cold Metal - Nord

Andrey Glukhov's signature model.

The shape of the body is simple, but it makes stable spinning.

-Jun

YoYoStringlab from the USA.

There are 3 types. Type 1, Type 2, Type X are available.

KittyString (poly100%) Starter Pack 5-kind x5 Yellow

If you wanna try Kstring, get this pack now!

-Jun

Japan Technology's Ashiru Kamui

New colors, red and light green are in stock!!

-Jun

>>Jesse Christe

Anti-Yo's Viszilla is released today.

Six years ago Anti-Yo released the Bapezilla.

This yo-yo is the latest version of world famous Bapezilla.

The body is black night & liquid grey color and Slip Matte® Type III Hard Coatings.

It is also taken red anodized Side Effects. You can chage other onedrop's Side Effects.

Only 200 limitation.

-Jun

New 3 yo-yos from China.

Promise, Sword and Myth (Left to Right) by YOYO EMPIRE.

Get them with...

String type 6 (50/50) white

Popularity strings are back in stock!!

-Jun

yoyorecreation's first offstring yo-yo "MAESTRO"

2009 and 2011 World 4A champion, Naoto Okada's signature model.

Get it now!

-Jun

1. Some Players are Finished, Others Have Just Begun

The Ladder, Lucky's BBQ, the Wheel of Penalty, and the Championship freestyles are all complete, and the 3rd day of the World Yo-Yo Contest rolls around. Absolutly everyone gathers.

For players who fought to the very end, or those who were eliminated early, or pure spectators, the hall is packed beyond capacity on the third day, bubbling with excitement.

If you competed in the finals, the last day is the absolute peak of your excitement. This is the culmination of all the work and sweat you've poured into yo-yo for the past year. Some players can't breathe from excitement, and others fall into a trance. Since all Japanese players, regardless of how famous they are at home, are away players, they don't get quite the same reception as the home team of famous American players, but on the other hand, everyone standing on the final stage gets a warm round of cheers.

One's level of exposure is really dependent on how long they've been in the game, and the promotion videos they've made. So players who haven't acquired many fans get less cheers, which just accelerates their nervousness. The cheers of the audience have a great affect on the players, and may change the outcome of their freestyle. This isn't just true of Worlds, but of all stage performances. So the next time you see someone peforming on stage, be sure to give them your warmest support!

2. The Winners are Announced

As the third day draws to a close, the final results are tallied, and the final champions get crowned. The judges have had a rough few days, and have held up well despite the immense pressure. If you don't think judging a yo-yo contest is that hard, you should try it sometime.

The excitement builds, and plaqyers and fans alike stand wondering what names will be called out. The room is filled with energy, but it's slightly different from the nervousness before the contest, it's bittersweet: everyone is eager to learn the results, but at the same time, there's a bit of sadness that the whole event is about to come to an end.

The moment a champion is announced, there's a variety of responses. The crowd will generally go wild. Some players get an expression of disbelief on their faces, some are full of confidence as if they were expecting to win, and others are just filled with emotion and burst into tears of happiness. And with that, the end has come.

3. Now What?

By the middle of the night, the hall has been completely emptied, but players who don't want to see it end will assemble outside the hall and hang out with their friends until morning. They'll talk about the freestyles they saw and which ones they were moved by, congratulate each other for a job well done. Some of the older players will mix alcohol into their socializing. Either way, despite the fact that the hall is closed, many are in denial that Worlds is truly over.

Everyone has a fair amount of time to themselves to reflect on the events of the weekend between the end of the contest and the time they have to go home. Whether or not they received the ranking they expected, many players feel the fire of yo-yo passion relit within them. Some rare players decide they are done with it; the shock of losing may just push them away from it altogether. Even those who won may realize they've burned up all their passion, and decide to step away from it.
Nevertheless, attending Worlds is a major experience point for everyone, and almost no one regrets it, and everyone gains something from it. It's an experience no one forgets.

At AP2011, this year's 1A champion, Marcus Koh asked Jun:
"So Shinya is working for REWIND now?"
"Yep."
"So, is he just working for the yo-yo company, or does he have to have another job?"
"Just for the yo-yo company!"

Now that he's attained his own title, it's a wonder whether Marcus will look to make yo-yo a major part of his life, or if he'll look for work outside the yo-yo sphere.

Whether you're a yo-yo maker, yo-yo shop, player, or just a fan, Worlds is a major turning point for the year, and you can't help but look forward to the next one.

1. Things Heat Up! (1A Prelims Round 2)

In order to step up to the plate for the final round, you have to first pass through Prelims! In yo-yo contests, there are few exceptions to this rule; one such exception is the World Yo-Yo Contest, where you must not only win Prelims, but you need to pass through a SECOND round! In Round 2, national and world champions are jumbled together to vie for the chance to take home the gold, making this the most intense preliminaries ever!

Even though it's "just" a semi-final, Round 2 has a way of wearing on players' spirits, and even the best players start making mistakes. A loss now could inflict a lot of damage on a player, so this round can be a real heartbreaker.

Japan has a really strong showing on the stage, gaining a lot of support from their fans. Yo-Yo contests are really a personal battle, but it's still nice to see such a strong contingency of Japanese players!

2. The Tension Builds

Few people make plans for that evening, so once the 2nd round prelims are over, the hall falls into a state of disquieted inactivity. Some people go out for lunch, some people go shopping, some people practice. At any rate, many of the players aiming for the final stage find themselves in Hell. Some are so nervous, they'll break through the tension and find themselves eerily calm. Others are so nervous their hands start shaking, which obviously negatively affects their freestyle practice.

The only things stemming back the tide of cold sweat are the warm embrace of the audience and practice.

As the time for the Finals grows nearer, the quiet of the hall slowly dies away and it reaches a crescendo of excitement. Who will win, who will lose, these questions will finally be answered. Are my yo-yo settings right? Are the cameras all set up? Are the judges all gathered? Nobody is able to relax at this point, and excitement is noticeably different from that felt in the preliminaries. The players feel it too, and they must brace themselves for the coming storm. The pressure is so intense, if you aren't ready for it, it'll force you to your knees.

3. The Champions are born

The Finals have a completely different atmosphere to them. The hall is choked with spectators, and the air is thick with excitement. The number of cameras, the intensity of the lighting, everything feels very different from the battle that's raged up until this point. For first timers, this is when they realize they haven't really experienced Worlds yet.

Every year, the Finals stage of every division is a consecutive series of uproar from the crowd. The players are seen practicing all over the place, so even if you don't know a player, you recognize him and cheer him on. The players are giving it their all to make a perfect freestyle, so without thinking the crowd may find themselves shouting, clapping, and jumping to their feet.

For the players, receiving a trophy is just the cherry on top; the moment you hear the crowds cheer you on and go wild, you can't help but think that this is what you're really practicing for. For many players, it's the happiest feeling in the world.

No matter how much preparation they've made, some players do trip and fall on their way to glory, and have to swallow those bitter tears and decide whether they'll go through it all again for another year. These moments are full of soul-searching; just how will I continue with yo-yo in my life? Will I stick with it and come back again?

And thus ends the 2nd day of the contest, and about half of the division finals, which means this year's champions are born. Whether it's a new champion, a returning one, or an old champion making a comeback, each division in each year is a different story.

How the title will change a player's life is up to the player, but the moment they're announced the player and the audience who so excitedly watch their freestyle can't help but let out a triumphant shriek. Sometimes, the player's friends are even more outwardly excited than himself. All their vigor and energy were poured into those 3 minutes on stage, and now there's nothing left but to gracefully accept their prize.

YoYoFactory Neon Collection now available!

StarBrite is the latest model.

YYF Multi Tool (Neon Collection)

YYF Polyester String (Neon Collection) x5

A three colors mixed. (neon pink, neon green and neon orange)

Jun

7. The First Round



The hall is filled with booths run by the makers and yo-yo stores. From items that were announced in advanced, garnering much attention and excitement, to brand new items that appear out of nowhere without any notice, the atmosphere is electric as yo-yo players drool and spend way more than they budgeted.

Usually, once the battle begins, the first day and a half is dedicated to preliminaries and the second evening and third day go to finals. Each year the schedule for which division goes when, but the only players who can ignore the madness of prelims are the seeded champions. Only players who have won their national championships (in recognized countries) and world champions from the previous year are seeded into the final at Worlds.

And thus, the first round of elimination begins; players inevitably will get divided into those who passed through prelims and those who didn't make the cut. This is decided on the merits of the players' 1-minute freestyles. These freestyles aren't judged on a basis of whether you can supass a certain score, but since only a certain number of players can move on, it's the top scorers who go on. With the competition so stiff, a single mistake can be the difference between jumping the hurdle or running face first into it.

Some of the players get consumed by their nervousness. Some hands shake, some can't drink water properly, and some even have difficulty breathing. Sometimes it seems like a miracle that anyone can make it through their freestyle without any mistakes; the level of competition is so high, that only those who have perfected their tricks will move on to the final stage.

For those players who--despite their tireless preparation--failed to move on to finals, the reactions are various. Some players throw a hissy fit, some are dumbfounded as if they've been drugged. It goes without saying that it comes as a shock to these serious players. But they always eventually come around, showing their support for their friends who made the cut. Once out of the running, players are free to enjoy their time at the competition without the pressure to perform, like an olympic athlete who was eliminated before the final event.

So, once the hurdle of prelims are out of the way, players can set their sights on the final stage. The only exception to this is the 1A division, which has a second round of preliminaries. 1A players are forced to go up against each other a second time to thin out the crowd a bit more. This level is already full of national and world champions, so with a single leap the intensity of the competition leaps forward, so even players who passed the first round aren't able to feel at ease as they face the second day of elimination.

8. It's not all about freestyles!

Freestyles are certainly not the only thing to Worlds, although there are plenty to choose from; with six divisions naming a world champion every year (1A-5A and AP). Just like the official JYYF contests held in Japan, there is a ladder division, as well as a mods division and even Spintop and Diabolo freestyles and ladders are given some stage time.

Aside from the competitions, yo-yo workshops are also held for beginners and players who want to dabble in different divisions. General yo-yo gossip and information about new mods are also passed around at the event.

On the first night of the competition, the yo-yo collector Lucky Meisenheimer holds a BBQ party at his house, and late at night there is the Wheel of Penalty game. Even if you don't know English, the language of yo-yo gets the point across. Barbecue and play yo-yo at Lucky's, admiring his amazing collection (indeed, his entire house has been turned into a yo-yo museum of sorts), then go try your luck at the roulette-style Wheel of Penalty.

So as you see, there is something for everyone at Worlds. If you wish, there is never a dull moment at the contest both on and off the stage, and before you know it, it will all be over!

*a bit of a digression, but there's usually a shortage of sauce at the barbecue, so many people brought with them their own personal supply.

9. The Real Deal

After the first day's events, the meeting hall returns to an eerie silence, making it hard to believe how lively it was throughout the day. All that's left are a few players still in preparation for finals, still adjusting their internal clocks, or so wrapped up in their practice that they've lost all track of time.

With an ample water supply and air conditioning, this is a good quiet time to practice for the upcoming performances, on the stage where all the magic happens. Also popular at this time are AP rehearsals, which usually require a lot of coordination and equipment to execute. Sports towels, body wipes and antiperspirant spray* are a good idea to carry, and the nearby 24-hour shop makes midnight snacking convenient without impeding your practice time. There's only one shot at the title on stage, so players make the best of this opportunity. Whether you'll practice up to the last moment, or take a break and relax is up to you, and whether that's a good or bad idea is up to the yo-yo gods.

*antiperspirant spray helps prevent your hands from sweating, which gives you a better feeling as you play. As it's not very common outside of Japan, it's common to hear people asking "what is this? Can I try it?" Remember that for best results, use it immediately after washing your hands.

At this point, it's less about how much practice you've had than about how confident you are in your freestyle. Lots of players at this point will go back to their rooms and use the internet to get in touch with family and friends back home for some last-minute encouragement. Register for internet service at the front desk, for which there is a charge of about $10/day.

The next day will see the wrap-up of preliminaries, and then in the evening the first World Champions will be decided. It's those history-making moments in which everyone present can truly taste what it means to be at Worlds.

Question Time!

We asked our Twitter followers if they had any questions about the contest. Here's a couple of them:

Q.

Can players use copyrighted music for their freestyles? (in particular, songs governed by JASRAC)

A.

As long as it obeys the rules regarding language and morality, there is no limit to what music may be used.

Also, JASRAC, as a Japanese agency governing copyright, shouldn't have authority over what happens in a competition held in the US. Just make sure that the lyrics in your song choice don't contain any swear words or racist/derogatory messages.

Q.

How much should we expect to spend to come to Worlds? (including travel expenses, accommodations, food, etc)

A.

Your travel expenses will vary depending on how far you are traveling (from Japan this may cost as much as 200,000 yen/$2,000+). Accommodation should run you about $300-500, assuming you are arriving a day early and sharing a room with someone. Food will probably run about $200-300 at most.

These are rough estimates, and of course, you're probably going to spend a ton on all the swag at the contest, so don't forget to budget for new gear!

4. The Tension Builds

As I said in the last post, on the way from Japan to Florida, you need to transfer to a domestic flight somewhere on the west coast. Since there aren't too many flights throughout the day, you'll probably start running into other yo-yo players along the way, slowly growing your posse as you near your destination, and time seems to move faster.

You might've met the players before in your home country, or at other competitions, or maybe you've only seen them in a trick video online, but you realize that you are headed towards a place that, for the next few days, will be the center of the yo-yo world. as you get closer to Florida. The odds of encountering another yo-yo player shoot up when you arrive at Orlando. You might meet so many Japanese players you'll forget you're in the states. The 16 hour journey comes to an end, but the excitement just keeps building from there. Some people get nervous, others feel their heartbeat quicken, and others can't stop shaking with anticipation!

If this is your first international contest, your watch will be wildly off from the ones on the wall; our first job is to try to fix any jet lag. Your cell phone may alert you that you've changed time zones; it starts to sink in where you are and where you're headed, and for a yo-yo player headed to the mecca of yo-yo players, there's no way you can hide your delight.

You get into a cab and ask the driver to take you to the Rosen Plaza Hotel, showing him the map you printed out in advance. Drop your bags in the trunk and off you go. You watch the trees and buildings pass by the taxi window as you close in on the hotel. You can't see the hotel at first, and find yourself asking "Is this really where the World Yo-Yo Contest is held?"

Rest assured, it is.



After a 15-20 minute ride, the hotel springs out of the wildlife. If you've been here before, a sense of nostalgia washes over you. In every taxi headed to the Rosen today, the chatter of yo-yo players is sure to be heard.

5. New and Old Scenery

You unload from the taxi and walk through the revolving door, stepping into the piercing cold of the marble lobby and sauntering up to the front desk. Undoubtedly, you would have started seeing people playing yo-yo as soon as you stepped out of the cab. The constant chorus of bearings fades into white noise. Long ago you were sucked into the world of yo-yo, but now that community has gathered; it is tangible, right in front of you. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, everyone who comes to Worlds, at some point, gathers in the first floor lobby. You're suddenly confronted with famous players from all over the world! If you can't speak English, you can't help but think "I need to study harder!" Let's face it, English is the lingua franca of yo-yo.

But you may be wondering "so where is the actual event held?" The answer lies a little deeper in the hotel. The stage gets set up a day before the contest begins, in a hall further down the elaborate carpet. You walk past rows of white doors to the entrance of the hall where the highest peak of yo-yo competitions rests, waiting for the world's best players to attempt to reach its summit.



The day before the contest, the hall is opened up for registration, running late into night (out of consideration for the players who've come from very far).

Outside the window you can see the luxurious pool; inside there are restaurants, 24-hour shops, training centers, and gift shops. Everyone eats either at the hotel restaurant or the nearby chains, but many of the Japanese players, weary after an entire day of travel and sick of airline food are already drooling over the thought of the Japanese snacks they'd brought all the way with them.

Some people are completely wiped out when they arrive, and may even pass out on the hotel floor. Whether it's the journey, or the strong air conditioning in the hotel contrasted with the humid air outside, every year there's someone who breaks down. You try not to let the excitement get to your head, lest it's you this year.

6. And The First Day Hasn't Even Started!

Ahh, the day before the contest, some people just can't keep their hands off their yo-yos. Old friends appear and greet you, if it's your first Worlds you're probably a bundle of nerves. Event organizers and volunteers appear hear and there, buzzing behind the scenes to get everything in order. A majority of players come a day or two early to the event, so by now, almost the entire crowd has gathered, reaching a sort of yo-yo critical mass.

In other words, it's time to brush up on your foreign relations! You may settle into the universal language of sharing tricks with each other, or going out to eat; adding each other on Facebook is more and more popular these days. Competitors waste no time in climbing up on stage, popping in some headphones and practicing for the main event. Since the preliminaries don't start until the following afternoon, many players continue to practice late in the night and arise around noon in an attempt to fix their remaining jetlag. Most players traveling from outside the US have to deal with this time difference, and are constantly battling their internal clocks. The 24-hour shops are stocked with all the fuel a yo-yo player might need, from juice and Gatorade to Red Bull and Alcohol. With the addition of the restaurant, it's possible for you to stay in the hotel and practice... indefinitely! This really is an ideal situation for the contest. However, you should be warned that the A/C in the meeting hall is just as strong as the lobby; don't forget your long-sleeves or you'll regret it!



You carry your extra string and parts down to the stage for practice, abandoning your room solely as a place to sleep, shower and store your luggage. Your day of wandering about the hotel begins. Only 2, 3 days at the most before finals; some players just cannot relax without a healthy dose of practice, and set themselves wholeheartedly to work on perfecting their form. As time runs out, the atmosphere abruptly changes around some of the players. You try not to let it get to you.

For the sake of Worlds, some players devote countless hours to practice, so to practice upwards of 16 hours in the day leading up to the battle is a tireless sacrifice. Due to this practicing frenzy, it's not uncommon for players to go through as many as 100 strings in a matter of a few days. As you get tired, the odds of injury or even breaking your yo-yo increase; you must be vigilant and take plenty of rests to preserve your strength for the coming battle!

So with this ever-increasing tension as the stage draws closer, you take some time to peruse the new products at the makers' booths and catch up on the latest news. You watch the other players, silently comparing them to yourself and each other. Before you know it, you've stayed up almost all night, and it's already day one of the World Yo-Yo Contest.

Question Time!

We asked our Twitter followers if they had any questions about the contest. Here's one of them:

Q.

How many countries participate in the World Contest? In previous years there were something like 18...

A.

This year we have players from (in no particular order): Japan, America, China, Hungary, Russia, Canada, England, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, France, Poland, Spain, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Kuwait, Philippines, and Singapore (18). In addition, we also have participants from Macao and Hong Kong, not to mention other asian countries like Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, and so on. Even more countries are represented at other international contests like EYYC. Altogether, over 25 countries are represented on stage by yo-yo players.

We'll call this article the "Worlds' Corner," where we'll share with you what it feels like going to the World Yo-Yo Contest. From getting ready to the flight back, we'll try to convey to you just what it all feels like, as clearly and detailed as possible. This year's World Contest will be broadcast LIVE, so tune in or you'll be missing out!

Check out the World Yo-Yo Contest Official Site, http://worldyoyocontest.com/

Click Here for the this year's program.

Don't forget to check out the LIVE stream on Ustream:



So let's get started!

Part 1: Getting to Worlds!

1. The excitement before the contest never stops

To be sure, the videos from the World Yo-Yo Contest are the reason a lot of people start getting interested in yo-yo. Even if that's not the case, so many of those videos are engrained in public memory as pivotal moments in yo-yo history. New tricks get performed in competition for the first time, and leave a major impression on the scene worldwide. Let's face it, Worlds is the biggest contest in, well, the world! How can you not get excited about that?

Moreover, "Worlds" are also a major event for yo-yo companies of all types. Makers release new models and exhibit their potential on stage, other new parts and accessories are shown off for the first time, and it creates a very festival-like atmosphere. It's like a really fun convention mixed into the competition as well. It's not going too far to say that Worlds are the pivotal moment each year in the yo-yo world.

Although Worlds only lasts for 3 days, really the excitement that has built up over the past year, and our ambitions and hopes for the coming year are all tightly packed into those few days. Even moreso, the moment that the new world champions are announced is truly an incredible moment to behold.

But for the players themselves who are gunning for the grand prize, it's not just a sense of excitement and nervousness, they've devoted countless hours over the past year with this goal in mind, and while it very well may vanish like a popping soap bubble, that apprehension leading up to the moment the winners are announced is a feeling that only competitors may know. And it's all decided by their 3-minute freestyles. Will I make it there safely? Will I pass through the prelims and semi-finals? Will I forget my string or parts? Do I have enough spare yo-yos? These are all the kinds of things that run through a player's mind as they're getting ready to go to Florida. Since it's an "away" competition for most of us, there's a lot more to be worried about!

Worlds is not just a contest, it can have a huge impact on your life, whether you're a player or even a spectator. Everyone takes home cherished memories from Worlds, we'd have to say plainly that if you like yo-yo, you must go to Worlds at least once. As much trouble as it is to attend the contest, you'll be paid back ten-fold in fun and memories.

2. Getting Ready in Various Ways

Worlds are held every year in Orlando, Florida, in a hall at the Rosen Plaza Hotel. Orlando is a popular spot for tourists, and around the hotel are such attractions as Universal Studios, Disney World, Sea World and so on; many players and spectators take advantage of this and go sightseeing before and after the competition. There's also a lot of malls with good shopping, and even the Kennedy Space Center isn't too far away. If you like to travel, this is already a good spot to visit. So in addition to getting there, most people also plan for a lot of non yo-yo related adventures. The schedules fill up pretty quickly.

Since many players hole themselves up in the hotel for nonstop practice, they tend to burn through consumable goods like strings and response pads quicker than normal, so each player usually has quite an arsenal with him. to ensure that nothing goes wrong, many players burn multiple copies of their music CDs and entry sheets. It's not uncommon to have workout clothes for practice. Packing for Worlds isn't like any other kind of trip.

Some players, in order to be better prepared and rested, and free from the effects of jetlag, will try to arrive extra early to the hotel. Some players don't have the luxury of having so much extra time, so they set a strict sleeping schedule for the plane ride, and like other athletes, have sets of exercises and warm-ups to make sure they're well prepared to go on stage. Some players go so far as to bring food from their home to avoid having any trouble adjusting to the local cuisine. The hotel rooms have their own ranges, so players can cook for themselves if they wish.

Some members of JYYF (Japan Yo-Yo Federation) come to worlds to act as official judges. These hard-workers study the contest rules, hold meetings, and consult with judges from all over the world to make sure everyone is on the same page. There is a lot of preparation for the judges to do. Other opportunities for international judges to get together are few, limited to events like EYYC and AP. At these meetings, the judges exchange information on the state of affairs of the yo-yo scenes in their respective countries. Just like the players (after all, judges are all players as well), they'll also trade tricks and yo-yo gossip, and introduce new players to each other. English is the lingua franca, so if it's not your first language, brush up on it!

Lastly, make sure you have the hotel directions and address copied onto your phone, printed out, and tattooed somewhere on your body. It'll make the taxi ride that much easier.

3. Thinking About How to Pass the Long Flight

America is an incredibly large place, and to fly to the east coast from Japan is totally different from flying to the west coast, taking at least 3 or 4 hours more. Florida is THE farthest state from Japan, so we're looking at about 16 hours sitting on the plane, over half of an entire day, creating a sudden time difference that few Japanese people experience.

So, we have to think about what to do on the plane. Depending on their goals for the trip, everyone has different ideas for this. Generally, it's much like any other trip, and time passes with some phone games, listening to music, reading books, watching movies or TV shows, or sleeping. Also, talking to fellow travelers is a great way to make the time pass quickly.

So, finally sitting on the plane on their way to Worlds, many players will kick back and listen to their freestyle music, going over their routine in their heads. Of course, no one can resist the temptation, and everyone eventually disappears from their seat and finds a quiet place to practice.

In addition, as there are no direct flights from Japan to Florida, after a 10-13 hour flight, there are layovers to deal with, usually in San Francisco or Los Angeles. Lots of good duty-free shopping here, so be sure not to spend all of your hotel money at the airport.

See you next time, there's more to say!

Here are the top 3 of each category:

1A Division

1st Place: Christopher Chia (Singapore)

2nd Place: Marcus Koh (Singapore)

3rd Place: Hiroyuki Suzuki (Japan)

2A Division

1st Place: Shinji Saito (Japan)

2nd Place: Takuma Yamamoto (Japan)

3rd Place: Liu Man Ki (Hong Kong)

3A Division

1st Place: Minato Furuta (Japan)

2nd Place: Takeshi Matsuura (Japan)

3rd Place: Taiichiro Higashi (Japan)

4A Division

1st Place: Tsubasa Onishi (Japan)

2nd Place: Rei Iwakura

3rd Place: Sean Hung (Singapore)

5A Division

1st Place: Takeshi Matsuura (Japan)

2nd Place: Bryan Jardin (Philippines)

3rd Place: Chan Kwok San (Hong Kong)

All the final scores are posted on the AP official site. Of course, it's not just the top players you should check out! Shinya got 6th place in the 1A division. Though we couldn't find a video of his finals freestyle, here's his Qualifying Round 1 minute video:

Darrel Mitchel got 4th place in 1A. He's always been a great player, but this year he really stepped up his game. And he has a great smile!

Daisuke Shimada got 6th in 3A, and put on an impressive and unique performance. Definitely worth watching.

4th place in 4A was Futoshi Maruyama. He needs no explanation, just watch.

We also got some special AP2011 Edition goods, including:

The new Duncan full metal Echo,


YoYoFactory's POPstar, and


YoYoFactory Supernova. The Gacek model is pictured on the right.


We also got some AP Lanyards and Pamphlets.

Finally, we have a special treat for you. As you may know, the REWIND crew was the first to shoot and publish true headcam footage of professional yo-yo players, so you can see what it looks like to be a champion. We took our GoPro to AP, and brought back some more spectacular footage from some of the best players in Asia.

2nd place at 2008 Worlds, Takuma Yamamoto got 2nd place at this year's AP. We're looking forward to his future freestyles!

>>2011 ASIA PACIFIC YO-YO CHAMPIONSHIPS, Takuma Yamamoto

Team Japan Technology's Futoshi Maruyama came back to AP and claimed 4th in 4A, showing his chops and why he's favored at the Japan National and World competitions. Now you can see why.

>>2011 ASIA PACIFIC YO-YO CHAMPIONSHIPS, Futoshi Maruyama

And finally, a special treat, 1st person footage from 1A AP Champion and Worlds 3rd place, Christopher Chia.

2011 ASIA PACIFIC YO-YO CHAMPIONSHIPS, Christopher Chia

What a great time, guys. See you all next year!

PS: We took a TON of photos of all the players, including qualifying and finals rounds. If you were a player and want some of our best photos of your freestyle, send an email to yoyocompany@gmail.com.

YoYoFactory Loop900

Now on sale!

-Jun

• If you order a yo-yo worth 4,000 yen (including tax), you will receive a free KonKave bearing for that yo-yo.
• Even models that come with KonKave bearings will receive a free additional bearing. (for example, if you buy an ILYY Void and YYF Genesis, you will receive an ILYY size AND Large size KonKave bearing!)
• Unfortunately, this campaign does not apply to Henrys yo-yos which are not compatible with KonKave bearings, or the Hyper Yo-Yo Starter kits.

REWIND Jumbo Lottery

• Everyone who places an order during the campaign will be entered in a lottery for gift coupons. Grand prize is a 100,000 yen coupon (over $1,000 US), and five lucky winners will each get 10,000 yen (over $100 US).
• The raffle will be streamed in the future (details to come).
• Limit one entry per customer, the number of purchases you make does not improve your chances of winning.
• At the time you use the coupon, even if the total cost of your purchase is less than the value of the coupon, you will not receive change, so please keep this in mind when you choose to redeem your coupon.

REWIND Anniversary Button Giveaway
Everyone who places an order during the campaign period will receive a special edition REWIND button (while supplies last). We've created three special edition buttons for this giveaway, to be given out at random. Please note that it's not one per item ordered, but one button per package sent. Even if you make an additional purchase which needs to be sent separately, you will only receive one button.

Dif-e-yo Metallic Button Giveaway
Everyone who orders either a Dif-e-yo yo-yo or KonKave bearing will receive a free metallic Dif-e-yo button. This does not apply to the bearing giveaway mentioned above.

This is a trick video by Hiroki Miyamoto, introducing at yoyonews.jp

He plays 3A trick with 4 yoyos.

The yoyo is his signature model Stragazer (yoyorecreation).

Hiroki Miyamoto is the 2008 world 3A champion.

Must see the following video!

>> 2008 World Yo-Yo Contest 3A 1st Hiroki Miyamoto

-Jun

Presenting the REWIND 2010 TOP TEN:

Shinwoo - Techno 2

The plastic butterfly yo-yo from Korean maker Shinwoo. Although it's made from plastic, we'd like metal fans to pick this one up and give it a try. It has an unusually low edge, and although it has a tug-response it's very smooth. It's capable of pulling off just about any trick, making its cost-performance ratio unbelievable, as its price is undeniably low. We think this yo-yo deserves to be in your top ten, so if you haven't given it a try yet, check it out!

Hyper Yo-Yo - Hyper Comet

In Japan, the biggest yo-yo news of the year was clearly the announcement of the new Hyper Yo-Yo series. The entire series is worthy of mention, but we chose the Hyper Comet because it was among the very first models to be released, and although Duncan and Yomega have participated in previous Hyper Yo-Yo booms, this is YoYoFactory's first venture into the fray. Even more than that, the Hyper Comet Type Zero was given away for free at the World Hobby Fair events, making it one of the largest yo-yo giveaways, and helping kickstart a tsunami of fresh yo-yo players.

YoYoFactory - Northstar

2010 1A World Champion, Jensen Kimmit's first signature model under the YYF flag. We stocked up an amazing number of Northstars, to the point of wondering if we'd be able to sell them all, but even we were surprised by how much demand there was for this plastic wonder. In the golden age of full metal yo-yos, the Northstar showed us that plastic models still had the chops. The Protostar and full-metal Rockstar were runners up, but the Northstar's bursting popularity made it a clear choice.

YoYoFactory - Chaotic

Amongst YoYoFactory's numerous full metal offerings, the Chaotic lept out of the Fundatal series to display its amazing cost-performance. It went on sale in the beginning of the year, and was out of production for a while, but came back by popular demand at the end of the year. Chaotic was also a collaboration model between YoYoFactory and TurningPoint, making it a historically significant model as well.

YoYoFactory - Loop900

We tried to limit ourself to picking just a few YYF models for our top 10, but what can we say? They've pumped out some pretty amazing yo-yos this year! Especially the Loop900 could be in the running for best yo-yo of the year, and it's not even a 1A model! The Loop900 not only exceeds the capabilities of the old modded Raiders of yesteryear, but it does it with an incredibly easy adjustment mechanism, a true development in looping yo-yo technology. It helps that it's also Shinji Saito's signature model. They're set to go back on sale sometime in the beginning of the year.

Henrys - Viper Neo

The revival of Henrys! To those who were around for previous Hyper Yo-Yo booms and the release of the Aquarius, this comeback is big news indeed. Henrys has actually been quietly making yo-yos this whole time, so it's more appropriate to say it's their refreshed lineup. The development of off string is owed to the original Viper, so the Viper Neo is an obvious choice for this year's top ten. When Jun first performed 3A at a contest he also used Vipers, making it a memorable model for him as well.

YoYoJam - PHENOM & PHENOMizm

The revolutionary development of the midship rim weights, along with the super low-edge and straight butterfly shape, made the PHENOM and PHENOMizm easily stand out in the crowd. The only difference between them were the materials used, making the twins good choices for both metal and plastic fans alike. A lot of time and care was needed to develop the prototype into a full product, and that long wait truly paid off. Being Mickey's (Hiroyuki Suzuki) new signature models helped ensure that either or both of them would find their way into every collection.

YoYoJoker - Stratos-Mirage

The latest release from fresh maker YoYoJoker, the Stratos series reveals itself to be a truly new, unique shape for yo-yos. The unprecedented development is in the asymmetrical profile, combining two different yo-yos developed alongside each other to have completely balanced specs with different shapes: the Stratos and Stratos-Another. In just their first year, YoYoJoker has definitely earned our attention and respect. We look forward to what they have in store for us in 2011.

yoyorecreation - Messiah

If we had to pick just one yoyorecreation model, it would have to be the Messiah. For those of you who balk at us for passing over the Sleipnir, we'd like to remind you that the Sleipnir was released in 2009, disqualifying itself from this list! Messiah is Takahiro Iizuka's signature model, and was easily one of the most popular models of the year. Its small size seemed to call to many players, and has proven to be a yo-yo with almost limitless potential. We expect its popularity to easily continue into next year.

What do you think? What does your top ten look like? Are we forgetting anything important?

Who knows what lays ahead for us in the coming year; what kind of yo-yos will be released, and what kind of new developments do we have to look forward to? We can only imagine!

Happy New Year, everyone, and keep on playing!

Japan has a special New Years tradition called the lucky bag (fukubukuro) where merchants fill bags with goods and sell them for huge discounts, often more than than 50%. The only catch is you don't know what's in your bag until you open it, like a Christmas present! REWIND is continuing this Japanese tradition and offering our lucky bags to the entire world, filled with all kinds of yo-yos and goodies. Each lucky bag has a general description of what kind of things you can expect to find in your bag, so you have several options to choose from. Usually, the more you spend the more you save.

Only one thing is guaranteed, you are getting lucky!
Click here to see our Lucky Bags, and choose which one suits you best!

The bags will go on sale 10pm Japan time on Monday (12/27), and will be available until they run out, or Thursday (12/30) at 1:00pm, whichever comes first. They are priced to move, so order yours soon or you'll miss out.

By the way, Merry Christmas! Another Japanese tradition is the Christmas Cake (don't ask for a cultural history lesson on that one, it's a delicious mystery to me). This year the guys got a chocolate and matcha (green tea) flavored cakes. Don't they look good?




 

Happy Holidays, and keep on spinning!

• Futoshi Maruyama
• Hidemasa Semba
• Hiro Irifune
• Jensen Kimmitt
• Kenji Eto
• Kentaro Mannen
• Koichiro Ueta
• Rei Iwakura
• Ryota Ogi
• Shinya Kido
• Sojun Miyamura
• TAKA
• Tatsuya Fujisaka
• Tyler Severance
• Yasushi Furukawa
• And Secret Guest

So, who could that secret guest be?

The players gathered on the stage...


And the secret guest was none other than Nakamura Meijin! He came onstage in an emerald THP polo shirt. A wave of nostalgia hit the crowd!


First up was Nakamura vs. Rei Iwakura. Nakamura wove so many tricks together, from spider baby to the latest complicated tricks. Rei used all sorts of props for his performance, showing the level of thought and preparation he puts into his work.


Last year's winner, Kenji Eto, is rumored to seclude himself in the mountains to practice. His trick style is very unique, but he was up against Futoshi Maruyama, who put down his off string yo-yo to pick up some 1A lately.


Sojun vs. Tyler was like a beat-em-up movie.


Shinya put on a good show, but lost to Ryota Ogi.


TATSUYA vs ROAN!!


Jensen Kimmitt went up against Yo-Yo Master TAKA


Yasushi and Koichiro went head-to-head in a 2A battle


Since Rei, the MC for the contest, was busy participating in the battle, Jun took over the mic for him.


Jensen and Yasushi went head to head, for a world champion battle! Jensen threw 2A while Yasushi did 1A, heh.

Jensen ended up taking the whole thing, throwing down all his special movies for the title. Here's the final board:


Right after the Tournament came the final Showcase. Rei came on stage with a cellphone to his ear, and the crowd went wild.


The lights went out and he performed a killer yo-yo and juggling routine in the dark.


Amidst the excitement of the final performance, Iwada and Dee brought this year's 44CLASH to a close. Good work everybody!!

1A Division

1: Hiroyuki Suzuki
2: Christopher Chia
3: Takahiro Iizuka

2A Division

1: Shu Takada
2: Grant Jonson
3: Ryusei Saito

X Division

1: Tsubasa Onishi
2: Takeshi Matsuura
3: Sean Perez

Battle Tournament

1: Jensen Kimmitt

(from the 44CLASH Official page)

Mickey took 1st in 1A, despite being in poor health. He went to get checked out after the competition, and got hospitalized for pneumonia! We hope he recovers quickly. Singapore's champ Christopher Chia took 2nd, followed up by Iizuka, who exploded on stage with difficult moves.

2A was taken by Shu Takada, who had recently claimed 2nd at the Japan Nationals and 3rd at Worlds, and got scouted by Team YoYoFactory. Grant Johnson, who won the US Nationals just a month ago, took 2nd, and Ryusei Saito snagged 3rd with a memorable outfit and a solid performance after a long hiatus from the contest scene.

Mister X himself, Tsubasa Onishi took the X division. Last year's champ, Takeshi Matsuura still amazed the crowd and brought home the silver. Filipino champ, Sean Perez took third with a high energy performance.

Last year's CLASH winner and current 1A reigning champ, Jensen Kimmitt won this year's battle tournament.

As a gold sponsor, REWIND had permission to film and publicize the performances so we have a DVD here at the office. We were going to publish our videos to youtube, but couldn't get the go-ahead from the event, so we apologize to those of you out there who are hungry for CLASH footage!

To be continued...

We got a lot of new things over the last week, mostly restocking items that had been sold out from Duncan, YoYoFactory and Turning Point. We got a few brand new models in I'd like to share:


We got some special undersized yo-yos from YoYoFactory just for the 44CLASH event at the end of November. It's the same body as the World's special edition they released, a sweet undersized throw.


It's even smaller than the onedrop Dingo! (Dingo on the right)



From Indonesian Maker Rosyo, the R94 makes its first trip to Japan. A wide round shape and a nice smooth finish. Check it out.


RecRev dropped the Electric Daisy on us, a simple round shape that is a very smooth throw. Anthony Rojas used one at this year's Worlds.


Also from RecRev, the Fig. 4. It's the same shape as the No. 9, but much smaller. A good pick for undersized fans! Both RecRevs are available in a beautiful multi-color splash. They both have a great cost-performance ratio, making them good buys as well as good yo-yos.

Check the New Items page for all the other new items and restocks we got in.

>>2010 2A World Champion - Yasushi Furukawa

Hiro kidnapped them to shoot 2A trick videos and spent all afternoon shooting over 100 different tricks. You can check them out on Yo-Yo.jp's trick page HERE!!!

You can also check out the youtube channel they set up for the videos here: www.youtube.com/user/yoyotricklist

Most of them are up already, but there were so many videos, we're still working on them. Check back again soon!

First off is YOYOSKEEL's first model, the Stalker. This is the first Malaysian-made yo-yo, from newly crowned National Champion Muhammad Shakeel. It almost looks like a mini diabolo, with a super low edge and wide catch zone. The gold color is a limited edition.


Next up is I Love Yo-Yo's Liopleurodon, which seems to be a heavyweight version of the Torino. We love the name, but it's hard to spell and pronounce so we just call it "Lio" around the office. Hiro says he has been waiting for a yo-yo of this quality for a long time. For those who like round profiles like the FH Zero, you will love this monster. If this was Mario Kart, Lio would be either Bowser or Donkey Kong for sure.


Last is a special limited edition of the YoYoJoker Stratos, which isn't set to go on sale until the end of November. This pre-release Halloween edition was only available at the 2010 Yo-Style Kyusyu Contest this past Sunday. We got as many as we could but they are sure to go fast.

Lastly, we've received some requests for yo-yo related products that aren't actual yo-yos or accessories, so we picked up a few new items you're sure to like.


This clamshell parts case is great for holding all sorts of acessories and yo-yo parts


We also picked up some Multi-Use Tweezers, super useful for untangling strings, handling delicate parts, and changing out response pads. This pair is really well built, from the same company as our glass-bottles for bearing washing.

Just thinking of tweezers got us thinking about this performance at this year's worlds. Go Ricardo! He pulled out a pair of tweezers to untangle his strings in the middle of his performance, and it drove the crowd wild!

They took the bullet train from Nagoya to Hakata station. It'd been over a year since Jun had last been here; their renovations had been completed and the station looked better than ever.


Fukuoka Tower


Hakata bay. From this vantage point we could see the typhoon that was rolling in. Fortunately, Saturday was only partially cloudy.


Yahoo Dome, though we always thought it was just "Fukuoka Dome."


The Hawks' biggest fan and head cheerleader, "Otousan" (father) was there under glass.

~~~~~
Since the contest was held on Sunday, people traveling long distance would have to leave immediately after the competition, so instead of having an after-party, they had had a big group dinner beforehand.


The contest organizer has a history with the judges and contestants that stretches back over ten years! Everyone had a great time.

Just recently, the 13th Annual German Yo-Yo Masters contest was held. The event organizer, Team Yo-Yo Maniacs (TYM) member and a founder of the GYYA Markus Spriner (AKA Jumper), emceed. He waxed nostalgiac, remembering the very first time they held the contest. Has it already been thirteen years?

TYM.de has a great photo collection from the event, it seems that players from all over Europe were in attendance. Looks like a lot a fun!

The judges put on a demo (video below). Jumper is on the far left with the TYM shirt..


Dave Geigle claimed 2A. He was a member of Team YoYoJam, but it seems that he's migrated over to YoYoFactory. Dave and Bill de Boisblanc's signature Sunset Trajectory NXG was quietly redesigned; the new red variation only has Bill's name on it. Gold star to whomever noticed it.

Rest of the results here.

yoyonews.jp has the high quality version, or you can go to its youtube page. leave a comment if you like it!
Shinya has written a little bit about the video in his blog (sorry, it's in Japanese!)

Official release date is the 6th. Thanks to the time difference, our store will start selling them before anyone else! In the words of many an internet commentator, FIRST!

Available in prison orange and snow white, same as the ones that were available at worlds. Know any good Canadian jokes? we're fresh out.

Oh, here's the product page, it'll say out of stock until the official release on the 6th

2010 Nationals Results
http://contest.nationalyoyo.org/2010/10/02/2010-nationals-results/

Congratulations to all the players, they put on great performances, and we were especially impressed with young Gentry Stein. It seems like he's come a long way the past few years, and shot up like a weed!

The footage from contests just keeps getting better. This year, both YoYoFactory and Duncan shot some great video, and there was a live stream online (now down, of course). Click here for YoYoFactory's channel, and here for Duncan's. YoYoFactory also kept track of who was using what YYF model, which they posted here.

Chris Allen at www.yoyoskills.com took some great photos, you can see here. Also, big congratulations to Chris for receiving the National Achievement award, you deserve it!

On the 10th and 11th of September, REWIND sponsored the Kontes Yo-Yo Indonesia (KYI), held in Jakarta. Dimi from Duncan Malaysia also made it to this content, put together by Arya Andika. Major props to 1A Champion Ahmad Kharisma, and double points for his awesome name. His winning freestyle below:

We aren't sure just how old he is, but he looks pretty young; it's really exciting to see how he develops--he's secured a seed at the next Worlds, so we'll see you there Ahmad!

Also at the beginning of September, Oke Rosgana helped organize a regional contest in Subang, Indonesia, which REWIND sponsored. He later sent us photos from the event.

Rosgana got interviewed for Indonesian TV about the event. You might know Rosgana for his Werrd Rozzor yo-yo, which he designed in collaboration with Werrd.

There seem to be a lot of young yo-yo enthusiasts there. This weekend we can look forward to the US Nationals, also sponsored by REWIND! Two of our staff are there to help with the event and pimp our brand, go seek them out and see if you can score some swag. We're hoping they'll come back with a bunch of new goods!

 

From Jun's post:

He's never without a yo-yo, and is constantly practicing some amazing tricks, many of which haven't been seen at competitions yet.

A full trophy case rests in the living room, displaying his amazing awards from national and international contests. The other day, the mayor paid him a courtesy call. You can read about it here or here. (sorry, the articles are in Japanese)

His family treated me to some homemade dinner. The main course was green curry, delicious! Thanks mom! After dinner I hung out with Takeshi some more; I intended only to stay a couple hours but ended up barely making it on the last train back home! Because it's his default state to work hard, I don't think Takeshi realizes just how hard he practices, but it really is impressive, and I gotta give him props. Someone somewhere said that it's the players that practice the most that become world champions, and young Takeshi is certainly proof of that! I'm really motivated to practice hard now! We should all have such a strong drive, it's the only way to get any better!

Special thanks to Takeshi Matsuura, his sister and their parents for welcoming me into their home (and feeding me).

- Jun

Allllso, we got some more goodies over the past few days, but I thought it'd be bad form to keep doing new item posts and clogging up everyone's feeds every time we get some new stock in...

The YoYoJam PHENOMizm and Equinox went on sale last weekend and sold out with a quickness, no surprise there!

New yo-yo cases came in from My-tho-logy, with PHENOM logos printed on them (in multi-color or blue). This bag may make you nostalgiac for the BC Yo-Yo cases from about 10 years ago... check em out here

Oxygene sent us some new OXY5's to replenish our stock. These are really cool yo-yos, and one of the few full metal models with an adjustable gap.


YoYoFactory dropped the new regular version Rockstar. The regular logo is neat, the stars are actually made from diamond shapes.  In case you missed the Shaqler version released a couple weeks ago, now's your chance to grab a full metal Protostar. All four colors are acid-washed, even the blue (though you have to look closely for it).

Also fresh from YYF, the new Yuukstas. Also all in acid wash, the orange is more vivid and the blue/green color is new.

Lastly, we also got new G5 Kits and Z-stacks from YYF. Don't let the name fool you, the G5 kit is compatible with any YYF hubstack model.

YoYoJam sent us a shipping container's worth of new goods, including the new SFX, Equinox and PHENOMizm. All three are now available for purchase! 

Duncan has sent us their newest Screaming Eagle series, the delrin Freebird. Hank Freeman's signature model. It was first mentioned about a year ago and now it's finally here! This is the model Hank used when he claimed the US National championship and 3rd in the world.

SPYY dropped some goods on us, the Pro and the Stryker. If you haven't used a SPYY before now's your chance! 

We've restocked our YoYoJoker DoubleJoker and Uroboros, as well as their spindle cases. Also, fresh from YoYoJoker is the Cocytus (pronounced koh-kyoo-tuss), set to go on sale on the 25th. This is a really amazing yo-yo, with a small diameter and a super wide gap. Definitely worth checking out.

This is the 2009 version of ILYY's first model, seems like it may be the last run of it too... It's a black beauty, with no logo or text printed on it.

According to Jun, his first impressions from using it were that it were as if all the good points of the Lyn Fury were put into a full metal version. Not just the Lyn Fury, but if someone who plays with Journey or Kickside were looking to move to full metal, E1NS will feel familiar, but with a leap forward in power and efficiency. ILYY's characteristic sense of both being incredibly tough and soft at the same time makes it a real joy to play with.

Click here for the E1NS09

We also got a few Tamiya Bottles for bearing cleaning, click here to check them out. Duncan also shipped us some fresh stock as we were running low on a few things, but no new models at the moment!

Its from DUNCAN!

It has cork brake pads.

Good for beginners.

Three colors available. (Clear Black, Clear Blue and Clear Red)

>> Hyper Yo-Yo Flamewing

Jun

From left to right: Lime Green/White, Green/Lime Green/White, Lime Green/Baby Blue/Green, Baby Blue/Lime Green.

We also ordered Red/Yellow/Orange and Yellow/Pink:

The greens almost make a gradient!

1st Row: Yellow/Pink, Lime Green/White, Baby Blue/Lime Green
2nd Row: Red/Yellow/Orange, Lime Green/Baby Blue/Green, Green/Lime Green/White

These strings are 100% Polyester, but are much softer than regular bulk poly strings. They perform very smoothly for string tricks. Click here for Kitty String's selection

Looks like the ROCKstar Shaqler edition will be followed up with a regular edition. It's unclear whether the Shaqler version will be rereleased... The Yuuksta restocking is being much anticipated. It seems that we'll need to wait a while longer for new Northstars and Replays...

Also, YYF honored us by posting screenshots of REWIND on their blog the other day, since we were the first store to put up stock of their new releases. We're working hard to put up English versions of our product descriptions, but they caught us before we'd posted our description for the Shaqler ROCKstar. It's up now, so although we're already sold out, we're sure you'll like our product description!

onedrop - Markmont Next

In my eyes, Mark Mongtomery is one of the best players out there. His brain twister combos alone make me weak in the knees. If such a player has his own signature yo-yo, there is no choice but to get one! And with that, I just did. -Jun

onedrop - Y Factor

Y Factors have arrived, in blue and orange, equipped with onedrop's 10 ball bearings. Really smooth! If you are considering your first onedrop yo-yo, make it a Y Factor.

onedrop - Dingo

Super small! We got some dingos too, in the same blue and orange as Y Factor. We only have a few of these so act soon or they'll all be gone!

YoYoFactory - ROCKstar (Shaqler Model)

Only a few of these were available for sale at Worlds this year, the ROCKstar makes its first appearance as the 2010 AP Champion "Shaqler" model. This is the same yo-yo used by Kuri and John Ando for their 1st place performance. Essentially a full metal Protostar, it goes without saying how easy it throws.

YoYoFactory - Superstar (Jensen Kimmitt)

Jensen Kimmitt's Superstar. Before we only had red, this time it's coming in purple. 2010 1A World Champion Jensen Kimmitt is truly a Superstar!

YoYoFactory - Primo Pink/Black Acid Wash

Just went on sale the other day, a Japan exclusive! These acid wash yo-yos are gorgeous. We may keep them for ourselves!

YoYoFactory - Genesis (Splash)

YoYoFactory's ever-popular Genesis, with hubstacks, adding a new level of performance to this already popular model.

YoYoFactory - Skyline (Splash)

The unsung hero is back with three new splash color combos. Similar in size to the Yuuksta. We like the blue and purple one.

YoYoFactory - SpeedDial

YoYoFactory's metal yo-yo with a dial for adjustable response

YoYoFactory - Velocity

Our recommendation for beginners, our stock of Velocity just got replenished. Plastic body with easily adjustable response dial.

YYF Pads are also restocked, including the 19mm Slim Size which sold out last week.

Our sale last week wiped out most of our yoyorecreation stock. Today we got in some new:

yoyorecreation - Sleipnir and


yoyorecreation - Blink

The Tatsuya half of TATSUYA vs. ROAN. This has been the most popular YYR model lately!

Chico Yo-Yo Company - Heavy Hitter

Introducing the Heavy Hitter. The newest release from CYYC

A beautiful two-tone heavyweight, with multiple color options. Click on the link above for details and review!

1. If you are no using any sort of security software, or have not updated your security definitions.
2. If you visited our site during the aforementioned time frame using Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) older than version 8, or a browser based on IE version 7 or earlier..
3. If you have not installed security packs for your version of Windows or Internet Explorer.

*Users of Firefox, Safari, Chrome, etc, and those who have updated their Microsoft software are not at risk from this incident

If you meet the above three conditions, the aforementioned code might have accessed a website without your knowledge, containing malicious code that attempts to use security flaws in Windows, IE and flash player to try and infect vulnerable computers with a Trojan virus or worm. If you think you might be at risk, please read the section below regarding detection and immunization.

Detection and Immunization
Please confirm that your internet security and anti-virus software is up-to-date, and run a full system scan to see if your computer has any infections. If you don’t have any security software, please check the following websites for guides on how to scan your system:
Trend-Micro
McAfee Antivirus free trial
Norton free software

If you have no security software installed, we strongly recommend considering looking into it. McAfee, Norton, and Virus Buster are well-known and effective, and Microsoft Security Essential and AVAST! are free to use.

Contacting us in regards to this issue
If you have any questions, observations, or suggestions, please use the following means to contact us:
Phone: 0587-81-3924 (open weekdays 10:00-19:00, Japan time)
Contact form: http://www.yoyostorerewind.com/index.php/en/contacts/

Further Information
In addition to this report, we have published a more detailed report of this incident and the findings of an outside consultant below this page. If at any point new information arises, we will post it there, and will link to the updated information on our store’s top page.

Again, we apologize for any trouble or inconvenience this might has caused. As a business, we take security very seriously, and although our database has not been compromised, we would like to point out that as we go through a third party for payment services, absolutely no customer or credit card information is stored on our servers. We will continue to strive to maximize security to prevent this sort of incident from reoccurring.

Thank you and we look forward to serving you again,
Jun Aramaki, Store Manager
Hironori Mii, Yo-Yo Company Inc. President

If you are interested in a more detailed account of what happened, how we responded, and how we intend to further increase security in the future, please read on…

Cause and Effect (detailed)
A javascript file on the server had incorrect permission settings, and due to this, a malicious robot (program that trolls the web for security holes) was able to append some code onto the end of the javascript. This extra script opened a hidden iframe which points to an external site hosting more potentially malicious code which could leave some users vulnerable to infection. An IT professional in China has written about it here in 2008: http://smartass.blog10.fc2.com/blog-entry-2009.html (you can use a service to translate the site if you wish). This exploit is rather old, and should not be a problem for those who keep their software updated.

There were no infections on our local machines, and our company’s network security has not been breached. This seems to have been a random attack on our hosting server by a web crawler program, and not specifically directed at us. Only one file was affected, and in no way has the site database or customer information been compromised. This code does not target the database, only tries to redirect traffic to the malicious site mentioned above.

Timeline
September 3, 2010

With the help of our vigilant customers and their ongoing support, we were able to solve the issue within the span of one business day. We are very grateful for their aid in resolving this matter so quickly.

Our security response

• We plan to improve our site security to prevent such incidents from happening in the future, including the following:
• Our security up until now has included:
• The PCs in the office are all company-owned and operated, personal computers are not allowed on our company network.
• We don’t use illegal or pirated software
• All our PCs have Norton Antivirus and Internet Security, and are updated regularly
• We run full system scans at least once a week
• We use a third party service (paypal) to handle customers’ personal and credit card information, ensuring it is not stored on our own servers.

Proposed updates to our security procedures:

• Changing all passwords using random string-generator algorithms, and changing them on a regular basis
• Cooperating with our hosting service to ensure that all file permissions are restricted properly, and increasing server security.
• Consulting an outside security expert
• We will periodically re-examine our security measures to make sure you, our valued customers, have the safest shopping experience with our site.

Contacting us in regards to this issue
If you have any questions, observations, or suggestions, please use the following means -o contact us:
Phone: 0587-81-3924 (open weekdays 10:00-19:00, Japan time)
Contact form: http://www.yoyostorerewind.com/index.php/en/contacts/

Extra notes
These details are geared towards the more IT-oriented customers interested in knowing more about what happened, and for our own team to keep track of the issue and measure our response. Not just security-related, if you have any suggestions or advice for us, we are more than happy to hear them. Even very minor details are welcome for criticism. We made this website for you so we want to hear your opinions! Please use the contact information above.

Thank you for your concern and for your continued patronage. We look forward to serving you again,
Jun Aramaki, Store Manager
Hironori Mii, Yo-Yo Company Inc. President

Jun

Jun

Its bronze looks like chocolate.

4 colors available. (Violet, Blue, Red, Gold, and Bronze like chocolate)

>> Turning Point - Positron

Jun

Jun

I had watched on ustream live. It was very exciting.

Thanks to every players.

Results are here. (only pics)

Final results

1A

2A

3A

4A

5A

AP(Artistic Performaonce)

1st Shaqler (John Ando, Atsushi Yamada, Takeshi Maruyama, Shigesato Kurita)

2nd Rei Iwakura

3rd Takahiko Hasegawa

Preliminary

1A Round 1

1A Semi finals

2A

3A

4A

5A

You can watch 2010 World Yo-Yo Contest videos!

yama@18's channel on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/user/yama18yoyo/

YoYoFactory's channel on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/user/yoyofactoryvideo/

Thanks to yama@18, Taiichiro Higashi, YoYoFactory!

Jun

World Yo-Yo Contest 2010 will be held in Orlando FL.

Rewind staff Hironori Mii and Shinya Kido are there.

Hiro took a picture...

Nice T-shirt!=)

Thanks Ben!!

YoYoFactory has a lot of new items at Worlds.

Check at YoYoFactory News.

Jun

>> YoYoJoker "Double Joker"

yoyorecreation's Dreadnought Pink in stock.

>> yoyorecreation "Dreadnought"

And prototype raw yo-yos are here!

Upper: E=mc2, Jealousy, Overdrive.

Lower: Blink, Sleipnir, Third Impact.

(Left to right)

Jun

Genesis+ Throwback!

Do you remember the Grind Machine2?

Grind Machine2 (left) and Genesis+ Throwback (right).

>> YoYoFactory "Genesis+ Throwback"

Only a few pieces "Raw" Sleipnir in stock now.

>> yoyorecreation "Sleipnir(Raw)"

Yo-Yo Store REWIND original logo Tee available.

>> REWIND T-shirt(Green)

Jun

At first two yo-yos came out today.

1) Stargazer (Blasted Pink)

One of popular product in a lineup.

>> yoyorecreation "Stargazer"

2) Jealousy Prototype (RAW)

Jealousy is the signature yo-yo of Kazuma Ohno who is 2008 Japan national 3A champion.

This is designed with a Sleipnir base.

Sleipnir (left), Jealousy (right)

These are look like twins!

>> yoyorecreation "Jealousy (Prototype)"

Jun

yoyorecreation "Sleipnir"

REWIND staff Shinya Kido will use this blue color.

yoyorecreation is not going to make Sleipnir for the time being.

>> yoyorecreation "Sleipnir"

Turning Point "Maxbet"

Owner of TP, Kentaro Kimura produced new 3A yo-yo.

Maxbet is the best 3A yo-yo ever for him. Of course for you!

>> Turning Point "Maxbet"

YoYoJoker "UROBOROS"

UROBOROS is the second yo-yo which is Daisuke Shimada's new yo-yo brand, YoYoJoker.

Choose your favorite one among many colors.

>> YoYoJoker "UROBOROS"

Free shipping them from REWIND!

Jun

"Half and Half" and "Tres Leches"

>> Crucial "Half and Half"

>> Crucial "Tres Leches"

Thanks Paul.

Jun

Now, new colors (gold, blue and teal) available.

>> Turning Point "Leviathan2" here

Jun

Chico Yo-Yo Company's first product "Bulldog" is reproduced as "Bulldog 5 Alarm".

Flame pattern with three color anodizing.

80 pieces only in the world.

>> Chico Yo-Yo Company "Bulldog 5 Alarm" here

Hyper Yo-Yo "SpinPhoenix" now available.

Colors are clear black, clear red and clear pink with sidecap glows in the dark.

>> Hyper Yo-Yo "SpinPhoenix" here

Also available new colors of "Hyper Comet" and "MonsterShell"

Hyper Comet are orange and white.

>> Hyper Yo-Yo "Hyper Comet" here

MonsterShell are pink and ceramic white.

>> Hyper Yo-Yo "MonsterShell" here

And then, just arrival!!!

Takahiro Iizuka's signature yo-yo "Messiah".

Latest color is purple (non blasted)

Don't miss it.

>> yoyorecreation "Messiah" here

Jun

>> YoYoFactory - LOOP900

Jun

2010 Japan Nationals Champion, Japanese superstar Hiroyuki Suzuki's birthday.

Happy Birthday Mickey!

>> YoYoFactory Presents: Hiroyuki Suzuki, 2010 Japan National 1a Yo-Yo Champion

Hiroyuki Suzuki's signature yo-yos are here.

Speeder

YoYoJam's one of bestseller. It's still continues to sell.

But... sorry, out of stock now.

Speed Maker

It's like a plastic Speeder, good for begginers.

There are many colors. Choice your favorite color!

Meteor

His latest signature model so far. All metal yo-yo.

His own brand "My-tho-logy" PHENOM Tee. Now available!

>> MY-THO-LOGY PHENOM T-shirt

Jun

Hello, everyone!

I'm Jun Aramaki, the store manager of Yo-Yo Store REWIND.

This blog is the store blog, writen by REWIND staff.

If you don't know about REWIND, visit here at first.

Thank you.

-Jun