Good points but I'm not sure you could consider me a new ken player since I remember when the oversized cups were barley a thing GT is literally my definition of the best kendama in the world (wasn't really into the game when mugens were the hype). And I have been pretty content with the terra products and sweets hg.why? because these companies were all trying something new and what some might believe risky. they haven't always sold out and done as well as they used to. when I look at kendama use all I see is a company that in the end of the day wants to make money so to do that they make the biggest cups in the game and boom there back in because lets face it. Kusa has lately been falling down and companies like sweets and GT are on the rise. Not trying to set up a conspiracy or anything but I think this direction is the exact reason Jake Wiens left kusa. Anyway some of this might not make since but its kind of a snapshot of my brain. Who knows maybe I'm missing something or the shift will grow on me.
I'm fairly certain Krom started the bigger ken trend with the vikings. Then KUSA changed the cups to match the ken size. Then everyone including Krom started with the larger ken, larger cups thing. The new big cup trend isn't without reason. Old ken shapes just can't hold up to the players and progression of tricks. Also, as it started with the Vikings, it was for players with larger hands. Ozora has said they are announcing a new shape at KWC and I'd bet money that it's going to be larger kens with large cups to compete more with the overseas companies I also remember a time when extra sticky clears & paint were seen as cheap. That it was natty life. Rubberized paint was hailed as cheaters paint. Now it's fairly normal to see super tacky clears and paints like Sweets Cushion, Kroms LOL, Analogs ET and nobody thinks about it. So in time, the larger cups and kens will become the norm too and nobody will think much of it.
I would disagree with all of this. I Don't think kusa is a company in it just to make money. They were one of the first companies around, pioneering what we know as kendama today, and that isn't just by making kendamas and selling them. They are and have always been huge ambassadors in the community through their players and their sponsoring of events, clubs, etc. I know of small start up clubs at schools that have received 10+ free damas from Kusa just to spread the love. On a personal level, I walked out of the Kusa warehouse one day, and Jewbacca came outside, stopped me, and handed me a free string pack. I would say those things are evidence that Kusa isn't just in this to make money. And about them falling to sweets, gt, etc. GT has the highest quality, no one can compete with them. As for sweets, their prime tactic certainly appeals to the crowd that wants to instantly land tricks with ease using the big cups, sticky paint, etc. Nothing wrong with that, but for me, Kendama isn't all about that. One of the beauties of the game is the process of grinding tricks, and I know I'm not the only one who really enjoys landing bangers on classy shapes, slicker paint, etc. As for me, I'd much rather jam a kaizen 2.0 silk than a prime. 100% of the time. It's preference. I would say the majority of people, especially kids around my age, are attracted to the sweets/krom stuff, but me and other DS members I'm sure would rather vary our experience. I wouldn't say kusa is falling, I'd just say that there is a shift on the style of damas people are desiring, l'd say due to a lot of new people (namely Romanians) entering the game and wanting to instantly land bangers like the type they see on instagram. IMO no reason sweets is better than kusa, just that kusa for the most part chooses to stay classy, while sweets wants to give people an extra ability to land the popular styles of tricks atm (which there isn't anything wrong with). So not better, just different. I know some people will disagree, but that's what makes this kind of stuff interesting
@quacktaped I can understand what you're saying, but believe me when I say KUSA producing the Shift was not a "lets just copy other people to make money" decision. They took a serious risk and made a huge investment into the future of the kendama world with this project.. I can't say much more than that, but in time the info will be made public. Its really exciting stuff! Thats not quite right, I'm pretty sure the Terra LBB released before the Viking (I just tried to check, I found a Viking 'pre release' video dated spring 2014, whereas the first LBB batch was sold late 2013), but before that I think GT was the first one to deviate from JKA cup sizes (they upped the big cup size, just a little bit). But otherwise I agree, I remember when non-slick paint was cheating! haha. Now oversized cups are just the norm for what players want. A JKA spec dama just isn't going to be popular these days, even though a few years ago anything but JKA spec was considered wack. Things change!
I’m pretty sure Jake Wiens left KUSA because he wanted to be more involved with GT, and with the mass produced E1s they would be in direct competition with KUSA. The reason the cups are bigger, is because that is unanimously what the KUSA players wanted. They designed the shape they thought was the best, not a cash grab. And it being less than $70 would hardly make sense when you look at the other US manufactured damas.
Although I agree with many points you made, I don’t think you’re exactly right either. I’m not positive but I believe the 2.0 shape came before the primes/pops and I don’t think that KUSA was trying to be more “classy” when they produced it. They boosted cup sizes and such with the 2.0, just not quite as much, and designed it with the current type of play at which it was designed, in mind. I think it’s all just relative to time and progression of Kendama.
You can't hate on KUSA for making a kendama that fits the modern play of today's players. A lot of the kendama community obviously likes these new shapes, like the pop and the prime. It only makes sense that KUSA would also move towards this because they have to make money in order to remain a business. Also, take a look at the pops and primes. Big cups, sticky paint, cheap price. Do you think those were "trying something new and risky?" While they are dope kendamas to jam, it's really the easiest way to get new players hooked. The big cups and the sticky paint make landing tricks like lighthouse and lunar waaaay easier, giving new players the same feeling of satisfaction and stoke as the OG players got on JKAs, just in a way shorter amount of time, meaning they'll probably want to keep playing and not give it up so easily. The fact that it's also super cheap means that these new players will probably come back to the same company when they want a new kendama, why do you think sweets and krom dominate Romania? Big cups, sticky paint, cheap price point (there are other factors like the pros on the team, etc). Also #2, KUSA hasn't been exactly been falling down, but I think that them not having something to compete with the pops and primes definitely hurts a little. The 2.0s are a good shape, but they don't have the same specs as the pops/primes. at least these shifts will help them compete even if it isn't at the same price point. And another also (lol), $70 for an American made natty is not expensive. All of the non overseas GTs go for upwards of that price, and they're American made natties as well. And I think Jake left because he wanted to go full GT. I don't think it's because he disagreed with the "direction" KUSA is going. I bet it's pretty hard juggling being a professional for a company while also being a co-owner of your own company, and being the creative director for Grain Theory is something that Jake seems like he's always wanted to do. TLDR: good on KUSA Bray was jamming what I guess was a shift at sakura classic, and his looked pretty honed, can't wait to try one out at some point!
Good point, didn't think about that. I agree with pretty much all of this. You voiced a lot of the things that I tried to say or wanted to say that I couldn't really describe. This is spot on.
oof... I bought a birch already. I'll stick with my birch though, I really needed a second birch ken in my arsenal. Still waiting for it to come in though...
I bought the birch, and I also plan on getting the hickory tomorrow. Kusa leaked 2 PM, but I have no clue what time zone they are releasing in. I will assume EST because KUSA is based in Georgia
I'm slightly bummed about this as I prefer hickory over birch myself but don't exactly have the funds to scoop both. I'll still very much enjoy my new dama, but if I would've known they would drop hickory a few days later I would've held off for that
I think the hickory is only going for this batch! KUSA has another shape coming, the craft slim v2, which will probably come in hickory again too though!
You got all the secret deets! I never played the craft slim so I will certainly keep my eyes and wallet ready for a slim shift
Kind of wish I got the hick but at the same time I'm glad I got birch. Mine hasn't even come in yet, who's to say I won't like the birch better? I only have one hickory dama, but same with birch. At least I can say I got one from the first batch I do like how they are doing different woods than just maple and ash. They saw the need for variety and went with it! I'll definitely cop one of those in hickory