ICONIC Esports Moments: EVO Moment 37 - 'The Daigo Parry' (Street Fighter)

In the history of esports, certain highlights have managed to transcend games – plays so incredible that no fan, regardless of game loyalty, can deny their brilliance.

Think of Dota 2’s “the Play”, coldzera’s Jumping AWP in CS:GO and League of Legends’ “the xPeke”. However, before any others is one that stands alone - a play which is arguably the original iconic esports moment and is quite possibly the most influential of them all: EVO Moment 37.

Music used under license from Associated Production Music LLC (”APM”).

Footage and Images Credits:

Thumbnail Image of Daigo
Credit: Robert Paul

Images of Ken and Chun Li
Courtesy: Capcom

“The Play” Booth and Crowd Cam:
Uploaded by Chris Myll

iG vs Na`Vi Game 2, Winner Bracket Semifinals
Courtesy: Valve
Uploaded by Dota2

Luminosity Gaming vs Team Liquid - Semi Finals
Courtesy: Major League Gaming

Fnatic vs. SK Gaming @ IEM Katowice 2013
Courtesy: ESL

Daigo vs Valle (1998)
Source: TV Tokyo
Uploaded by Guoguodi

Raoh vs. Justin Wong
Origin: @SethKillian
Uploaded by: sizoKazo

Justin vs. Daigo (EVO MOMENT 37 full-set)
Courtesy: Evolution Championship Series
Uploaded by theShend

Daigo vs Justin (EVO 2016):
Courtesy: Evolution Championship Series
Uploaded by Squarion

Infiltration vs Fuudo (SFV Grand Final, EVO 2016)
Courtesy: Evolution Championship Series
Uploaded by Capcom Fighters

Daigo vs Justin Wong
Courtesy: ELEAGUE

Daigo vs. Justin Wong
Courtesy: Super Arcade
Uploaded by TokidoFans

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[theScoreesports]

Hey everyone - thank you all so much for watching the video! This was our first foray outside of LoL/Dota 2/CS:GO for the Iconic series, and your response has been frankly overwhelming. It’s amazing to hear that so many non-fighting game fans can appreciate this classic esports moment and can understand its significance.

We've got lots of amazing stuff planned for the future, so please keep the feedback coming - we aim to bring you great content each and every time!

- Nic

[Zephyrbal]

For the record, Chun's super comes out so fast that if you are not already inputting the parry BEFORE the super flash, you will get hit. This means that Daigo was parrying the move before it happened. That's how deep in Justin's head he was. You can watch in the seconds before the super that he's almost perfectly mirroring Justin's movements, because he knows the parry is coming.

The parry is iconic, but the level of skill on display is even better than it looks.

[fuh-zee]

Justin thought he could catch Daigo with that super...




He was Wong.

[HumorousLOL]

As a side note, it's important to add that not only was the parry stupid impossible due to pressure from the crowd, input perfection, and the fact he had no HP remaining, but what some people never caught is the fact Daigo was positioning himself to do the parry in the final moments. If you notice while they are both dancing around right before the super, Daigo isn't dancing. He's trying to move his character forward as many times as possible, resetting himself when he gets too close. The reason for this is that Hoyokusen cannot be parried unless the target is already moving towards Chun Li at the beginning of the attack. This made the parry even more of a gamble for Daigo, because he not only had to parry the attack, there's a chance he would have guessed incorrectly when Justin executed the super, and losing the match before getting a single parry off. This makes it even more of an impressive feat. The guy planned this in mere seconds.

[ArcaneAzmadi]

This series explains why this moment IS the greatest esports moment of all time- it's not just the feat, it's the context. But if anything I think it _undersold_ what made this so unbelievable. Parrying an entire Chun-Li super is impressive and requires a lot of skill, but is far from impossible. If Daigo had just parried Justin's _first_ super in this match people would have been wowed, but it would have barely been remembered, let alone become legendary.

This was the deciding round between two of the best players in the world. After taking one round apiece, Daigo had gotten off to a TERRIBLE start in this decider, losing 90% of his life bar without taking off more than 5% of Justin's in return. It looked like it was over before it had begun. Then, as the commentary put it, you saw a rare instance of Daigo getting angry- but instead of going on tilt, he turned to _ice._ He smashed Justin around, dealing back almost all the damage he'd taken himself without taking a single hit- but then Justin _connected_ with a single hit, dropping Daigo to literal pixels of health.

And HERE is where the legend begins. When Justin's hit connected, everyone _knew_ it was over. Justin had WON and Daigo couldn't stop him. All Justin had to do was use his super and Daigo would be defeated by the chip damage. It was almost impossible for him to survive, he'd have to parry the ENTIRE super. So Justin launched the super and the crowd started to cheer for his victory.

Then Daigo parried the first hit. Well OK, not like he had any choice in the matter, even with this act of desperation he's still doomed. Then the second hit, then the third. Huh. Fourth hit parried, fifth... it sinks into the crowd that he's actually trying to parry the whole super! The cheering rises to a crescendo. More parries. Daigo jumps, still parrying. Fourtheenth, _fifteenth hit parried!_ Daigo successfully _parries the whole super without taking a single hit_ and comes down into the combo that leads into his own super, the KO and the win! The cheering goes _atomic!_ From the very edge of humiliating defeat, he chose the _perfect_ time to show how good he _really_ is, because if he couldn't he'd lose. It was time to put up or shut up, and Daigo put up to an effectively unmatchable level.

And that's how legends are made.

[josefernandez]

damn I still get goosebumps from this to this day. what Daigo did was something that you would think only a computer program could do. he is really a fucking beast!

[nkskrb]

2:46 " He was wrong. " just sent a chill down my spine.

[kai_yama]

This moment is absolutely legendary. The Beast never fails to give me the goosebumps.

[EdwinDPZ]

The thing about this play is that even if you don't understand fighting games or street fighter or anything about the game mechanics, you still know something amazing was happening.

[Wladislav]

The most legendary moment in esports from one of the oldest/original esports game types.
To infinity and beyond, FGC.

[AshuraH]

The Daigo Parry - so legendary it was put in Ken's reveal in Smash Ultimate

[daraxiong]

talk about iconic! that shit was epic!

[Zetsuei]

Man this video with the narrator going on and on, almost made me cry. Fucking good!

[downgrade]

I remember showing this to my mom way back when. She knew nothing about street fighter, but after briefly explaining the machanics, even she had to stand there, mouth agape in shock and awe.

[NegoClau]

This moment singlehandedly RESSURRECTED the entire STREET FIGHTER franchise... 2 years later, Capcom released Street Fighter IV

[KhurramShahzad-idqy]

If EVO Moment 37 is just a single video on youtube, it would've gone over billions. It was and still is the best EVO moment ever. The tenacity and skill level here is yet to be reached by any other player, but Diago became a legend of his pure skill display at that moment.

[ericalfon]

this moment is sooo special to me, i was a maniac fighting game since i was a kid back in 1996. but as the life goes on, depression and family pressure comes to me like never before, finally i lost my spirit in fighting game. but seeing this very moment, revives me inside and made me started to play again.

[stilliving]

This moment is still absolutely beautiful and the storytelling of this piece frames it beautifully.

I may never have been a bona fide gamer, and I may be in the deep end of being a responsible adult, but this moment - now and always - will ever hold a place in my heart.

[WesllyOni]

Can't stop rewatching this, oh my goodness. 15 parrys, perfectly timed and turning the tables on Justin, amazing.

[Kakuren]

These are the type the videos that made me subscribe. An amazing retelling of a story not just hardcore fans should know but everyone who enjoys games. Keep it up and you will break 100k easy.