The feel-good story of Valorant Masters Reykjavik, Japanese super-team ZETA DIVISION talks with Screen Rant about success, goals, and personal lives.

While Valorant Champions Tour 2022 Masters Reykjavik was an incredible tournament for nearly every team that participated, there were obviously some stand-out performances. OpTic Gaming's adaptability after losses resulted in no team beating them twice en route to winning the tournament, while Brazilian squad LOUD proved they were more than just hype, finishing second and cementing their status as a team to watch. However, it was the third-place finish of ZETA DIVISION that, perhaps more than any other team, resonated with fans and caught fire on social media.

ZETA DIVISION is a Japanese super team filled with some of the country's brightest stars. Hailing from a region that has historically struggled to perform at major international LANs - the team's goal going into the tournament, after all, was to win a match - the third-place run from Reykjavik was as captivating as it was unexpected. Fueled by the kind of chemistry many squads dream of and an undeniable air of destiny, it took a near-perfect Best-of-5 from eventual winners OpTic to finally end the Cinderella run.

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Because ZETA DIVISION felt like they came out of nowhere, fans from regions that might not be able to watch VCT Japan Challengers were often getting their first look at a squad that's now become superstars internationally. While they had plenty of opportunity to showcase their talent in-game, there's a lot more to ZETA DIVISION than top-tier aim and on-the-fly decision-making. Screen Rant recently got a chance to catch up with the entire team: Koji "Laz" Ushida, Tomoaki "crow" Maruoka, Yuma "Dep" Hashimoto, Shota "SugarZ3ro" Watanabe, and Tenta "TENNN" Asai, alongside coaches Yuya "JUNiOR" Sawada and Hibiki "XQQ" Motoyama. Here's a look into their mentality heading into Stage 2 Challengers and some of the personality quirks that makes the team such a compelling squad to cheer for. (Editor's note: some answers have been lightly edited for clarity.)

Now that Valorant Masters Reykjavik is over, has it set in yet what you’ve managed to accomplish as a team?

XQQ: There is nothing better than to have achieved a good result of 3rd place. We have not had good results as a Japanese team, but after seeing how the Asian teams were competing well at the Worlds, we were confident that we could compete if we practiced correctly and performed as well as they did on the stage. However, I can't count the number of rounds where we were saved by players, such as the battle at Fracture against NiP, so I would like to aim to create a more consistent game in Stage 2.

When did you start to realize how many fans had begun supporting you during the tournament? Was there a key moment?

crow: When the Nice remix was played against Team Liquid, we felt we were being cheered. When we reviewed the recording of the match after the game, the cheering in the comments section at that time gave us a positive feeling. The support in the replies on Twitter gave us strength.

#VALORANTMasters VALORANT Masters Reykjavík — Lower Bracket DAY7 NICE.mp4#ZETAWIN　 🟣Twitchhttps://t.co/ibLWFkjkXX 🔴YouTubehttps://t.co/uhaprsnVW5 pic.twitter.com/isdNwk8ucS

Previously, the goal was to win a match, then it was to qualify for playoffs. What’s the team’s goals moving into the rest of 2022? 

JUNiOR: Our next goal is to win the championship. Winning the Top 3 has taught us how to win tournaments and how difficult they can be.The schedule is very tight and the opponents change every day, which is a unique difficulty of offline tournaments. These are things that we cannot learn from just one win, so it was a great learning experience for us. We hope to make the most of this experience and do even better next time.

Are there any teams that you played in Reykjavik that stood out to you, either stylistically or because the match was extremely memorable? 

XQQ: All the regions played with their own team styles, so all the teams we played were impressive. Among them, OpTic left a strong impression on us because they had played as many games as we had, but they showed a way of fighting that went behind our countermeasures. However, we gained a lot of experience from OpTic, and I am glad that we were able to play them at that time.

When watching the team play, it felt like there were a lot of emotions being displayed on stage, in contrast to the way some other teams play more reserved. What was the mood like as the tournament kept running? Was there anyone in particular on the team helping keep everyone focused? 

Laz: The atmosphere was good from start to finish because everyone was a member who cherished the atmosphere. When they played well, I would inspire us with "NICE!" and when anyone made mistakes, I would tell them "Don’t mind”. If I had to name one person, I would say that Dep cared the most.

While other teams also say “nice!” after a good round, ZETA DIVISION’s brand of “nice” caught on with the audience. What makes the team’s so special it even got its own song?

Laz: I think this is because Japan, originally a region with a bad reputation, made a great impression by making great strides, and the "NICE!" calls were louder than those of other teams.

International tournaments are great for introducing fans to teams they might not have gotten a chance to see before, and ZETA DIVISION caught the eye of a lot of fans across the globe. I think a lot of people want to get to know the team better, so I’ve prepared a few questions to help with that. How did everyone get their start in Valorant? 

Laz: I was a professional gamer in "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" for about seven years. However, it had become difficult for me to continue as a professional gamer, and I was on the verge of giving up my professional career. It was at that time that Valorant was released and I decided to make the transition.

crow: Originally, I had been playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive for about four years, and my goal was to become No. 1 in Asia, but the world barrier was high and difficult. The number of viewers for CS:GO was not high in Japan, and it was difficult to be active as a professional gamer. It was at that time that Valorant was released and all the members at that time made the decision to move to Valorant.

Dep: Before I started Valorant, I was a professional gamer for Overwatch and PUBG. I was not active as a professional gamer just at the time of their release, so I started out of curiosity.

TENNN: I was a professional gamer on Overwatch when Valorant was released. However, it was tough to be active on Overwatch in Japan, and Japan was not in a position to aim for the top. At that time, I learned about Valorant and decided to play, thinking that something would change.

SugarZ3ro: I have been playing FPS games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Battlefield, and Call of Duty for a while.When I heard about Valorant on Twitter, I tried playing the beta test and found it very interesting and got hooked.

What Agent do you think is the strongest? Who is the weakest? 

Laz: Strongest, Chamber, his strength is his rendezvous. It's where he can go for one pick without risk and can't get traded. Weakest, Phoenix, he has been left behind while other agents have synergy in team play.

crow: Strongest, Chamber, the rendezvous is strong because he can take one pick and run away to a safe place. Weakest, Phoenix, he is weak because his advantage - his ultimate - is now more than offset by the newer agents.

Dep: Strongest, Chamber, he is strong in that he can do everything on his own. Weakest, Yoru, I personally don't like him. The abilities are difficult to use and I don't like his visuals.

TENNN: Strongest, Raze, all skills are strong and seamless. Weakest, Phoenix, while his skills are not weak, they are not effective in many situations and are not useful.

SugarZ3ro: Strongest, Chamber, both Headhunter and his ultimate are too strong. Weakest, Phoenix, his ultimate is strong, but his flash is easy to dodge and his other skills are not good enough.

What do you do in your spare time? 

Laz: During the season I sleep or do individual practice. After tournaments and in the off-season I may play other games.

crow: I watch movies and dramas.

Dep: My hobby is eating. I go to good restaurants and cook by myself. My most recent home-cooked dish was shrimp dumplings.

TENNN: Petting my dog and sleeping. Going out to dinner with friends is also a nice break.

SugarZ3ro: On my days off, I am streaming VALORANT competitive games. I stream on Twitch, so come watch! Outside of gaming, my hobby is watching movies.

What’s your go-to meal before a big match? 

Laz: I try to eat pure carbohydrates, such as white rice. This is because it gives me energy without the worry of getting sick.

crow: It's yakiniku. Before the tournament begins, ZETA members eat together to get into the spirit of the tournament.

Dep: I like chili pepper spicy food, so that's my game meal.

TENNN: I don't have any specific one, but I drink green tea. (because I'm from Shizuoka [laughs])

SugarZ3ro: I like spicy noodles, so that's my game meal. I like pasta, udon, ramen, anything.

Who on the team is the most likely to blame luck after a bad round?

Laz: We all make a conscious effort not to say it at such times, but if something too terrible and unfortunate happens, I and crow will react.

crow: I think it's me (laughs). I have a habit of shouting at such times.

Dep: It is crow. “This is unlucky," he often says, which is one of those funny reactions because it's not pessimistic.

TENNN: crow. he says, "This is not a choice," and breaks the bad mood.

SugarZ3ro: Laz. However, we all call out the unlucky rounds and make a firm [mental] switch before entering the next round.

Who on the team is the funniest?

Laz: Everyone is funny. I think it is Dep that likes to be funny.

crow: All the members are funny, but if I had to pick one, I would choose Dep. He is always making me laugh with his sudden jokes and unique word choices.

Dep: Coach JUNiOR's words and actions are so interesting that I never get tired of watching him.

TENNN: Dep. He is usually quiet, but when you get to know him, he becomes a comedian.

SugarZ3ro: Dep. He is a mood maker who makes us laugh outside of practice.

If everyone could give aspiring pros one piece of advice, that’d be great.

Laz: It is important to keep your motivation high and practice a lot. I think having a goal close at hand is an element that makes it easier to grow. If you work hard with the goal of defeating world-class players, you will get closer to becoming a professional gamer.

crow: I think it is most important to have team activities because competitive and team games are quite different. I think it is a good idea to team up with highly motivated friends and achieve results at community tournaments.

Dep: You need to keep your motivation high. In competitive play, you can concentrate if you play with the enthusiasm of "I will make the strongest clip in the world" without worrying about winning or losing.

TENNN: Words alone will not make you better, you have to work hard every day. Practice a lot in shooting ranges and in competitive matches, and watch and learn from people who are good. That way you will increase your knowledge and become better at it.

SugarZ3ro: I believe that players who constantly think about the correct answer to a problem are more likely to grow in your play. You watch the example, practice, review it, correct it, and repeat this process to get better at it.

Do you play any video games outside of Valorant? If so, which ones?

Laz: I play a lot of single player games. I prefer to play the Souls series by FromSoftware. I also like Switch games and played Kirby while traveling.

crow: I don't play many games other than Valorant, but I play League of Legends and play multiplayer games like Monster Hunter with friends.

Dep: I play a variety of titles. Apex Legends, League of Legends, osu!, Shadowverse.

TENNN: I play Tetris. I am about Top 80 in the world.

SugarZ3ro: I only play VALORANT.

What’s the best TV show or movie you’ve ever seen?

Laz: I don't watch those much anymore, and the only thing I watch now is the morning news. crow likes movies, so I used to watch the ones he recommended. Among them, The Dark Knight left an impression on me, and now I am hooked on Fantastic Beasts.

crow: I like overseas movies and dramas. For dramas, "Lucifer" is my favorite, and for movies, I love Nolan's movies.

Dep: I like Japanese actress Kasumi Arimura, so when I find something she is in, I watch that films and dramas.

TENNN: I don't watch those, but I like SAO (Sword Art Online) in anime. On YouTube, I often watch documentaries of high school baseball games (Amembo Plus), which are interesting because they overlap with my past self.

SugarZ3ro: I recently got hooked on the "Marvel" series and have watched them all. I like overseas movies. I like not only action movies but also suspenseful ones.

Finally, is there anything you’d like to say to the fans who supported your Masters Reykjavik run?

Laz: Thank you all for your support. It was very encouraging to see so many of you. ZETA DIVISION was able to finish in 3rd place. Although the result was good, we are not satisfied.We will continue to aim for the top position in the world without letting up and without burning out. Thank you for your continued support.

crow: It was very powerful to receive your cheers, both at home and abroad, while in Iceland. Thank you very much for your support.

Dep: Thank you so much to all the fans who have supported Masters. Your support helps me a lot. I will continue to do my best, so please continue to support me.

TENNN: I didn't think I would make it this far, but thank you all for believing in us and supporting us. I will be back for revenge at Stage 2 and aim for the championship! Thank you for your support.

SugarZ3ro: Thank you so much for your support. We have received a lot of comments from you guys on Twitter and YouTube, and I have read through all of them, although I have not been able to reply to them.The public viewing was quite exciting and the members and I were talking about how we wanted to be a part of it. I am glad that the Valorant scene is getting excited. Next time, we will aim for the championship!

Thanks so much for your time! If any readers want to know where to find the team on social media, their links are below:

SugarZ3ro: SugarZ3ro Twitter

ZETA DIVISION: ZETA DIVISION official Twitter, ZETA esports Twitter, ZETA DIVISION official web site

Next: John Goscicki Interview: Inside Creating Valorant's Chamber

Cody is Screen Rant's Game Reviews Editor. He joined the team in 2018 and has been reporting on games pretty well every day since - except on weekends, where he's typically playing them instead. Despite being in a field ostensibly about critiquing and enjoying quality games, his most played game of 2019 was Fate/Grand Order - something unlikely to change in 2020 and beyond.