I think results or not, there comes a point where if you want to play at your absolute top level with a character, if it means playing that character in a way you don't enjoy, then either you stop enjoying the game entirely, or you switch to a character that you enjoy whose optimal play aligns with how you want to play the game. It doesn't mean you don't like that character anymore, but for as much as you're playing the game you need to be enjoying the grinding you're doing which is going to be playing with those optimal habits in mind.
It's sad because ESAM and Pikachu have been practically synonymous for so many years so it feels weird to not have that anymore. On the other hand, I LOVE watching you play Brawler so honestly I'm so down to watch you main him
Pikachu is still a really good character, but he has to work a lot harder for optimal damage and neutral compared to the much easier meta characters right now (Gnaw, Steve, Sonic, ROB, Cloud, etc) that Pika is either even or losing the matchup to. ShinyMark won S Factor with solo pika but you have to play a lot more passive, which is fine and some might enjoy or be very good at, but not the way ESAM or a lot of pika mains wanna play (not that I’m top level but at locals and such it does make a difference)
Maaaan. This was genuinely a little sad to watch, but I get it. As someone's who's been maining Pika since Melee, I'm sure you know this already, but this little rat is EXHAUSTING. Ultimate has been out for 6 years now, and I've barely moved with Pika. He is a character that requires perfect play, and that's just not gonna happen. I've been questioning for a few years now if maining Pikachu is actually the right call for me because of how deceptively complex he is. But you were the one person that helped me feel like I can get better with him. Your Mii Brawler is definitely hype, so I say he is a worthy successor to the Pika. And at the end of the day, sometimes just taking a break from the main is just what the Doc ordered. At any rate, i hope he'll make a couple cameo appearances from time to time.
@@sheridan5175For sure. I'm all for playing a character you find fun, but at the top level, the situation is completely different. Bowser Jr. is a downgrade in nearly every way.
I used to play Pikachu and switched to Mii Brawler a long time ago. I completely sympathize with your decision! Best to have fun with your character of choice!
I am split. I love playing and watching MiiBrawler much more then pika, but it’s the Esam pika that we are losing. As long as he stays bald i will believe everything is fine
Mkleo choose to play byleth (and got better results with him), instead of Aegis despite the fact that byleth is worse than Aegis because byleth fit his play style better and his strengths as a player. If you want to play Mii brawler, do it. It's not our decision.
@@benross9174honestly, I don’t even think he needs the airspeed to be aggressive. I think the only reason he’s not is TJolt being too good and his whiff punishing being better than his aggression
takes courage to switch your main, but the way you talk about it makes me certain that this is the correct choice for you :) I feel like mindset is one of the most important things in competitive play, so anything to improve that will pay off in time. Good luck!! I'm excited!
@@GreenBunnyGamesGuides even a perfectly played Shulk would still lose to somebody really good at parrying I feel. He is a good character; a solid high tier but when the frame data (in terms of startup) is slower than Seph, Hero, Min Min etc you are always going to have to rely on moves that are reactable/telegraphed
The legend of the Bald Pikachu king ends here you made me pick up Pikachu It's been fun to watch the Pikachu master I guess its my time to take your crown as Pikachu.
I have watched you for 10 years or more. You have been my favorite player in smash and still are. I have seen you in so many iconic sets over the years so it's bitter sweet for me 😭 Ultimately I want to see Esam in top 8s again! Excited to continue to watch the journey!
Personally I think that Mii Brawler with box will end up being the wave, the box precision is really valuable in my eyes. Either way I excited for a new chapter of ESAM's story. always a pleasure to watch and cheer for.
I think as a long time ESAM fan this is good to see. I want to see you back at the top again and don't know if the pika box combo is really working. This is like an end of an era though, I started watching back in 2016 in sm4sh and you were an inspiration for me playing competitively. It would be really cool to see you making top 8s again and I think this character and controller switch is a step in the right direction. Good luck
Always love watching your Brawler, I feel like youve demonstrated that his set ups and combos are very consistent and achievable which is so important for competition. Not just for keeping fresh on your flowcharts, but for not fatiguing over the course of a tournament
NGL I never thought this day would ever come, the man synonymous with Pikachu busted dropping the character competitively, on the other hand for you this makes a lot of sense, honestly it felt like you haven't been using enough brawler considering how much you hype up the character and how much you love technical aggressive play. Let's see how far you go!
I feel like you've been drawn to Brawler for a long time and your brawler is hype. Enjoy the ride and thank you for repping the non campy meta in general!
I respnate with your decison to change your main off of pikachu, it sounds like youve put a lot of thought into it. I'm hoping the mii brawler shows to work better for you in the future!
I’m really glad for Esam, I think he’s gonna enjoy this change of pace even if it’s not permanent, and it’ll be sick to see Brawler get pushed even further
As a non Pikachu main dealing with Pikas mid ass airspeed seems rough in terms of approaching. Yeah he can camp back (which is really boring) but still. He is still busted though
I have felt this way about your pika for a while. I was suprised you didn’t try brawler against Shuton at Coinbox IRL. Always love watching your aggressive play and it feels like brawler is stronger in your hands. I think Box is worth continuing with tho
I joined the pika mains because i got so hyped up from seeing your gameplay especially from glitch. But as you mentioned the new meta way to play pika is so much more lamer(no shame to shinymark, love the guy) which made me reconsider a lot as well
i really loved the campy play and the extreme neutral focus. it's what made me love your pika in the first place. if it's not for you tho i get it and that's fine. but it did inspire me seeing someone play the way i love playing the most and doing it so well. i know im in the minority that thinks campy play is cool but i still enjoyed it.
Dude honestly, good for you man. I have been in a major character crisis lately. I used to be a very loyal Cloud main, and Byleth secondary. I saw your new top tier list, and although biased, I do not feel like Cloud is necessarily that good generally speaking (ESPECIALLY compared to gnw, sonic etc). Sometimes it feels like all I can do is just spam bair, which I don't want, and kind of feels exahusting. Now i'm just trying out new characters to find one I have fun with and am both good and comfortable with. We support you man. Mad respect 🙏
I honestly think Mii Brawler is gonna work out a lot better for you with your play style in the current meta. Looking forward to the Brawler stocks rising 👍
I have always disliked the rats but liked esam. That's why I watch the channel. This is really exciting for me. Feels like an exciting new beginning. Good luck!
You're a great player and also the reason why Pika is my number 1. Nevertheless, you should play what you enjoy! Keep up the good work, you deliver great content! :) ❤
Brother, I just had the same moment. I've played Falco for the entirety of smash ultimate as well as probably the last 2 years of smash 4. Honestly, I'm really good with Falco, but it's just keeping up with everybody isn't possible with such a glass Cannon character. I've recently decided to switch it up to Marth since I get similar results with such little training Funny to hear that you're having the same experience. I am in some regard. Anyways good luck out there. It's always good to expand your horizons
Dang man i just re watched the technicals video its si satisfying to have seen this fall from grace 😂 ... you shoild have fought him in a ring fr 😂😂😂😂🎉
I respect the choice. I like maining pichu and mii brawler with the team rocket uniform to pretend like pichu is my partner pokemon. Whatever makes the game fun for you. ❤
Smash as a series really doesn't reward study and thought as much as it rewards instinct and muscle memory. It's one of the big reasons I'm glad that Rivals 2 is being received as well as it is, personally, because it does reward smart play and research a lot more. To me, that's why I got bored of Smash, and why I never really got to go anywhere with my main. Even though he plays the way I would want to play, the meta really shifted away from it, and became something that was too strong (and frankly, too boring) to overcome. I think that might be how you're feeling, as well, Esam Either way, I wish you luck with Mii Brawler, going forward
Hello, Minmin here again, good luck on Mii Brawler! Can't wait to see the funny brawler cheese, FirethePyro has many "most broken moves" based on the character, but who am I to offer that? Hopefully you don't fight me in a tournament with him though. HEHEHEHHEE
@@JonathanRodriguez-cl8gq Good Yoshis are really good with abusing his insane air drift. And Pika airdrift is pretty bad. Not to mention Pika is more bursty and whiff punishy while Yoshi has pretty ass dash attack and dash grab. I think the characters are way to different personally Glutto though would have an amazing Yoshi I think; its almost weird he hasnt tried him out
@@benross9174good analysis. I was originally a Luigi main. Then I started co maining Incin and K Rool. Now I’ve been playing yoshi and he’s really fun to play.
Mature of you to still say that Pikachu is very good yet just difficult/doesn’t match up with your playstyle. Lots of people would just say the character sucks but I think your reasons are very valid for switching. Obviously you don’t actually owe anyone anything when it comes to who you main but it’s cool
I think you’ll find great success with swapping back to GameCube controller. I ran a weird button layout for a year, it made me play more patient because the control scheme was wack, BUT when I swapped back it was like the chains were off. Also, This is insane news since I can’t even select green alt pika without giving you a homage in my head, but we all love your personality and you’re just such a gem in this community. Don’t matter what character you main man, I cheer for ESAM not just specifically your pika. Have fun. -longtime viewer
I think you just needed to camp more vs Jahzz0. You would camp a little bit and it would work, but then you would approach and end up losing the up close interaction. Shinymark will just camp the entire seven minutes if he has to
I think results or not, there comes a point where if you want to play at your absolute top level with a character, if it means playing that character in a way you don't enjoy, then either you stop enjoying the game entirely, or you switch to a character that you enjoy whose optimal play aligns with how you want to play the game. It doesn't mean you don't like that character anymore, but for as much as you're playing the game you need to be enjoying the grinding you're doing which is going to be playing with those optimal habits in mind.
Glad esam is finally deciding to try out co-maining richter and dedede
Good choices
Imagine
“Pikachu is lame now… so i decided to main myself.”
Absolute chad
It's sad because ESAM and Pikachu have been practically synonymous for so many years so it feels weird to not have that anymore. On the other hand, I LOVE watching you play Brawler so honestly I'm so down to watch you main him
"Wait, but who will I play now? I only played Pikachu because Esam said he was good and he mained him. MY LIFE IS A LIE"
--90% Of Pikachu mains
shinymark will save the pikachu community
@Shiver197 😊
I played Pika because he was the cutest on the N64 lol
Pikachu is still a really good character, but he has to work a lot harder for optimal damage and neutral compared to the much easier meta characters right now (Gnaw, Steve, Sonic, ROB, Cloud, etc) that Pika is either even or losing the matchup to. ShinyMark won S Factor with solo pika but you have to play a lot more passive, which is fine and some might enjoy or be very good at, but not the way ESAM or a lot of pika mains wanna play (not that I’m top level but at locals and such it does make a difference)
Pikachu is still a top-5 character. Esam dropping him =/= Pika suddenly being bad now or whatever your logic is lol
Mii brawler but wears pikachu costume
I can’t believe he chose to be bald, you changed man
Maaaan. This was genuinely a little sad to watch, but I get it. As someone's who's been maining Pika since Melee, I'm sure you know this already, but this little rat is EXHAUSTING. Ultimate has been out for 6 years now, and I've barely moved with Pika. He is a character that requires perfect play, and that's just not gonna happen. I've been questioning for a few years now if maining Pikachu is actually the right call for me because of how deceptively complex he is. But you were the one person that helped me feel like I can get better with him. Your Mii Brawler is definitely hype, so I say he is a worthy successor to the Pika. And at the end of the day, sometimes just taking a break from the main is just what the Doc ordered. At any rate, i hope he'll make a couple cameo appearances from time to time.
Same with me. Used to main greninja hard, found out bowser jr. Can hit a combo with his hammer from up B, switched to him immediately
Bro has 200 hours in the game
@@sheridan5175For sure. I'm all for playing a character you find fun, but at the top level, the situation is completely different. Bowser Jr. is a downgrade in nearly every way.
I used to play Pikachu and switched to Mii Brawler a long time ago. I completely sympathize with your decision! Best to have fun with your character of choice!
@@Gorbology So many people dropping pika for mii brawler :') I feel there's an esam effect there
I am split. I love playing and watching MiiBrawler much more then pika, but it’s the Esam pika that we are losing. As long as he stays bald i will believe everything is fine
Mkleo choose to play byleth (and got better results with him), instead of Aegis despite the fact that byleth is worse than Aegis because byleth fit his play style better and his strengths as a player. If you want to play Mii brawler, do it. It's not our decision.
Hopefully Smash 6 sees the return of optimal aggressive Pikachu, but looking forward to the Brawler
@@beegbeeg507 buff his airspeed and nerf tjolt. That should do it; make him as fast in the air as pichu
@@benross9174honestly, I don’t even think he needs the airspeed to be aggressive. I think the only reason he’s not is TJolt being too good and his whiff punishing being better than his aggression
consistent thunder confirms would be nice for this
takes courage to switch your main, but the way you talk about it makes me certain that this is the correct choice for you :) I feel like mindset is one of the most important things in competitive play, so anything to improve that will pay off in time. Good luck!! I'm excited!
I've been saying for years Pikachu is a high tier and requires perfect play, which is just never gonna happen, similar to shulk
Except for Shinymark, who I'm convinced is not human
@@GreenBunnyGamesGuides even a perfectly played Shulk would still lose to somebody really good at parrying I feel. He is a good character; a solid high tier but when the frame data (in terms of startup) is slower than Seph, Hero, Min Min etc you are always going to have to rely on moves that are reactable/telegraphed
Shulk is way easier
The legend of the Bald Pikachu king ends here you made me pick up Pikachu It's been fun to watch the Pikachu master I guess its my time to take your crown as Pikachu.
I have watched you for 10 years or more. You have been my favorite player in smash and still are. I have seen you in so many iconic sets over the years so it's bitter sweet for me 😭
Ultimately I want to see Esam in top 8s again! Excited to continue to watch the journey!
ESAM is now EMii
@@jabrilanderson0 I think the SAM comes from Samus so its more like he went from ESAM to EPIKA to EMii
"MiiSAM" was right there
@@cyntheticconjurerbut the Sam is for Samus 🥺🥺🥺
Personally I think that Mii Brawler with box will end up being the wave, the box precision is really valuable in my eyes. Either way I excited for a new chapter of ESAM's story. always a pleasure to watch and cheer for.
Wow I didn’t expect you to drop Pikachu for Piranha Plant
What a twist, right?
watching this as a dedicated Piranha Plant main: 👁️🫦👁️
ESAM bald but in a different way!?
I think as a long time ESAM fan this is good to see. I want to see you back at the top again and don't know if the pika box combo is really working. This is like an end of an era though, I started watching back in 2016 in sm4sh and you were an inspiration for me playing competitively. It would be really cool to see you making top 8s again and I think this character and controller switch is a step in the right direction. Good luck
Always love watching your Brawler, I feel like youve demonstrated that his set ups and combos are very consistent and achievable which is so important for competition. Not just for keeping fresh on your flowcharts, but for not fatiguing over the course of a tournament
NGL I never thought this day would ever come, the man synonymous with Pikachu busted dropping the character competitively, on the other hand for you this makes a lot of sense, honestly it felt like you haven't been using enough brawler considering how much you hype up the character and how much you love technical aggressive play. Let's see how far you go!
I feel like you've been drawn to Brawler for a long time and your brawler is hype. Enjoy the ride and thank you for repping the non campy meta in general!
I have full confidence in your Mii Brawler! Looking forward to seeing it in action
Wait, new top Mii Brawler player??!!! This is legendary for the Mii Brawler mains!!! Hopefully Pika is aggressive again in Smash 6 though.
Glad to hear ESAM is turning around to main his improperly tiered Marth.
I wish you the best of luck, ESAM! It's pretty cool to see you doing your thing every once in a while.
I respnate with your decison to change your main off of pikachu, it sounds like youve put a lot of thought into it. I'm hoping the mii brawler shows to work better for you in the future!
mii brawler is an amazing character and you bring out the talent in the character!
I’m really glad for Esam, I think he’s gonna enjoy this change of pace even if it’s not permanent, and it’ll be sick to see Brawler get pushed even further
As a non Pikachu main dealing with Pikas mid ass airspeed seems rough in terms of approaching. Yeah he can camp back (which is really boring) but still. He is still busted though
imagine if he had like 10% better airspeed lol. then I think he'd actually be top 3 (but still 5-10 range imo)
@ that already exists its called Pichu. The tradeoff is that you HAVE to play aggressive and can’t really camp
I am HERE for Brawler Esam lets go dude. Full support. Plus you got Pika in the pocket for certain things!
that mii brawler tier list placement had me twisted but i'm glad he's willing to back it up, good luck!
you'll still be the world's best pikachu in my heart
I have felt this way about your pika for a while. I was suprised you didn’t try brawler against Shuton at Coinbox IRL. Always love watching your aggressive play and it feels like brawler is stronger in your hands. I think Box is worth continuing with tho
Pikachu not busted enough.
Asking for a frame data breakdown video about sheild safety and autocanceling. Especially with the later hitboxes to calculate the math
Also, good luck on the tournament run!
I could see you shine hard with Rob or G&W but Mii Brawler sounds like the most fun option tbh, so enjoy!
I joined the pika mains because i got so hyped up from seeing your gameplay especially from glitch. But as you mentioned the new meta way to play pika is so much more lamer(no shame to shinymark, love the guy) which made me reconsider a lot as well
Well it was one hell of a run with the rat. Best of luck to your future main!
i really loved the campy play and the extreme neutral focus. it's what made me love your pika in the first place. if it's not for you tho i get it and that's fine. but it did inspire me seeing someone play the way i love playing the most and doing it so well. i know im in the minority that thinks campy play is cool but i still enjoyed it.
I respect your bald, takes a lot of bald to choose a different main after having such a long legacy.
Dude honestly, good for you man. I have been in a major character crisis lately. I used to be a very loyal Cloud main, and Byleth secondary. I saw your new top tier list, and although biased, I do not feel like Cloud is necessarily that good generally speaking (ESPECIALLY compared to gnw, sonic etc). Sometimes it feels like all I can do is just spam bair, which I don't want, and kind of feels exahusting. Now i'm just trying out new characters to find one I have fun with and am both good and comfortable with. We support you man. Mad respect 🙏
This is awesome. Excited for this arc!
*MiiBrawler = Broken & Pika = Broken*
Either way your making the correct decision, good luck.
I honestly think Mii Brawler is gonna work out a lot better for you with your play style in the current meta. Looking forward to the Brawler stocks rising 👍
I have always disliked the rats but liked esam. That's why I watch the channel. This is really exciting for me. Feels like an exciting new beginning. Good luck!
Yo I watch your smash content sometimes but I didn’t know that you also are into Pokémon TCG. Subscribed! Haha
Pikachu, Samus, Mii Brawler... an interesting mix of picks, really. I do like your dedication to Brawler a lot, though.
You're a great player and also the reason why Pika is my number 1. Nevertheless, you should play what you enjoy! Keep up the good work, you deliver great content! :) ❤
Bout time goated bald man
I would just like to mention that I switched my main from pikachu to k rool a few days before this was released
😢 sad to see your pikachu go, but glad your staying true to your style of play.
Pikachu not busted MiiSam
I thought it was getting cold down in Hell, now I know why
Brother, I just had the same moment.
I've played Falco for the entirety of smash ultimate as well as probably the last 2 years of smash 4. Honestly, I'm really good with Falco, but it's just keeping up with everybody isn't possible with such a glass Cannon character. I've recently decided to switch it up to Marth since I get similar results with such little training
Funny to hear that you're having the same experience. I am in some regard. Anyways good luck out there. It's always good to expand your horizons
Dang man i just re watched the technicals video its si satisfying to have seen this fall from grace 😂 ... you shoild have fought him in a ring fr 😂😂😂😂🎉
As a Link main. I have a love hate relationship with my boy.
@@skeginaldp1533 same here also with Young Link
Ive been feeling the same way, hearing you say this too yeah I’ll comfortably drop pika
Came expecting click-bait. Suprised it wasn't. Show em how busted Brawler is! 👏
missed dunkey reference opportunity
I will always be an ESAM fan no matter who the character is even if I will greatly miss the Pika.
Good for you man!
Truly the end of an era.
Yes i think its good to change the main for a while, and yeeees as I told you in AzulGGs stream,
let us see pickachu in some other format (TCG)
If the meta ever shifts back into Pikachu offense would you co-main Pikachu and Mii Brawler
Having fun is always the best choice
I respect the choice. I like maining pichu and mii brawler with the team rocket uniform to pretend like pichu is my partner pokemon. Whatever makes the game fun for you. ❤
Brawler suplex is very underrated IMO
Smash as a series really doesn't reward study and thought as much as it rewards instinct and muscle memory. It's one of the big reasons I'm glad that Rivals 2 is being received as well as it is, personally, because it does reward smart play and research a lot more.
To me, that's why I got bored of Smash, and why I never really got to go anywhere with my main. Even though he plays the way I would want to play, the meta really shifted away from it, and became something that was too strong (and frankly, too boring) to overcome. I think that might be how you're feeling, as well, Esam
Either way, I wish you luck with Mii Brawler, going forward
The end of an era.
Glad you decided to solo Chrom from now on
Hopefully, Pikachu remains top tier...
Changing your main at any level sucks. It sucks not feeling like the character you want to play is best character for you to play. Good luck!
Ahem...BALD. Thank you.
Hello, Minmin here again, good luck on Mii Brawler! Can't wait to see the funny brawler cheese, FirethePyro has many "most broken moves" based on the character, but who am I to offer that? Hopefully you don't fight me in a tournament with him though. HEHEHEHHEE
I agree pika is taxing. And i agree mii brawler is underrated and easy to use. -a mii brawler player
Wow Robin, Zelda, Lucas co-main was not on my bingo card
Esam, I don’t play well (at all) either, man. But we still out here💪🏻
2 mil gang!
THEY WERE RIGHT! THE WOLRD IS ENDING!
I couldn't tell if this was real because if the thumbnail 😭
Pikachu? MID
ESAM, you should really consider maining Yoshi. I think you’d do great with him.
@@JonathanRodriguez-cl8gq Good Yoshis are really good with abusing his insane air drift. And Pika airdrift is pretty bad. Not to mention Pika is more bursty and whiff punishy while Yoshi has pretty ass dash attack and dash grab. I think the characters are way to different personally
Glutto though would have an amazing Yoshi I think; its almost weird he hasnt tried him out
@@benross9174good analysis. I was originally a Luigi main. Then I started co maining Incin and K Rool. Now I’ve been playing yoshi and he’s really fun to play.
Mature of you to still say that Pikachu is very good yet just difficult/doesn’t match up with your playstyle. Lots of people would just say the character sucks but I think your reasons are very valid for switching. Obviously you don’t actually owe anyone anything when it comes to who you main but it’s cool
I think you’ll find great success with swapping back to GameCube controller. I ran a weird button layout for a year, it made me play more patient because the control scheme was wack, BUT when I swapped back it was like the chains were off.
Also, This is insane news since I can’t even select green alt pika without giving you a homage in my head, but we all love your personality and you’re just such a gem in this community. Don’t matter what character you main man, I cheer for ESAM not just specifically your pika. Have fun.
-longtime viewer
Kamala’s fired. Poor you
Drop ult for R2
esam if you start going to locals you got to let me know which ones are good
want to win? just use steve
Which box did Esam end up using the most of?
the Glyph!
I fw this decision heavy ESAM
I've been thinking that you put way too much effort for the minimal reward that Pikachu provides without perfect play.
I know you sometimes pull out Samus in certain MUs. Do you still plan on using her sometimes moving forward or no?
Surprising, but not hard to believe.
Brawler, busted. Nice.
I think you just needed to camp more vs Jahzz0. You would camp a little bit and it would work, but then you would approach and end up losing the up close interaction. Shinymark will just camp the entire seven minutes if he has to
Try and play and learn really technical characters. Peach, Icys, Lucas. Etc. it’s actually fun
just run up and up smash - marss