Editing Smasher:Isai

{{smasherbeta
| name          = Isai
| image         = Isai.png
| mainssbm      = Captain Falcon
| 2ndmainssbm   = Sheik
| otherssbm     = Fox
| mainssb       = Pikachu
| 2ndmainssb    = Fox
| otherssb      = Kirby
| former crews  = [[MC]]
| skill         = Top professional
| alias         = malva, MevseC
| realname      = Joel Isai Alvarado
| birthday      = 17
| birthmonth    = 3
| birthyear     = 1985
| location      = Northern California
| country       = USA
}}
[[File:Isaiken.jpg|thumb|300px|{{Sm|Ken}} and Isai of team "[[El Chocolate Diablo]]." (Isai is on the right.)]]
'''Joel Isai Alvarado''', often referred to as simply "'''Isai'''", is considered the world champion of ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' and was [[Smash Panel Power Rankings|ranked]] 7th best in the United States in ''[[Melee]]'' before he retired. He [[main character|mains]] {{SSB|Pikachu}} and {{SSB|Fox}} in ''Super Smash Bros'', but can use nearly the entire cast at top professional level, {{SSB|Link}} being his most popular [[alternate character|secondary]]. He mained {{SSBM|Captain Falcon}} and {{SSBM|Sheik}} in ''Melee'', while using {{SSBM|Fox}} as a secondary. He was also ranked first on the [[NorCal Power Rankings]]. Having retired from ''Melee'', Isai now plays ''Smash 64'' exclusively. As a result of his particularly high technical expertise and skill in both ''Melee'' and ''Smash 64'', the phrase "Isai is too good" became a meme in the ''Smash Bros.'' community. 

==Feats==
===''Super Smash Bros.''===
Isai is the undisputed world champion of [[Super Smash Bros]]. The only player to ever beat him in a [[Twelve Character Battle|12 character battle]] is the Japanese champion {{Sm|Jousuke}} and the only other smasher who has shown true competition to his {{SSB|Pikachu}} is the Peruvian champion {{Sm|Gerson}}, who has taken multiple matches against Isai in [[ditto]]s. Isai is currently ranked 3rd on the [[Smash 64 ELO Rating]].

Isai traveled to West Japan in November of 2006 to play the professional players there. However, no sets against the Japanese champion {{Sm|Jousuke}} (nor many other top Japanese players) were recorded and as a result of this, Isai generally did not have any true competition. 

Isai is in part responsible for the higher position of {{SSB|Link}} in the most recent [[tier list]], due to his overall astonishing performance with the character, later confirmed at [[Apex 2012]] where he managed to finish second by only using Link, only losing to {{Sm|SuPeRbOoMfAn}}'s {{SSB|Captain Falcon}} and still winning a few matches against the latter. However, with the recent banning of [[Hyrule Castle]] in certain rulesets (including [[Apex 2014]]), this newfound position is again in jeopardy. 

Isai's online crew [[MC]] was considered the preeminent crew and recruited some of the best players before its disbandment, later seeding its best crew title to [[PPS]].

===''Melee''===
Isai in his prime was regarded as the best ''Melee'' {{SSBM|Captain Falcon}} player in the world. Although his placings at ''Melee'' singles tournaments lowered over time, he is one of the few players to have defeated previous ''Melee'' World Champion {{Sm|Ken Hoang}} multiple times. 

Isai and Ken constituted ''El Chocolate Diablo'', the strongest doubles team in the world circa 2004-2006. El Chocolate Diablo remained undefeated in tournament sets until their loss to {{Sm|Taj}} and {{Sm|Forward}} and placed 1st at every tournament they entered until placing 2nd behind {{Sm|Azen Zagenite}} and {{Sm|Chillindude829}} at [[Major League Gaming|MLG Chicago 2006]]. However, Isai and Ken would later win the final MLG National Championship for ''Melee'' teams in 2006. Following this win, El Chocolate Diablo became inactive for almost a year until their final appearance at [http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=118664 Super Champ Combo], where they placed 7th.

====Loss of interest in ''Melee''====
Despite his success, Isai gradually lost interest in ''Melee''. In early 2010, Isai expressed [http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?p=9339324#post9339324 interest] in playing ''Melee'' seriously again, but after smashing with {{Sm|Scar}} and entering a handful of tournaments, Isai still did not find it enjoyable anymore.

==Notable sandbagging incidents==
Isai has lost a few major ''Smash 64'' North American tournaments to {{Sm|SuPeRbOoMfAn}}, such as [[Apex 2012]] and [[GENESIS 2]]. However, he was clearly [[sandbagging]] in Apex 2012 by using {{SSB|Link}} for the entire tournament. He also used other low tier characters, including {{SSB|Yoshi}} and {{SSB|Luigi}} at [[GENESIS 2]] and other tournaments. 

At Apex 2012, he was unexpectedly convinced by the crowd to play a ''Melee'' exhibition match against the other Smash veteran {{Sm|Captain Jack}}. However, he [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyfxNPkp67Q only sandbagged] and was 4-stocked by Captain Jack, much to the audience's dismay.

While he was able to defeat SuperBoomFan the next year in [[Apex 2013]], Isai also lost to {{Sm|Kikoushi}}, but was sandbagging again to a lesser extent, using {{SSB|Mario}}. After later playing some friendlies against Kikoushi using {{SSB|Pikachu}} and {{SSB|Fox}}, the result was much different with the matches being much to Isai's favor. He even won some {{SSB|Kirby}} [[dittos]] against him.

Isai has said that he will be using {{SSB|Jigglypuff}} only at [[Apex 2014]], which appears to be another sandbagging attempt.

==Trivia==
*He purchased ''Brawl'' but does not play it. ''Super Smash Bros.'' has always been Isai's preferred ''Smash Bros.'' game; he has been playing ''Smash 64'' since 1999 and [http://allisbrawl.com/forum/topic.aspx?id=11552 ''Smash 64'' online] since 2004.
*Isai often used the in-game tags "VI" and "MEL" in ''Melee''. In ''Super Smash Bros'', his YouTube video tag is "malva" if it is an online match or "Isai" if it is a console match. His nickname "malva" originates from his mother's Windows login name (she used the initial 'm' for her name plus a shortened version of her last name, Alvarado or 'alva'). 
*Isai's YouTube name is MevseC. This nickname originates from the fact that he plays Marvel vs. Capcom (MvsC). He added the two 'e' letters in the middle to make it look cooler and sound like a name.
*From around 2005-2007, Isai was the leader of the then-top online SSB64 crew [[MC]]
*Isai calls online Smash "fake Smash" due to the delay and lag experienced online. He also calls it fake Smash because by definition, it is emulated and thus merely a copy or imitation of the real game on console.
*Noticing that there were exceptional ''Smash 64'' players in Japan and Peru, Isai traveled to both of these countries and played the the top players there (e.g. {{Sm|Jousuke}}, the Japanese national champion and {{Sm|Gerson}}, the Peruvian national champion). He is one of the few ''Smash 64'' players to make a serious effort to travel internationally multiple times in order to play the top ''Smash 64'' players from around the world.
*Isai's favorite characters are [[Kirby]], [[Samus]], [[Luigi]], [[Fox]], and [[Mario]].

==External links==
*[http://www.youtube.com/user/MevseC Isai's ''Smash 64'' video place on YouTube]
*[http://www.livestream.com/isaissb Isai's Online ''Smash 64'' Channel on Livestream]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxmW1KkMDj8 Isai vs SuPeRbOoMfAn at Apex 2012]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyv5UENR7aA Isai vs Kikoushi at Apex 2013]

[[Category:California smashers]]
[[Category:Professional smashers (SSB)]]
[[Category:Captain Falcon professionals (SSBM)]]
[[Category:Sheik professionals (SSBM)]]
[[Category:Pikachu professionals (SSB)]]
[[Category:Fox professionals (SSB)]]
[[Category:Link professionals (SSB)]]
[[Category:Captain Falcon professionals (SSB)]]
[[Category:Mario professionals (SSB)]]
[[Category:Kirby professionals (SSB)]]
[[Category:Luigi professionals (SSB)]]
[[Category:Yoshi professionals (SSB)]]
[[Category:Samus professionals (SSB)]] 
[[Category:Jigglypuff professionals (SSB)]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong professionals (SSB)]]
[[Category:VIP players]]
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