Kansai Odd and BLD 2025

A commanding victory by Yucheng Chen in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind set the tone in Osaka as he registered 51 out of 59 cubes in 58:47, delivering one of the weekend's most astonishing feats of memory and concentration. That display sat at the heart of Kansai Odd and BLD 2025, which gathered 196 competitors on June 15, 2025, in Daito, Osaka, Japan. Staged at the Daito Citizen Hall across 11 rounds and seven events, the one-day gathering united specialists in big cubes and blindfolded disciplines alongside a packed field of classic three-by-three contenders.

Walking into a major cubing competition for the first time brings an unmistakable rush, from the rhythmic clatter of plastic to the sudden focus required when the timer begins. For many newcomers stepping onto the competition floor in Daito, this WCA competition was the moment months of solitary practice turned into official stage results. Surrounded by seasoned veterans, these first-time and developing competitors took on the pressure of official judging, discovering the intensity of live speedcubing as they tackled standard puzzles and ambitious specialty events alike.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest drew a massive lineup of 186 participants across three intense rounds of speed cubing. When the dust settled in the final round, Ao Nogami captured first place for Japan with a winning average of 6.82 seconds and a best single of 5.78 seconds. Australia's Sora Sato took second place with a 6.87 average, edging out Hitoki Kidahashi of Japan, who posted a 7.48 average for third. Looking through the 3x3 results reveals an extraordinarily tight championship chase that demanded flawless consistency on every solve.

Behind the top podiums, the event floor told stories of remarkable personal breakthroughs that typical results tables often overlook. Tokiya Matsuda made a massive statement in the standard Rubik's Cube, recording a personal best of 11.68 seconds to finish 70.4 percent faster than his prior mark of 39.43. Yuto Morishita took on five separate events across the day, cutting his 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best by 50.2 percent down to 2:22.70, lowering his 5x5x5 Cube mark to 1:27.81, and completing his first ever attempt at the 7x7x7 Cube in 4:34.06 on the way to a 28th-place result in Multi-Blind. Zicheng Dai entered three events, logging a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 12.28 that was 48.4 percent faster than before, while adding first ever attempts of 1:26.04 in the 5x5x5 Cube and 4:06.49 in the 7x7x7 Cube for a weekend-best 26th-place finish.

That same adventurous spirit carried across the roster as more competitors pushed into unfamiliar territory. Sotaro Hayashi took on four events, recording a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 7.60 seconds that was 20.8 percent faster, while attempting 3x3x3 Multi-Blind for the first time to score 2/4 in 38:46 and clocking 20:43.00 in his first 4x4x4 Blindfolded attempt to secure 17th place. Taiki Nakatani tackled three events, improving his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 13.1 percent to 12.00 seconds, while making successful debut attempts of 1:32.66 in the 5x5x5 Cube and 3:23.23 in 3x3x3 Blindfolded. Satoru Tanaka completed three events, taking 47th in the 7x7x7 Cube with a first-time mark of 7:56.02, debuting in the 5x5x5 Cube at 1:41.64, and lowering his 3x3x3 Cube best by 9.3 percent to 13.39 seconds.

The big cube events saw Hong Kong's Ivan Li Ka Leong put together a double victory. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Li Ka Leong posted a winning average of 43.72 seconds, leading Japan's Ao Nogami at 46.20 and Taiwan's Yi-Fan Wu at 46.44. Li Ka Leong returned to the center table in the 7x7x7 Cube, capturing the title with an average of 2:13.44 and a best single of 2:11.09. Kohei Aruga of Japan placed second with an average of 2:15.63, while Yi-Fan Wu secured another podium spot in third with 2:26.25.

Blindfolded disciplines formed the technical core of Kansai Odd and BLD 2025, requiring absolute precision without visual feedback. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, Jeff Park of the United States clinched victory with a fast 15.91 single, outpacing fellow American Will Cerne, who took second with 20.02, and Japan's Takuma Mizuno in third with 20.83. In the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, Chen's 51/59 led the podium ahead of Japan's Shiori Yanai with 32/33 in 55:02 and Naoto Kobayashi with 35/40 in 1:00:00.

Naoto Kobayashi proved to be the standout performer in the larger blindfolded puzzles, sweeping both titles for Japan. In the 4x4x4 Blindfolded contest, Kobayashi claimed first place with a winning average of 2:37.75, joined on the podium by Yuki Yamamoto at 2:52.39 and Yuki Tsuneyoshi at 3:13.36. Kobayashi then added the 5x5x5 Blindfolded championship to his collection with a single of 4:51.25, finishing ahead of Yamamoto's 6:59.31 and Hiroto Fujita's 7:25.66 in an impressive showing across complex blind events.

By the time the final awards were distributed, Kansai Odd and BLD 2025 had demonstrated the incredible depth of the regional puzzle scene, spanning international medalists and ambitious first-time event entries. The single-day tournament highlighted the enduring appeal of specialized challenges and standard speedcubing alike, giving every competitor in Daito a definitive benchmark to carry forward into the next season of competition.

196名の選手が集った大東市民会館の会場では、奇数キューブと目隠し競技を組み合わせた計7種目11ラウンドの熱戦が繰り広げられました。2025年6月15日にDaito, Osaka, Japanで開催されたKansai Odd and BLD 2025は、新世代の急成長とスピードキューブ界の層の厚さを印象づける一日となりました。

花形である3x3x3 Cubeでは、186名が参加した激戦をAo Nogami (野上碧)が制しました。決勝では6.82の平均記録をマークし、ベスト単発でも5.78を叩き出しました。2位には平均6.87を記録したSora Satoが僅差で続き、3位には7.48をマークしたHitoki Kidahashi (木田橋仁毅)が入る白熱の表彰台争いとなりました。

ビッグキューブ種目では、Hong KongのIvan Li Ka Leong (李嘉亮)が圧巻の二冠を達成しました。5x5x5 Cubeでは決勝平均43.72、単発42.91を記録して優勝を果たし、2位のAo Nogami (野上碧)（46.20）や3位のYi-Fan Wu (吳亦凡)（46.44）を抑えました。さらに7x7x7 Cubeでも2:13.44の平均タイムで制し、2位のKohei Aruga (有賀康平)（2:15.63）らを退けました。

目隠し競技では、Naoto Kobayashi (小林直登)が卓越した記憶力と手技で大会を席巻しました。4x4x4 Blindfoldedでは平均2:37.75、単発2:30.38で制し、2位のYuki Yamamoto (山本祐輝)（2:52.39）を退けました。さらに5x5x5 Blindfoldedでも4:51.25の単発タイムで優勝を飾り、Yuki Yamamoto (山本祐輝)（6:59.31）とHiroto Fujita (藤田浩斗)（7:25.66）を引き離しての2冠を達成しました。

その他のブラインド競技でも高水準の記録が続出しました。3x3x3 BlindfoldedではUSAのJeff Parkが15.91の単発タイムで制し、Will Cerneの20.02やTakuma Mizuno (水野大久真)の20.83を上回りました。3x3x3 Multi-BlindではChinaのYucheng Chen (陈裕铖)が58分47秒で51/59を成功させて頂点に立ち、Shiori Yanai（32/33）やNaoto Kobayashi (小林直登)（35/40）がそれに続きました。

結果表の数字の裏側では、驚異的な伸びを見せる選手たちの躍進がありました。Shota Watanabe (渡辺翔太)は3x3x3 Cubeで従来の記録を53%短縮する10.25の自己ベストを記録しました。Seiichiro Yamaguchi (山口誠一朗)も同種目で自己ベストを51.5%更新する15.73をマークし、Souichirou Ashida (芦田宗一朗)も16.33を叩き出して前記録から45%の大幅な短縮を達成しました。

多種目に挑んだ選手たちの挑戦も光りました。Ray Honeyman (ハニマン礼)は5x5x5 Cubeで38.1%更新となる1:30.06、3x3x3 Cubeでも36.2%短縮の7.98をマークしました。Shouichi Yasumoto (安本翔一)は5x5x5 Cubeで1:17.68へ記録を28.6%伸ばし、初挑戦となった3x3x3 Blindfoldedでも2:53.79を成功させました。Koreaから参戦のKim Eden (김이든)は初挑戦の7x7x7 Cubeで4:55.18を記録し、5x5x5 Cubeでも1:27.29へと自己記録を17.1%更新したほか4x4x4 Blindfoldedで19位の成績を収めました。

多彩なルービックキューブ競技で多くの自己記録が塗り替えられ、若い力が大舞台で躍動した一日でした。大東市民会館で熱戦が繰り広げられたKansai Odd and BLD 2025は、それぞれの選手が確かな進歩と手応えを胸に刻み、次の競技シーズンへの期待を高めて幕を閉じました。