Nounsvitational brings a Melee major back to Japan for the first time in over 20 years

Nouns Esports has revealed the location for its Nounsvitational Super Smash Bros. Melee major, bringing the best-of-the-best pros to Japan for an exclusive tournament.

The Nounsvitational will be held in Tokyo, Japan, from December 1st through the 5th. This marks the first time a Melee major has been held in Japan in over 20 years, highlighting the country’s growing interest in the Smash scene over the last few years.

The Nounsvitational includes eight invitees, all top players that got a cameo in the hype trailer announcing the big tournament. These Melee pros include:

“Excited to compete in Melee in Japan/Asia for the first time ever in my career,” Hungrybox said on X. “Will be an incredible way to cap off the year.”

This means eight spots are left for Melee pros who qualify for the Nounsvitational. There are currently three ways to qualify. First, there are two qualifier spots at each of Nouns’ Melee events this year, including the Nouns Bowl 2025 coming later this month, Tipped Off 16: Safari and an unannounced tourney later this year.

The other two qualifiers can earn a spot by winning the Japanese Last Chance Qualifier or earning a vote to attend from Nouns.

The Nounvsitational is an exclusive event, and therefore, the attendance is also limited. There will be a small batch of VIP passes released on Friday, April 11th for $1000 (~£783).

The VIP pass gives attendees access to the tournament itself and experiences throughout the event, like a scenic trip to Mt. Fuji and breakfast at the Kirby Cafe. They will also get an exclusive Nounsvitational merch bag. A VIP pass for $2000 (~£1555) that includes a standard hotel room for the entire week will also be available.

The Twitch stream and full schedule have not yet been announced, but it will likely be broadcast from the Nouns Esports official channel.