ZETA Division’s Street Fighter player Kakeru ‘Kakeru‘ Watanabe has announced his retirement from competitive play.
The Capcom Cup 11 champion has cited a “neural dysfunction” behind the decision to stop competing.
Announced on social media, Kakeru’s decision to retire comes after two months of inactivity. In September, the player was due to compete as part of ZETA Division’s roster for the Street Fighter League Pro-JP 2025.
“The team and I have carefully discussed the possibilities for continuing my activities in the future, but I judged that it would be difficult to continue as a player,” said Kareku.
“I will leave ZETA Division by the end of the year and will focus on recovering my health going forward.”
Kakeru began competing in Street Fighter esports in 2021, competing across several high-profile events.
After winning Capcom Cup 11 in March, Kakeru cemented his place as one of Japan’s best Street Fighter players with a second-place finish at Evo 2025.
ZETA Division In Street Fighter
Since entering Street Fighter in 2024, ZETA Division has nine players competing in various tournaments.
The organisation currently sits in fourth place in the Street Fighter League Pro-JP 2025 regular season. 12 teams from across Japan are competing in the regular season, with the top three teams from each division securing qualification to the playoffs.
The winner of the league earns direct qualification to the SFL World Championship 2025 and the lion’s share of a ¥15m (~£73,725) prize pool.
As a result of Kakeru’s retirement, ZETA Division has recruited ‘Yamaguchi‘ to its SFL roster. The player has continued to climb through the ranks, scoring a top 12 finish at Evo France 2025.
Kakeru departs Street Fighter esports as one of the title’s most successful players, winning $1.4m (~£1.05m) over the course of his career. Esports Insider wishes him well in his recovery.
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