As we gear up for the 2013 World Yo-Yo Contest, we take a step back to appreciate and admire the greats of years past. We will be posting the top 5 in each division in the weeks leading up to the World Yo-Yo Contest.

From the earliest days of yoyo demonstrators, beginning with the Flores YoYo Company in the 1920s, two-handed yoyo play was set as the pinnacle of skill. Demonstrators would whip out a pair of yoyos and kids’ jaws would drop and their parents wallets would open…it was the ultimate demonstration of mastery. With the intense development of 1A and the invention and popularization of the alternate styles, two-handed looping has lost its mystique a bit…but the top levels of play are nothing short of staggering. Two-handed looping remains one of the most visually stunning forms of yoyoing, and while the skill barrier for this division gets higher every year, those who have put in the time and work to master it continue to blow minds every year.

5. Matt Harlow – 

• 1x World Champion, 2x National Champion, 1x Regional Champion

Known for his blistering speed which shattered and destroyed many yo-yos and snapped equally as many strings, Matt infamously snapped a string one year and World YoYo Contest judge Dennis McBride took a yoyo at full speed, right in the chest. (In Dennis’ credit, he shook it off and kept clicking, establishing for all time that he was secretly a superhero.) Back when 2A was the measure of a great yo-yo player, Matt took the top spot at the World level. Matt brought a lot to the double looping division when wraps were just being introduced and tangler combos were in their infant stages.

4. Hiraku Fujii – 

• 2x Asia Champion, 2x National Champion, 5x Regional Champion

A staple in the 2A division for almost a decade, Hiraku has taken the top spot at Japan Nationals numerous times as well as consistently winning his Regional competition.  His technical skill and choreography have remained superb for years. Once again, Hiraku could not top Shinji’s dominance, but his longevity in the division, placing third at the World contest in 2012, earns him a spot on the list.

3. Takuma Yamamoto – 

• 1x World Champion, 2x National Champion, 3x Regional Champion

The only person to put a blemish on the list of accomplishments of Shinji Saito, Takuma Yamamoto immediately earned a spot as one of the greatest.  His technical 2A is unmatched today, above and beyond the best in the world right now, and his recent double-digit win at Japan Nationals only proves that notion. With several more National titles to back his 2008 World title in which he beat Shinji, Takuma is still a fiercely competitive 2A player moving forward.

 2. Koji Yokoyama – 

• 2x Asia Champion, 2x National Champion, 5x Regional Champion

Koji will be the highest ranked player to never win a world title—stymied by the greatness of Shinji. But it is undeniable, Koji was one of the most electrifying performers and toughest competitors. With an unmatched eight second place finishes in 2A on the World stage, Koji Yokoyama demonstrated great creativity and passion for the sport while maintaining runner-up for almost a decade and some would argue deserved the top spot in 2007.  Winning the title at Japan Nationals and Asia Pacific only adds to this man’s great legacy.

1. Shinji Saito – 

• 8x World Champion, 2x Asia Champion, 2x National Champion, 1x Regional Champion

Were you expecting anyone else? The single most dominant yo-yo player of all time. His near perfect record only speaks to his greatness. Technically skilled, innovative and overall endlessly entertaining—eight 2A World titles to show for it—Shinji Saito is the all-time greatest 2A player and has a strong argument for the greatest yo-yoer of all time. Period.

Honorable Mentions: Yasushi Furukawa (World Champion), Shu Takada (World Champion), John Ando (4x National Champion), Patrick Mitchell (2x National Champion)

Who do you think are the greatest 2A players of all time? Feel free to post your thoughts below!

As a reminder, these rankings take into consideration competitive players from around 2000 and on.