[caption id="attachment_6243" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Photo courtesy of Wizards of the Coast"][/caption]

Brian Kibler won Grand Prix Sendai on the wings of his "Next Level Bant" aka "Vengevine Bant." With his win, he has become only the second Non-Japanese player to ever win a Grand Prix in Japan. He faced Makahito Mihara, ex-World Champion, in the finals. Mihara was running Planeswalkers, which is a very good matchup for Brian, reportedly the only matchup he does not favor is against Mythic.

With this win, he makes it very difficult to not be voted into the Pro Tour Hall of Fame. This year will be his first year on the ballot. And this reporter will be shocked if he should need to be on the ballot for a second time.

Next Level Bant

[cardlist]4 Celestial Colonnade

5 Forest

2 Island

4 Misty Rainforest

1 Plains

4 Seaside Citadel

1 Stirring Wildwood

3 Sunpetal Grove

2 Birds of Paradise

1 Borderland Ranger

4 Noble Hierarch

2 Ranger of Eos

1 Scute Mob

4 Sea Gate Oracle

2 Sphinx of Lost Truths

4 Vengevine

4 Wall of Omens

1 Bant Charm

3 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

1 Gideon Jura

3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

2 Oblivion Ring

2 Path to Exile

Sideboard

1 Bant Charm

3 Celestial Purge

2 Deprive

1 Gideon Jura

1 Journey to Nowhere

1 Martial Coup

1 Mold Shambler

2 Negate

1 Oblivion Ring

2 Oust[/cardlist]