In the modern era of competitive kendama, few seasons will ever be spoken about the way 2025 will be remembered, and even fewer players will be associated with redefining what is possible at the highest level. Miguel De La Torre didn’t just compete in 2025. He set a new benchmark for global participation, consistency, and excellence, all while building his own kendama brand, Erratic Squirrel.
What Miguel accomplished this year is more than impressive, it's one for the books.
During the 2025 competitive season, Miguel De La Torre competed in a total of eight different countries, attending more events than any other professional kendama player that year. From North America to Europe to Asia, Miguel remained a constant presence on podiums around the world, proving that elite-level kendama transcends borders, formats, and judging systems.
Even more remarkable is how this journey was made possible. Miguel’s extensive international travel, flights, accommodations, and logistics was primarily funded by his competition winnings and the success of his kendama brand, Erratic Squirrel. In a sport where most athletes rely heavily on sponsorship backing, Miguel demonstrated that performance, discipline, and vision alone can sustain a global competitive career.
Launched in early 2025, Erratic Squirrel entered the kendama scene with immediate impact thanks to the now world-famous Kitchen Tama design. Instantly recognizable and widely praised for both aesthetics and playability, the Kitchen Tama became a symbol of Miguel’s journey, as well a connection to his roots of early kendama seshing in his home kitchen.
The success of Erratic Squirrel was not built on pure hype alone, it was fueled by Miguel’s relentless presence both online and in person at competitions, in an era where kendama exploded in popularity in Romania.
Miguel’s competitive résumé in 2025 was staggering:
20 total podium finishes
14 first-place wins
5 second-place finishes
1 third-place finish
Across freestyle, open division, speed ladders, and alternative formats, Miguel showed unmatched consistency and adaptability, excelling in nearly all competition styles.
Miguel’s season began in Europe and concluded in Japan, forming a true world tour of kendama excellence.
European Kendama Championships – Prelims
January 11 | Leiden, Netherlands
Battle at the Border
January 27–29 | Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Malama Dama
February 28 – March 3 | Kona, Hawai‘i, USA
1st Place Freestyle
1st Place Point System Judging Freestyle
Chillin but Also Grillin'
March 8 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1st Place Speed Ladders
SoCal Royale 6
March 15 | Carlsbad, California, USA
1st Place Freestyle
1st Place Open Division
Kendama Italia Open
May 3 | Bergamo, Italy
2nd Place Freestyle
2nd Place Open Division
European Kendama Championship
May 30–31 | Utrecht, Netherlands
Nordic Cup
June 8 | Copenhagen, Denmark
2nd Place Open Division
3OH3KO
June 28 | Boulder, Colorado, USA
1st Place Freestyle
2nd Place Open Division
Tower Cup
July 20 | Chicago, Illinois, USA
1st Place Open Division
North American Kendama Open (NAKO)
August 22–24 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
5th Place Open Division
Hong Kong Kendama Open
September 21 | Hong Kong
3rd Place Ball Game
Atlanta Kendama Open
October 4–5 | Atlanta, Georgia, USA
2nd Place Open Division
Blue Ridge Battle
October 11 | Asheville, North Carolina, USA
1st Place Freestyle
1st Place Open Division
Las Vegas Kendama Open
October 18 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1st Place Speed Ladders
Baleal Ken Fest
October 25–26 | Baleal, Portugal
1st Place Freestyle
1st Place Open Division
España Kendama Open
November 1–2 | Tarragona, Spain
1st Place Freestyle
1st Place Open Division
Kendama World Cup (KWC)
November 15–16 | Hatsukaichi, Japan
28th Place
Chimera Freestyle Kendama World Championship
November 22 | Okayama, Japan
Top 8 Finish
Miguel De La Torre’s 2025 season represents something far bigger than the cash prizes and podiums. It proves that kendama has reached a point where a single athlete can sustain a global competitive circuit, build a successful independent brand, and elevate the sport’s visibility worldwide by working hard and and being consistent over a period of just a few years.
His journey showcases the maturity of modern kendama competitions, the strength of international communities, and the growing viability of kendama as a professional pursuit.
For kendama players, Miguel’s season is inspiring and motivating.
For brands, it’s proof that hard work and effort pay off.
For the kendama world, it’s a milestone and a showcase that anything is possible.
When future generations look back on the evolution of professional kendama, Miguel De La Torre’s 2025 season will without a doubt be a stand out year.
Erratic Squirrel didn’t just launch in 2025, it went all over the world, stood on podiums, and helped redefine what is possible when passion, performance, and perseverance align. Miguel De La Torre didn’t just compete, he made kendama history.
