Anyone’s Legend Shanks brings One Piece mentality to MSI 2025

This year’s Mid-Season Invitational is shaping up to be a proving ground for rising stars, and few carry more positive energy than Cui ‘Shanks’ Xiao-Jun.

The bold mid laner for Anyone’s Legend is ready to bring his trademark optimism and fearless style to Vancouver as the LPL’s top seed kicks off its MSI run tomorrow.

Before he even steps onto the stage against FlyQuest’s mid laner, Song ‘Quad’ Su-hyeong, Shanks has already captured fans’ attention for his in-game name, which he confirmed to be a direct reference to the legendary red-haired pirate from popular anime One Piece. The character’s mindset is something AL’s mid laner finds a strong connection with, especially when it comes to staying composed in tough moments.

“I feel like both of us have a very good mentality,” the player told Esports Insider. “I remember in one episode when that Shanks got beaten by the opponent and accepted it, and I believe that’s a very cool, amazing side of the man. So yeah, I think the mentality part is the similarity between me and Shanks.”

Wearing sunglasses indoors during the interview to ‘be cool,’ the mid laner’s upbeat and energetic character stands out amongst LPL players who always seem so stoic and solely focused on the game. But Shanks doesn’t care about how others perceive him, how ‘the external voices’ talk about himself.

“I really would like to just be myself, be young and happy and just enjoy the moment,” he said. “So I just do what I need and want to do to achieve that. And I’m really happy at this moment, very excited.”

This refreshing confidence is almost rebellious in an environment where even veteran players buckle under pressure. Yet this positive, confident attitude seems to be proper of this MSI as other players making their international debut seem to have brought to Vancouver the same attitude as Shanks.

However, confidence alone is not enough to impress the overly-attentive League fans watching MSI. Shanks will be tested immediately, first against Quad and later against either Rasmus ‘Caps’ Borregaard Winther or Jeong ‘Chovy’ Ji-hoon. And, like many young players, Shanks cannot wait for the time to arrive where he can prove himself against the best. 

“Chovy is a player that I really put more attention on because during his previous matches, whether in LCK or in the big tournaments, he always stands out with his great mechanics. He’s a really great player, so I’m really looking forward to maybe have the chance to pop off against him,” said Shanks before revealing that Gen.G is not the only LCK team he’s excited to go up against. 

“T1 is definitely the best prepared team we’ve scrimmed against so far. It feels like they just did better [compared to other teams] and keep improving quickly.”

And speaking of scrims, Shanks admitted AL already scrimmed against many of the teams fighting at MSI, though he couldn’t share more details on the matches’ results. While all of them are ‘strong,’ according to AL’s mid laner, Western teams’ champion choices and playstyles are ‘a bit different’ from what he had expected. 

However, this diversity of styles is part of what makes international competition so exciting and unpredictable. And at MSI 2025, this is especially clear in the mid lane, where there are ‘so many’ champions to choose from—also thanks to Fearless Draft—reflecting how teams must stay flexible to stay ahead. 

If Anyone’s Legend clears FlyQuest, Shanks could soon be contesting giants of League of Legends esports international scene, which is the kind of tests that can define whether he’ll be a captain or just another pirate — er, player.

Fans can tune in at 1am BST tomorrow night to watch Shanks make his international debut.