16-year-old Japanese skateboarder Toa Sasaki left everyone speechless at this year’s Damn Am Los Angeles, taking home an impressive 2nd place among a stacked class of top-ranked amateur skaters. Although this wasn’t his first Damn Am event (Toa managed to take 1st at Damn Am Japan in 2022), it is clear that Toa has become a rising star in the world of professional skateboarding.

This past weekend, Toa was ‘enlisted’ into the Monster Army program where he spent time with our crew exploring California, hitting LA's heaviest skateparks and throwing down at The Berrics with big-name talents from across the globe.

We are beyond psyched to have this ripper on the team! Congrats, Toa.

We checked in with an Toa on joining the Army and skating in the US!

Who are you, where are you from, where are we, what's going down?

I am Towa Sasaki. I am from Aichi, Japan. I am currently in Los Angeles CA, competing at Damn-AM, at the Berrics

Why is it important to come out here and skate contests like the DAMN-AM?

After getting an offer from Monster Army, this is my first contest so I want to do well in it.

How do you like the skateparks over here, compared to the ones out there?

Compared to Japanese skateparks, American ones are much bigger in scale. Also, there are more skateparks. In addition, I like the fact I can casually encounter pros here.

You are new to the Monster Army, what's that mean to you? What are you most excited about, when did you start skating?

Since Monster Drink is one of the most world renowned sponsors for any athlete, I am honored to be a part of the team and have an opportunity to propel my skateboarding career. I had opportunities to skate TAMPA-AM multiple times. With Monster Army, I am excited that I have opportunities to travel more frequently and compete in more contests worldwide. I started skating when I was five with my older brother.

What are your goals or plans for this year and skateboarding?

This year, I want to do well in the World Cup Skateboarding. In the future, I would love to compete in the Olympics and Xgame.