EC's top X likely attendees are...
For sure...
M2K - Sheik/Fox/Marth
Cactuar - Fox
JMan - Fox
Darc - Jigglypuff
Hax - Captain Falcon
Scar - Captain Falcon
Maybe... (don't know skill order to know who will make it, and people who are being FLAKY)
Chu Dat - Ice Climbers
DJ Nintendo - ???, but likely someone you don't need a char counterpick for
Tope - Sheik
Cyrain - Fox
Pakman - Luigi
Sensei - Falco?
Vanz - Sheik
G$ - Marth
HBK - Marth
Eggm - Falco
This doesn't narrow it down much, but the one thing that is clearly noticeable is a general lack of falco, which means a falco slayer probably won't be that useful
On top of that, I'm worried that pikachu is a character that is not only unlikely to put a big hurt stockwise on most characters on non-FD, but is also easily counterpicked and likely to drop multiple stock without taking any back
I have no idea how good axe is or anything, but if the draw is that he either counters falco or has novelty value, I don't think that should be the criteria that gets him in
P.S. nobody cares about the south or canada (who both DO have falco power) or midwest or international (who, as far as i know, don't); everyone knows the road to 1st place runs through the east coast