Blade Strangers/Noko

Noko Yokoyama

Introduction

Source Game: Umihara Kawase

Story

Short story summary here

Gameplay

Health: 10,500

Gameplay overview here

Move List

Normal Moves

5L Light Attack

Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 500 6 0 2 M - While Noko's 5L doesn't contribute to her potent high/low mixups, it's a great tool for starting pressure regardless. It has above average range for a light normal, and since its followups also have good range, she'll rarely need to worry about combos whiffing because the opponent is too far away. 5L, much like most characters' jabs, confirms into itself on counter hit. Combined with its range and Noko's quick dash, she can easily keep the opponent in place with repeated 5Ls, and confirm into a knockdown if the opponent tries to press a button.

6L Light Attack x2

Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 600 7 -2 1 M - Because of this move's range, it's effective as a poke to be used in the neutral game. Its main benefit over her other long-range buttons is that she can cancel it into other normals, mainly 6LL, 2H, or even 6E. This allows you to create easily hit confirmable, safe blockstrings, even while further away from the opponent.

6L Light Attack x3

Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 7 -3 1 M - This move will generally force you to end your pressure, since it has lots of pushback on block. However, because of this, it leaves you at a comfortable range at which to play neutral. This move doesn't have such a high vertical hitbox, which makes it slightly awkward to use in air conversions without implementing a delay.

2L Light Attack - Crouch

Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 400 6 -1 0 L - Noko's speed, as well as 2L and its followups' range, make this move a threatening low in almost any situation. Noko can easily run in and out while poking with this move, conditioning opponents to block low so that you can start opening them up with her deadly instant overhead. Unlike 5L, however, this move doesn't link into anything on counter hit, so you'll probably want to immediately cancel this move into 6L or something else.

5H Heavy Attack	Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 9 -6 0 M - ???

6H Down Strike

Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 13 [44] -2 [-1] 3 [Launch] M - Noko's 6H stands out as one of the only charged 6Hs that bounces the opponent off the ground rather than blasting them to the wall. This allows her to combo from it at any point on the screen, and midscreen routes that involve 6[H] do a hefty amount of damage. Aside from its combo potential, 6H has good range and links into 6HS regardless of charge, allowing you to score a good knockdown from just about any confirm.

4H Miserable Kick

Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 8 0 3 M - Nothing about this move is miserable. It has more range than it appears to, has good startup, and very little recovery, making it a prime choice for the neutral game. 4H is a great move to buffer into specials, allowing you to easily punish the opponent for approaching while still remaining safe if they don't. Additionally, this move links into 2H on counterhit, and if you're willing to spend meter you can get massive damage from this confirm. To top it all off, 4H is also Noko's only move other than 5L that's 0 on block. Noko players will often use 2L>4H in pressure since it can easily be hit confirmed, and if 4H is blocked Noko is left in a good position.

2H Crouching Heavy Attack

Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 8 -3 2 L - 2H is arguably Noko's most reliable poke. It's fast and has good range, but the important part is that this move has a gigantic cancel window. It's possible to hit confirm this move into something like 6S, but using Offensive Skill is even easier and leads to a very high damage combo. If 2H counterhits, then the confirm becomes even easier.

3H Cleave

Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 12 -2 1 M - Although this move has a decent hitbox, its poor speed and recovery make it an unreliable option on its own. However, much like 2H, 3H also has a long cancel window, and it has better framedata on block, which means that it might have some utility in long ranged blockstrings. Otherwise, it's pretty useful as a combo extender.

j.L Light Attack - Air	Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 5 7 12 H - You'll rarely ever be jumping in with this move, but its speed and hitbox make it a reliable move to air-to-air with.

j.8L Elbow Strike	Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 5 7 9 H - j.8L's primary use is as a combo tool. It's very fast, has high juggle potential, and hits in a good area above her, making it easy to extend combos with. Generally speaking, canceling j.8L into a delayed heavy air normal will allow Noko to continue her combo once she hits the ground.

j.H Heavy Attack - Air	Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 7 7 16 H - ???

j.8H Horizontal Kick	Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 7 7 16 H - ???

j.2H Skull Splitter	Damage Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv Cancels Guard Hitbox Scaling 9 7 16 H - j.2H has a gigantic hitbox under Noko. It can function similarly to Shovel Knight's infamous j.E; by super jumping forward and using j.2H immediately, Noko can rapidly close distance and gain advantage on block all at once.