AquaPazza/Touka

Touka

Touka's Move List

Introduction

Part of Hakuoro's entourage from Utawarerumono. Formerly his enemy until the death of her lord, Touka joined Hakuowlo as a bodyguard after Eruruu and Aruruu convinced her that he was a good person. Completely overpowered along with Karulau in Utawarerumono. Somewhat absent-minded and childish, which is why she ends up as comic relief occasionally.

Starting Out

Touka is a spacing oriented character who excels at mid range. All of her sword attacks are located on the C button and great reach, so she can also battle at long range to a certain extent using those and some of her special moves. Touka has a lot in her arsenal that can easily keep her opponents, itching to get in, off of her. Her special trait makes moving on the offensive a smoother transition anytime you can force C moves on your opponent. Depending on what assist you choose, you can change small steps into big windows of opportunity to really stay on your opponent can cause trouble for them.

On the other hand. These same C moves that can help get you in have huge recovery. If you whiff a C move then you also expose yourself to a lot of danger. Due to this, you need to be away of your ranges at all time, making sure that you make every hit count.

Partners

Assist that a good for Touka will help you get in from afar or greatly buff your ability to guard crush. You can also use some partners to help make the most out of combo opportunities and tag on some extra damage.

Satsuki
Satsuki's bullets are great from afar when you would like to be more aggressive in your approach. You can combine it with Tsujikaze in order to corner space safely and quickly.

Mizuki
Though mostly for damage, you can also use Mizuki to keep you safe as an active assist.

Rina
With Rina you can turn 5C hits into big damage with 5C[66]xN. When you have them in the corner, you can mixup your opponent with the explosion from the end of SOUND OF DESTINY. You can use Tsujikaze to cross up the explosion. You can also drop the combo into Touhai-uchi to guard break them and have the explosion hit them.

Strategy

Spacing and Neutral Game

Touka's most effective zone is slightly closer than the tip of 5C. Getting into that area and staying there is probably one of the harder parts of playing this character. Instead of trying to get in yourself, you can bait your opponent into coming in to put you in your best zone. While you are afar, you can build tension and keep your opponent guessing with A Tsujikaze. This is important since standing still and walking back will put you in low spirits. When your opponent becomes impatient, you can respond with anti airs or 5C [66] for high damage counters.

Getting in yourself is difficult as Touka does not have super jump or dash. The best you have is to just "go in" with Tsujikaze B or C. The plain fact that all of your options for aggressive spacing are very risky: There is a gap at the end of her step right before you can attack that you cannot block. You jump trajectory is easy to read and a bit slow so its easy to anti air Touka. You best tool for jumping in is JB, but if that get blocked too high than you can be easily punished with quick 5 or 2As.

Using short hops with JB or JC to gradually inch your way into Touka's sweet spot is probably your best option in most match ups if you want to aggressively get in. But they can still opt to move back and increase the space between you. In the end, as long as you keep Touka's deficiencies in mind, you can get in. Just make sure you don't completely devote yourself to one method.

Pressure

After you've finally made your way into 5C's sweet spot, you have several options from there. You can: Use 5C; Tiger Knee Hagetsu; decrease the gap even more and use 2A and start pressure.

Make sure you always have that 5C at least blocked. Or else you are in trouble. If you get a hit, you can keep the combo going with Hayate into 2A. Most of they time you will have this blocked though, make sure you always step cancel it! From the step cancel you have several options: Jump, 2A into pressure, throw or block if you feel danger. From the jump you can go into JB or JA into Hagetsu. Some opponents will try to guard cancel when you use Hayate, so be on the look out.

Touka's best area is around the end of 5C, but up close she is a monster with TK Hagetsu. It's very fast and almost becomes a guessing game for whether an overhead is coming or not. When lowest to the ground this will hit everyone's crouching animation. If you are off a bit there are some character that duck under this, so take care to tiger knee the move correctly.

If you land a 2A up close, of course, hitconfirm into a combo. If the number of hits is low for your combo, you can connect Hayate into 2A again. If it gets blocked you can go for mixups with TK Hagetsu or Touhai-uchi.

Anti Airs

Touka has 3 good anti air. 5A, short back hop into JB or JC and Shinmyosen.

5A is a very strong anti air. Just be careful against jump ins with strong downward hitboxes (Tamaki's JC) and crossups. Even if it trades, you can follow the hit up as long as they are airborne. You can use Raikou Muei Zan, your heavy smash or even your splash art to tag on some pretty nice damage to successful anti airs.

Short hop back is better for against characters with good jump in attacks. Of course, you won't be using this when you have your back to the corner.

For Shinmyosen, make sure you've completely seen through your opponents jump in first, or else you're in trouble. The super flash is easy to react to if they have not actually thrown an attack out yet.

The above are good provided that it is not on your wake up or a cross up. In those cases, you can use forward step, Tsujikaze or Raikou Muei Zan. You only really use these to run away your your other options are not looking good.

Combos

Target Combos

2A 2B 2C
2A 5B 236
236x>x>x>x>x(just frames) >2141236A+B

Assist Combos

Satsuki

2A 5B 5C 5D [66] 2A 5B 2C or 236

Mizuki

2A 5D 2B 2C [66] (Assist hit) JA J623C

Rina

5B>5C>D>(66>5C>)X5> Rina explosion>21412369B+C

Move List

Normal Moves

5A

A back fist straight out. This has pretty good use as an anti air. Besides moves with good downward hitboxes, his will win against most jump-ins. After hitting your opponent out of the air, you can follow it up with a heavy smash, Raikou Muei Zan or Hisho Zetsuei Zan.

5B

Touka makes a small swipe right in front of her with the sword. It is slightly angled upwards. It looks and can be used as an anti air, but 5A is better as a spur of the moment anti air. Honestly, 5A is better in most situations.

5C

A far reaching diagonal slash. The range is good on this move but less the tip is blocked, you will be counter hit. Make sure you step cancel this move. Unfortunately, you cannot normally special cancel this. However you can during Yuki's assist, WHITE ALBUM.

2A

A 50cent chop out to the side. This 2A has a fair amount of reach.

2B

A low kick ganked right out of Fatal Fury. Unfortunately, the reach isn't too good and there are many cases where it won't connect from 2A.

2C

A long range sweep with the sword. This is probably her farthest reaching normal move. Just like 5C, if this is blocked anywhere but the very tip of the move, you will be punished. Make sure you step cancel this or use an active assist to keep your self safe.

B+C

Touka steps in for a horizontal slash. Huge recovery on this move, use it sparingly. If you are really close to your opponent, you can cross them up with this move. Other than that for mix ups, you can use this for corner pressure or as a reversal when you're on the ropes or add extra damage to 5A anti airs.

JA

This is your everyday jumping A. However, this is her only air move than can chain into Hagetsu for extra hits. What you can do with this is create a high low mix up off of a jump in JA into either Hagetsu or 2B.

JB

Touka swings her sword downward for an attack. Though a bit hard to land, you can cancel this into Tsurane Hagetsu. The downward hitbox is very strong and is probably your most reliable move for jump ins.

JC

A wide, horizontal slash in the air. This move has the best reach out of your other jump moves. It is very good for intercepting your opponent in the air. The best way to use this is to wait and see what your opponent does. That way you can see their intent and trajectory to see if a full jump or short hop would better place your JC.

4 or 6+C

This is your throw. It floats your opponent slightly and you can follow up with 5A.

Special Actions

Short Jump 「小ジャンプ」 - Tap 7 or 8 or 9

(Description) - Touka has SNK style short hops. This maneuver is very nice for maintain pressure or spacing yourself for a JC. Take care not to be too predictable with this move as there are many 5A that can put a stop to you very quickly.

Hayate 「疾風」 - 66 [During Strong attacks on hit]

(Description) - Touka's most characteristic trait. This will allow you to step cancel C attacks on hit or on block. As a general rule you are always at a frame disadvantage when you do this. Against some characters, you actually are wide open to receive a combo. Make sure that you are not too predictable with this move or else you'll be exposing your self to real danger. You can jump after the move to help lessen your chances of being hit right after Hayate, just don't be too predictable with that either.

Special Moves

Kikyo 「桔梗」 - 236+[Attack]

(Description) - A dash in slash that can be extended up to four times. In other words, a rekka. You can mash the button for the extra hits, but if this is blocked, you will stop on the first attack. And if you where blocked anywhere but the very tip of the move, you will be hit for a full combo. Make sure you hitconfim well. The different versions change the start up and movement before the first hit. The A version is the fastest and has the least forward movement. The C version has the longest start up and range before the first hit. When using this move in a combo, be sure to use the A or B versions. As said, you can mash the button for the subsequent hits, but there is also just frame timing for them. There is an easy way to tell the timing: A circle will appear around Touka as she initiates Kikyo. If you press the button right as is disappears, you will get the JUST timing. There will also be a bell-like sound when you hit it at the right time. Anyone can get this around 100% if they train for just a bit. If you get all JUST hits, you will blow your opponent all the way to the wall. From there you can link it into Raikou Muei Zan. If you are already in the corner, don't input the super too fast or else it will whiff. If you just the the third hit to be timed, you'll get an untechable knockdown right next to you. So, you can choose between getting okizeme or pushing the opponent to the corner while racking up some extra damage.
(A version) - Fastest start up; least movement; usable in combos
(B version) - Moderate start up; moderate movement; usable in combos
(C version) - Long start up; farthest movement

Hagetsu 「破月」 - J623+[Attack] [Air Only]

(Description) - Touka performs a crescent slash in the air. This move is a huge core of Touka's mixups. You can use this move right after a jump, tiger knee it, for an instant overhead. Tiger knee means to buffer the move into a jump for an air move to come out right after a jump. It would look like 6239X in number notation. If you land a low Hagetsu in the corner, Touka will wall bounce the opponent and you can follow it up from there. You can also use this move to and extra hits from from rising air attacks.

Tsujikaze 「辻風」 - 646+[Attack]

(Description) - A teleport move. The different versions of the move will change how much you move. You can use this move to circle behind your opponent or use the follow up attack to hit them if you find an opening. You can also combine this with your partner attacks for mixups
(A version) - Shift in place
(B version) - Move about 2 character spaces forward
(C version) - Move about half the screen forward

Suigetsu-zuki 「水月突き」 [Any attack during Tsujikaze]

(Description) - This is a follow up to Tsujikaze. Touka will hit the opponent with the scabbard of her sword after moving forward.

Touhai-uchi 「刀背打ち」 - 214+[Attack]

(Description) - Touka winds up, then slams the blunt edge of the sword into her opponent. The start up is a bit slow, but it will guard crush crouching opponents. The properties change a little with each version. The C version gives you the most amount of time to land a combo afterward, but it takes a while to come out. If you want to keep your opponent on their toes, then mix the B version into your pressure. To tell the truth, you won't use this very much as Hagetsu works as a better and faster overhead for pressure. You could still use this move every once in a while to throw your opponent off though.
(A version) - Fastest start up; shortest stun time off the guard crush
(B version) - Moderate start up
(C version) - Longest start up; longest stun time off the guard crush

Super Moves

Tsurane Hagetsu 「連ね破月」 - J641236+AB [Air Only]

(Description) - A power version Hagetsu. Touka does several slashes in the air for 1 bar. This is a good way to get extra damage in specific situation, such as off a corner hit of Hagetsu. But Touka has better supers that you can spend the meter on, so you won't use this that much.

Shinmyosen 「心明閃」 - 412364+AB

(Description) - Touka slashes through her opponent in the blink of an eye. This move is a counter move from afar, and a throw when you are right up against the opponent. The active frames on the counter portion are very long, until Touka opens her eyes. The damage is nothing to laugh at either.

Raikou Muei Zan 「雷光無影斬」 - 2141236+AB

(Description) - Run past super. The first hit locks the opponent into consecutive hits. You mostly use this as a combo ender, but it does have some invincibility that you can take advantage of. There is invincibility when she disappears during the rush and the start up, but right after the start up she no longer has lower body invincibility. So be careful. You can actually pick up JA hits with this too. Since she moves a good bit forward, you can use this to escape from your opponent. Touka is definitely best at mid range, or close range on her own terms, so you can definitely burn a meter to put you back at neutral. You can also use 5116 to activate the move.

Splash Arts

Hisho Zetsuei Zan 「飛翔絶影斬」 - 21412369+BC

(Description) - Remember the requirements for splash arts? Good. Touka leaps diagonally into the air for the first hit. Think of it like Raikou but in a parabolic arch. The damage from this move is very respectable and you can use it in combos or as an anti air. Make sure they they are coming at you with an attack before you use it as an anti air, it maybe hard but they can still air block the move and go for a punish. Also you don't want to waste all those precious meters. It is also possible to connect to this from 5A anti airs. The move looks like it would only hit airborne opponents, but it will hit grounded and even crouching animations as well provided they are close to Touka. This move is hard to hit on Tamaki, Konomi, Manaka and Morgan if they are crouching. Make sure that you are right next to them. Avoid using this at all on a crouching Multi, it will not hit.