Samurai Shodown/Kyoshiro Senryo

Kyoshiro Senryo 千両 狂死郎, Senryō Kyōshirō

Damage Taken: 100% Rage Factor: 0.32 Rage Duration: 10 seconds Jump: 62 frames (Extremely Slow) Forward Walk Speed: 0.3 (Average) Back Walk Speed: 0.23 (Average) Dash Speed: 1.25 (Average) Back Dash: 34 frames (Cancelable from frame 13) Weapon Pickup / Drop: 57 / 83 frames

Introduction

Kyoshiro is a surprisingly traditional zoner with a variety of keepout tools and long-range normals that make it difficult for the opponent to approach him. His gameplay is generally more commital than the other zoners, which gives him a somewhat offensive feel.

His grounded Tsunami Crunch fireballs are very good at making the opponent want to jump, which is a bad idea, since Kyoshiro has some excellent anti-airs that can catch people from basically anywhere. Once the enemy respects Kyoshiro, he can employ his high/low mixups from a distance with 66B and 2B. If they are low on life, he can also chip them out with his Dance of Fire or EX Ragion special moves.

Unfortunately, Kyoshiro’s sluggish movement and abysmally floaty jump make it hard for him to escape being pressured. His DP also lacks proper invincibility. Kyoshiro needs to bide his time until the right situation arises and never let the opponent get the upper hand on him or the round might be over before it really started.

Playstyle

Kyoshiro Senryo is a mid-range zoner with powerful anti-airs and unconventional mixups.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Strong ground game: Kyoshiro has a suite of great normals from many ranges and can leverage a strong poking game. Good anti-air: Between 2C and 623S, Kyoshiro has good options for punishing those who try to jump over his zoning game. Good 50/50: Kyoshiro's 2B is a great midscreen low that can be mixed in with his 66B and B+C to keep blocking opponents on their toes. Solid pressure: Kyoshiro has solid running pressure and his kicks and proximity normals make him surprisingly adept at keeping up an up-close pressure game. Crouch Walk:: Crouch walk allows some nifty low-profile options in neutral.

Mediocre fireball: While fast, Kyoshiro's fireball has significant recovery and can be easily high-profiled, making his zoning game less threatening. Extremely floaty: As one of the floatiest characters in the game with poor air normals to boot, Kyoshiro has no air game to speak of. High recovery DP: 623C is the most punishable DP in the game on block. On hit, it forces a side swap every time and puts Kyoshiro at frame disadvantage due to the massive recovery. Gimmicky specials: Many of Kyoshiro's special moves have poor practical use or are superseded by better recoil options. The toad can only take you so far. No Stationary Crouch Guard: He can't guard lows without crouch walking backwards, which forces him to give up space while defending. Poor SSM with short range

Gameplan

Kyoshiro is a neutral heavy character, a decent keep out game with his far reaching normals. He wants to keep the opponent around half screen range. In general, he wants to prompt the opponent into jumping and anti-air them.

Neutral

All of his lights and mediums are great pokes to keep out the opponent (2B is a good one as it hits low). Use them along with his projectile to keep the opponent out.

When the opponent decides to jump-in, he may choose from a variety of AA options. 2C is the most basic one, it covers his back to catch any cross-up jump-in attempts. It is a little slow on start up so use it when the opponent already whiffed an air special or the opponent doesn't have a good jump-in normal with downward hitbox. It is considered hit crouching if failed to contest with an air normal, so use it with caution.

DP is the most universal one. His DP has a great forward and upward hitbox, making it one of the best DP for AA in the game. The B version has air-invul good for AA, but it's a little slow with a 13F start-up so it's not useful in some match ups. If the opponent jumps over him, use 621 (6621 if dashing) to do a reversal DP to catch the opponent.

Another option is to back-dash 2S, this comes out very fast, can beat out many air normals on start-up due to its wide hitbox. But this move is very punishable if whiffed or blocked. Last but not least, his WFT also makes a great AA. Again it has an amazing hitbox that will catch any opponents in the air (front or back).

Other notable neutral tools: His UOH has an amazing range that can be difficult to be punished on block, it also jumps over many projectiles, a good pressure keeping tool. His 214D is an unique command grab with amazing reach (Can't help myself but to mention the range of him over and over again, gosh just abuse on that please), it is used as a mix-up tool, for example after all the pokes, the opponent might attempt a deflect, the toad will punish that.

Okizeme

Kyoshiro got unique Oki options with his near lights and mediums as undeflectable, they are generally plus on block compared to other normals. His n.2B can be positive on block if spaced correctly. These are good pressure keeping tools as they are frame traps on block for punish attempts. They can combo on hit, if it hits the opponent as airborne, follow up with toad is a good mix-up option.

He can also do High/Low mix-ups for Oki, 66B hits as overhead and catches any jumping attempts, 66D is for low. If the opponent is conditioned to block on wake-up, surprise the opponent occasionally with toad (especially in corner) is good, but it's very punishable on whiff so do not abuse it. Other moves such as his UOH are also good to keep pressure on wake up.

Side Notes

• Playing Kyoshiro requires good reaction and prediction to keep a good neutral distance.
• His SSM is very short ranged, upon successful deflect, a short run is required mostly for it to connect.
• A cool character with a cool design, definitely give him a try! (He has great range!)

Normal Moves

Far Slashes

5A

5A

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 40 Mid 9 - - 25 -4 -5 5 Yes - Yes No Kyoshiro flicks the blunt end of his naginata in an arc. It is a primarily used to premptively catch approaches when the opponent is close enough that 5B and 2B are at risk of being jumped in on. Can be kara canceled into specials. Mainly useful for kara canceling into tsunami with hopes of later baiting jump attempts. Combos into 623A but the range is very specific and odds are you have much better punish tools available. Slow for what it is. Low damage.

5B

5B

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 100 Mid 15 - - 45 -10 -12 10 No - Yes No Kyoshiro thrusts his naginata forward horizontally. One of Kyoshiros best normals and his longest ranged poke. Allows him to punish things that other characters may struggle with for respectable damage. You will want to use this move often to harass your opponent and stuff grounded approaches. However, bare in mind that it is deflectable and has a lot of recovery. Try to only use it at max distance to mitigate the risk of getting jumped in on and try not to overdo it to avoid being deflected.

5C

5C

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 280 [100,180] Mid 20 3 - 77 KD -16 25 No - Yes (Disarm) No Kyoshiro winds up and then swings his naginata forward Big damage. When your opponent screws up at range, this is what you use to punish them. Can combo from both forward and back throw giving Kyoshiro access to above average throw damage at all times. If you are going to play Kyoshiro you need to practice landing 5C on forward and back throw. Fairly fast startup for a 5C so if you are confident an opponent is going to approach from the ground you can throw this out. Just bare in mind the consequences if you are wrong. Has slightly less range than 5B. First hit will whiff at max distance leaving a lot of damage on the table. Get comfortable with its ranges. Sometimes you may need to microwalk forward during a punish to get both hits to connect.

2A

2A

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 50 Mid 10 - - 29 -7 -5 5 Yes - Yes No Kyoshiro crouches and then stabs his nagitata forwards. Essentially the same as Far 5A but it's a little bit slower, does a little bit more damage, and has a little bit more range. What makes it inferior to Far 5A in my eyes is the recovery. -7 on hit. Yes, all of Kyoshiros moves have terrible recovery on hit and whiff but if you are using this move it is because they are starting to get too close. At this range, speed is of the essence. Just use Far 5A unless they are slightly outside Far 5As range. In that case, by all means use Far 2A. It is special cancelable into 623A but it is pretty selective when it comes to distances and I believe you will always have better options.

2B

2B

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 90 Low 16 - - 45 -9 -12 10 No No No No Kyoshiro winds up and stabs his naginata downwards. Kyoshiro might be a middling character but he has some good pokes and this is arguably the best of the bunch. Hits low, does respectable damage, great range for a low, and it is not deflectable. Combining these three aspects together makes it very strong. Especially in recoil scenarios. Almost any blocked heavy or slash move with "heavy recoil" is a free Far 2B punish if you are within range. Because it is a low, it bypasses deflect attempts. It is fast enough where it can beat the startup of a lot of recoil cancels (matchup dependent). Sure, it will lose to Recoil Cancel DP or something like that but that puts all the risk in their court. You can just sit back knowing that almost any heavy recoil situation is a free 2B unless they are willing to commit to something crazy and put their lives on the line. Call them out on it and it's very big reward for you. It's essentially the working man's toad. When they are in range of your Far 2B (and it reaches quite far) they have to watch their toes. Instill this fear in them, wait, and be on the lookout for jumps. However, as you would expect, this move is not without it's downsides. A little bit shorter range than 5B. Keeping your opponent at the tip of 5B means you have some protection from jump-ins. If they are in 2B range, that means you are vulnerable to jump-ins. Couple this with the fact that it has more recovery than Far 5B and that it is a crouching normal (free deep jump-in) and you have to be very careful about using this in neutral. If you are going to use this in neutral, use it at or slightly outside of max range.

2C

2C

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 180 Mid 15 - - 47 -5 -28 25 No - Yes (Disarm) No Kyoshiro spins in place while swinging his naginata around his head. Another solid normal for Kyoshiro but not without its flaws. Designed to be used as an anti air but it has a tendency to trade and, because it is a crouching normal, it will grant deep jump-in properties; even during trades. Definitely, use it as an anti-air but it is ultimately matchup dependent. Can also be used as a hard call out on ground approaches with slightly less risk than Far 5C. Can be useful as a call out against opponents that abuse Combo Jump.

Near Slashes

n.5A

n.5A

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 30 Mid 5 - - 19 -2 -5 5 Yes No No No Kyoshiro awkwardly reaches forwards Kyoshiro has some decent near normals. This one is pretty uninteresting but has it's uses. Can be used as an anti-air but it's not worth the potential for trading or being outright stuffed. It's much better as a walk under. Can either 5a for some free damage and then create space. Or be cheeky and cancel it into a toad or tsunami. It's a gimmick but you can whiff it right as an opponent wakes up and then sneak in a grab. It's safer than going for toad; believe it or not.

n.5B

n.5B

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 90 Mid 8 - - 31 -3 -8 10 Yes No No No Kyoshiro leans forward for a palm strike Kyo's best near normal. This is mainly because it is incredibly active. Typically it can be tricky landing meaties in SS7. Not with this bad boy. You can easily eyeball it and regardless of how they tech you will stuff anything they try to do that isn't a reversal. It's too easy, it does 90 damage (same as Far 2B) and there's not much risk involved. Often times just checking the opponent on wakeup with this is enough. You can then backdash and return to neutral. If you want to put your life on the line, you try canceling this into toad or 214A to catch those trying to jump away. If they respect the power of meaty n.5B you can whiff a n.5A right before they wake up and then grab them. Just bare in mind these options carry a lot of risk. But that's not all. This is also your main combo starter. 5B>214A, 5B>236AB, 5B>623C are all great options.

n.5C

n.5C	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 210 Mid 13 - - 43 -3 -28 25 - Yes Disarm No Kyoshiro winds up and then swing downward with the blade of his naginata Quick but for every situation you could think to use this, there are better options. Only really use this to engage guard crush.

n.2A

n.2A	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 30 Mid 5 - - 18 -1 -4 5 Yes No No No Kyoshiro crouches and then reaches forward awkwardly Not really much to say about this one.

n.2B

n.2B

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 70 Mid 7 5 - 23 +4~+8 -1~+3 10 Yes No No No Kyoshiro crouches and then reaches forward awkwardly but with considerably more force this time I want to really like this normal. If it was more active it would be great. However, it doesn't catch opponents on wakeup like n.5B does. Which is unfortunate because it is great on block and probably your best button for tick grabbing. If you are in range and want to apply some safe pressure, feel free. However, I rarely found myself in a good position to use this where it wasn't ultimately outclassed by other tools.

Kicks

5D

5D

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 50 Mid 6 - - 23 -2 -4 5 - - - Yes Kyohrio thrusts his foot forward for a quick kick Excellent pressure tool. Great for stealing turns. Non-committal as it can not be deflected. Excellent all-around harassment tool up close. 66A>5D is a solid pressure sequence. Feel free to slip in one of these at close range whenever you predict an incoming approach. Surprisingly good whiff punish tool at range.

6D

6D

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 40 Low 12~15 4 15~10 28 -4~-1 -7~-4 5 No - - Yes Kyoshiro twists to the side and delivers a tow kick Interesting move with some odd utility but it is ultimately underwhelming. Hits low for what it's worth. Can be used to pre-emptively stuff pokes with surprisingly good results. You can use 236D which, when done properly results in this move. It can be a decent way to bait jumps after heavily using tsunami.

2D

2D	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 20 Low 6 - - 20 -2 -5 5 - - - Yes Kyoshiro delivers a low crouching kick Pretty by the numbers up close low option. n.2A or n.2B into 5d is the better safe pressure option up close but if you notice your opponent not respecting a low option up close you can use this.

3D

3D	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 70 Low 14 - - 50 KD(+88) -18 5 - - - Yes Kyoshiro delivers a low spinning sweep Too slow and punishable to have any genuine use except for when unarmed. When unarmed, this is your highest damage throw "combo".

Dash Normals

66A

66A

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 40 Mid 8 - - 24 -4 -7 5 Yes - - No Kyoshiro thrusts his palm forward for a running attack The last of Kyoshiro's truly great normals; and what a normal to go out on. Though it's startup is ho-hum this is a surprisingly good pressure and all around harassment tool. It's also not deflectable and can be spaced to hit on later active frames to be a little bit safer. When applying pressure with this, you can often spam it up close while mixing in 5Ds to get the opponent to respect sit still and respect you. Once they have learned to sit still, you can then either go for a throw, 66B or do one more 66A>Toad. You'd be surprised how effective this can be against some opponents. It is also cancelable. This opens up many new options for Kyo. 66A>623A is notable as it allows Kyo to get solid damage in a tricky range for him. When Far 5C is too slow, use this. 66A is also a great run under button.

66B

66B

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 100 High 23 - - 57 KD -18 10 - - - No Kyoshiro winds up then hops into the air swinging downward with his naginata. A running overhead for decent damage. However, it is slow and very punishable. Despite it's flaws, Kyoshiro needs to take some risks when playing from a deficit. This is one of his options.

66C

66C	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 160 Mid 17 - - 63 KD -24 25 - - - No Kyoshiro winds up and then swings his naginata downwards Situational punish You'll have better options.

66D

66D	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 70 Low 11 7 - 44 KD -17~-13 5 - - - Yes Kyoshiro does a running slide Essentially the low hitting version of 66B. Ok damage and fairly quick but incredibly punishable on block. Despite it's flaws, Kyoshiro needs to take some risks when playing from a deficit. This is one of his options.

Air Normals

j.A

j.A

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 30 High 6 - - - - - 5 - - - No Kyoshiro awkwardly reaches forward but from the air this time Very niche air normal. Can be used as a quick up close air to air. Just don't use the 9 version or your opponent may recover before you do and in very close proximity. Useful protecting the air against double jumpers. If your opponent is respecting your supremely floaty jump, you can whiff this and then go for a throw.

j.B

j.B

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 90 High 12 - - - - - 10 - - - No Kyoshiro stabs his naginata at a 45° angle Kyos best air to air in this game. Get used to it's most effective ranges. Ranges from good (characters who have very downwards reaching air normals) to absolutely essential (Charlotte) for controlling the air in certain matchups.

j.C

j.C	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 160 High 17 - - - - - 20 - - - No Kyoshiro does a crescent slash directly below him Your go to jump-in. Too slow to air-to-air with in most situations unless you have a good read or your opponent is telegraphing their double jumps. However, if you can make it work as an air-to-air, do so.

j.D

j.D	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 30 High 12 - - - - - 5 - - - Yes Kyoshiro performs a very horizontal jumping kick The slow startup of this move limits it's usefulness.

Unarmed Normals

u.5S

u.5S	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 50 Mid 8 - - 31 -3 -8 5 - - - Only Kyoshiro leans forward for a palm strike Looks like his awesome n.5B but it is no longer cancelable. Combine that with his long recovery and you are better off using 5D when unarmed.

u.2S

u.2S	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 50 Mid 6 - - 26 0 -5 5 - - - Only Kyoshiro crouches and then reaches forward awkwardly Again, nothing great about this. Probably want to just use 5D when unarmed.

ju.S

ju.S	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 50 High 6 - - - - - 5 - - - Only Kyoshiro awkwardly reaches forward but from the air this time Same as his j.A. Becomes one of your primary ways of controlling the air when unarmed. Just don't use the 9 version.

u.66S

u.66S	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 50 Mid 8 - - 24 KD -1 5 - - - Only Kyoshiro thrusts his palm forward for a running attack Like 66A. No longer cancelable but now knocks down. Quick. Good for run unders Use this to get your weapon back.

Universal Mechanics

Guard Break

Guard Break (Throw) 4/5/6C+D Forward Throw Forward Throw Back Throw Back Throw

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed Neutral/Forward 0 No 3 - 71 74 +20 - - - - - Yes Universal throw. Can be followed up with an attack. Always use 5C off of forward or back throw unless WFT is available. Forward throw into 5C is somewhat tight. Practice this. Back 0 No 5 - 69 74 +25 - - - - - Yes Universal throw. Can be followed up with an attack. Always use 5C off of forward or back throw unless WFT is available.

Surprise Attack

Surprise Attack (Overhead) 5B+C Armed Armed Unarmed Unarmed

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed Armed 80 High 24 - - 49 0 -13 10 - - - No Universal overhead. Gives Kyo an overhead attack option with decent range. Between this and 2B, he can be very annoying when in range. Bare in mind that it is not the safest thing in the world when blocked. Spacing it makes it safer but it is never truly safe on block. Space and at least make your opponent prove that they are prepared to punish it from range. Can be used as a movement tool to get over grounded projectiles. Can get over some normal projectiles but it is tight and often not worth the risk. Unarmed 70 High 24 - - 45 0 -13 10 No - No Only Universal unarmed overhead When unarmed it is ok and ultimately worth using,

Dodge

Dodge 5A+B	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed - - 1 16 22 38 - - - - - - Yes Universal dodge.

Stance Break

Stance Break A+B during Just Defense	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 0 Mid 5 - - 52 KD -24 - No - - Yes Universal Stance Break.

Counter / Blade Catch

Counter / Blade Catch 236A+B Counter Counter Blade Catch Blade Catch

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed Armed 0 N/A 2 11 34 46 +35~+59 N/A - N/A N/A N/A No Universal counter. Allows you to follow up with a guaranteed attack of your own. The amount of time you have to followup depends on the strength of the attack you counter, with heavy attacks staggering the opponent for the longest amount of time. Additionally you counter a heavy slash or a running slash, your opponent will be disarmed. Disarmed 0 N/A 2 12 9 22 KD N/A - N/A N/A N/A Only Universal counter. While disarmed, your counter will disarm and knock away your opponent regardless of slash level countered.

Rage Explosion

Rage Explosion 5A+B+C	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 0 Unblockable 21 1 - 58 0 - - - - - No Unblockable pushback attack.

Lightning Blade

Lightning Blade (Issen) 5A+B+C during Rage Explosion	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 300~709 Mid 9 - - - KD -44 - - - No No Has projectile invulnerability and anti-airs. Damage scales up based on remaining health.

Command Moves

Crouch Walk

Crouch Walk 1 or 3 Crouch Walk Crouch Walk

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed - - - - - - - - - - - - Yes Kyoshiro walks while crouching. Interesting tool but it's ultimately a big detriment to Kyos game. Backwards couch walk in particular really hurts Kyo. Playing patient and holding your position is the most efficient way to play Kyo. Backwards crouchwalk forces him to give up screen space for free making it incredibly difficult to hold your ground without continuously compensating for the space you lost. Forwards crouch walk is a decent idea but is ultimately niche. Does not move him forward fast enough to be evasive. Useful against certain attacks like level 0 Mina arrow but still not that useful in the end.

Special Moves

Tsunami Crunch

Tsunami Crunch 236S

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed A 60 Mid 18 - - 61 -16 -16 5 - - - Yes B 60 Mid 20 - - 70 -23 -23 5 - - - Yes C 60 Mid 23 - - 75 -25 -25 5 - - - Yes Kyoshiro winds up and summons a small tsunami A decent but ultimately flawed projectile. Strength of slash determines speed of the tsunami. Gives Kyo a fullscreen presence. Can be used to coax opponents to jump. Kara cancels from 5A which can be used to help with this. Doesn't do a lot of damage. Has huge recovery. At it's best against floaty jumpers.

Dance of Fire

Dance of Fire 421S

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed A 80 Mid 34 - - 84 KD -8 12 - - - Yes B 90 Mid 36 - - 111 KD -10 20 - - - Yes C 100 Mid 41 - - 152 KD -12 28 - - - Yes Kyoshiro leans back and the breaths out a continuous ball of flame Strength used determines the duration. Very good meaty that leads to great chip damage. Very effective at cranking guard gauge. Can leave you very plus if the opponents wakes up into it. This can allow you to go for a high low mixup afterwards. Has a very prominent hitbox and will beat most normals when active. Can mixup the strength to bait someone trying to punish too early. Long recovery. Patient players will get a very good punish on whiff. Only A version is truly safe on block when not used as a meaty. Disjointed specials will go right through it. Be mindful of who you are playing against when using this and don't autopilot on wakeup if the opponent has an easy counter.

Lion's Tail Blast

Lion's Tail Blast 214S

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed A 140 Mid 20 - - 80 KD -15 22 - - - No B 160 Mid 25 - - 106 KD -21 28 - - - No C 180 Mid 43 - - 98 KD -36 24 - - - No Kyoshiro plunges his naginata into the ground and delivers a flaming horizontal kick 214A is your ideal close combo ender. 5B>214A. 5B>214A can be used to catch people who are preemptively jumping to avoid toad. 214A is surprisingly safe on block. Can lead to deflect opportunities if the opponent is unprepared. Ultimately, a gimmick. 214A can low crush certain normals and projectiles. You have safer options to do this but it's there. 214C can be used to chip out an inexperienced opponent. However, it's start up is very slow making it easy for experienced players to avoid. 214C is SSM punishable on block.

Lion's Tail Blast

Ragion Lion's Tail Blast 214C	Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed Rage 200 [20*6,80] Mid 43 - - 98 KD -32 28 - - - No Kyoshiro plunges his naginata into the ground and delivers a Rage Enhanced flame kick. Pretty much the same as 214C. Can catch someone unprepared for a chip out. SSM punishable on block. Very risky. Do not use often.

Twisting Heavens

Twisting Heavens 623S

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed A 110 Mid 11 - - 68 KD -24 12 - - - No No invul. Fastest of the bunch. Despite it having no invulnerability, it can be a decent anti-air in certain matchups when spaced properly. Specifically Darli, Shiki, and a float happy Shizu. B 130 Mid 13 - - 87 KD -51 15 - - - No Very slow startup for a DP. Does have invulnerability. If you are confident in getting this move out in time then, by all means, use it as a dp. But, it has a tendency of coming out after your opponent has already landed. Best used against characters with normal and floaty jumps. C 160 Mid 14 - - 128 KD -92 20 - - - No Full invulnerability. Slowest of the bunch. Travels horizontally almost the entire length of the screen. Can be used as a very risky reversal or against characters with very floaty jumps. Can be used against double jumpers but you may find it sailing over them. Be aware that if you whiff this or it gets blocked then the majority of the cast can SSM punish you.

Smoldering Blood Pounce

Smoldering Blood Pounce j.2S

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 180 High 10 [4] - 88(landing) - KD -102~-74 18 - - - No Kyoshiro holds his Naginata over his head and spins as he decends towards the ground and then strikes a pose Interesting move. Can be used both from a jump and out of backdashes. It is typically too slow to use on reaction from a jump. If you are using it out of a jump it is typically a hard read. Considering that this move is SSM punishable, this application is not recommended. It is best used out of a backdash as an anti-air or an overhead. As an anti-air it is is good against most of the cast and absolutely essential in some matchups (Yoshi and Darli). The common tactic when using it as an anti-air is to read when an opponent might jump, back dash, visually confirm whether the opponent jumped or not, then act accordingly. The hitbox is surpsisinglyy large so it will hit from further out than you may expect but it's range is not infinite. Spacing if something you will have to get a hang of. As an overhead it is best used in the corner. If an opponent attempts to run up throw or is not respecting your space in general, you can backdash and let it rip. Seems powerful at first but an experienced opponent will catch on and bait you. Don't over use this.

Toad Plague

Toad Plague 214D

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 200 Unblockable 35 15 - 130 KD -96~-82(whiff) - No - - Yes Kyoshiro strikes a pose as a giant toad emerges from the ground and shoots his tongue outward in an attempt to catch an unwitting opponent. The Toad. Stylish. Crowd pleasing. Character defining. Gimmick. Toad is essentially a command grab/unblockable. If the opponent is grounded when the tounge makes contact with them, it will catch them. The issue is it is painfully slow. There are "setups". 66A>214D. Meaty 5B>214D. But the fact remains that toad is just not very good in a genuine competitive environment. It all comes down to the experience of your opponent. If your opponent is not experienced against toad then the "setups" will work. Abuse it. Just understand that they will eventually figure it out. If your opponent is experienced against toad then do not use it. They will react and you will die. Does not matter how crafty you are. However, there is a minor caveat worth mentioning. Toad can be useful against any opponent in some recoil cancel situations. For example, if your opponent is a Jubei and they love to do 66B>Recoil cancel projectile, you can blow this up with toad. However, it is always incredibly risky and almost never worth it against an experienced opponent.

Supers

Weapon Flipping Technique

Flesh and Blood Fandango 236B+C

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 396(462) Mid 1+14 - - - KD -55 - - - - No Kyoshiro strikes a pose and raises his naginata above his head and then begins to spin gliding horizontally across the stage. Can be used off of throw or comboed into from n.5B and n.2B. Can be used as an anti-air. If you have the reactions for it then definitely try to use it as an anti-air. But, bare in mind, opponents sometimes have a tendency to pass through unscathed. Can also be used to chip kill if the opponent is not prepared to stance break. n.5B an n.2B>WFT is a true string. Unless they stance break they have to hold the chip.

Super Special Move

Eighteen Best Kabuki Plays "Revolving Stage" 641236C+D

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Guard Dmg Cancel Recoil Deflectable Unarmed 670 Mid 10+17 - - - KD -68 - - - - No Kyoshiro winds up and then delivers a palm strike. If it connects, he unleashes a barrage of devastating strikes with his naginata. Incredibly short range. Will often require you to do a microdash forward to get in proper range before using it. If you are going to play Kyoshiro, you need to understand the effective ranges and practice microdash into SSM.

Combos

List combos, use numpad notation.

Midscreen

• (n.5B / n.2B) xx 214A / 623C / WFT
  Standard punish combo, can run-up stop to do 5B for long range, 214A recovers faster leave you positive for Oki.

• 66A xx 623A
  Dash-in combo.

• n.5A/5A xx 623A
  Fast combo from a light.

• 2A xx 623A
  It will combo if it's less than full range of 2A.

• Deep j.C...
  • n.5B / n.2B xx 214A / 623C / WFT
    Might get far version of mediums if a little too far. That case go for a 5C instead. Or go straight into the special.
  • n.5C / 5C
    Universal deep j.C combo.
  • Lightning Blade
    Universal Issen combo.

• 5CD/4CD...
  • 5C
    Both throw work, forward throw is 1 frame link.
  • WFT
    Go straight into WFT after forward throw.
  • Run-up(n.5B / n.2B) xx WFT
    Only after back throw, run-up stop (input 4 or 1) WFT.

Corner

• 5CD/4CD...
  • (n.5B / n.2B) xx 214A / 623C / WFT
    Can't go for a 5C so go for medium combo for knock down. Again 214A leaves you better frame for Oki.

Guard Crush

• n.5C...
  After recovery...
  • (n.5B / n.2B) xx 214A / 623C / WFT
    Standard follow up.
  • SSM
    SSM follow up. (Be careful with opponent bursting to avoid it)

• 5C...
  Combo from second hit...
  • 214A / 623C / WFT
    421A will not reach at far range, but it leaves you plus for Oki if you connect it at closer range.
  • 214D
    Corner only combo, does the most damage other than WFT.
  • Lightning Blade
    Universal Issen combo, combo from second hit.

• 5C...
  If only the second hit triggered GC...
  • 5C / 623C/ WFT / Lightning Blade
    Go for another 5C, special, WFT or Issen.

• n.5C...
  Cancel recovery...
  • Lightning Blade
    Universal Issen combo

Videos

• Kyoshiro tutorial and combos by LegendaryWolf Shirou (2019)
• SugarBear vs ShinChie at WNF Online Edition
• Mantan vs TheFroff

Colors

External Links

• Twitter hashtag: #SS_KY