Samurai Shodown 3/Hanzo Hattori

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服部半蔵, Hattori Hanzo
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Introduction

Hanzo Hattori practices his fabled ninja stealth by ensuring you'll never see him through his constant use of concealed explosives.

Hanzo has always been about dancing circles around his opponent thanks to his great movement options and threatening them with frequent pokes, whiff punishes, and command grabs to keep the match tilted in his favor. This is no different in SamSho 3. But his Baku’en Ryu (the Slinky) now goes backwards after traveling far enough to control even more space, and he doesn’t need to choose between different strengths for his command grab -- it’s always fast and it always hurts.

Slash Technique takes arguably the more traditional route, keeping access to his infamous Log Trick that allows a possible escape from this game’s countless high-damaging combo strings and sporting a noncommittal command grab he can threaten with from surprisingly long distances. His WFT, as well, is by far the most damaging one in the game and tricky to punish to boot. It’s generally hard to go wrong with Slash Hanzo, especially if you want to mitigate the risk of getting comboed.

Bust Technique grants Hanzo more teleports to reposition himself and confuse his opponents. In this vein, he also upgrades his command grab to allow for absolutely smothering okizeme possibilities and the very real threat of unjumpable loops to boot. His WFT deals less damage, but by itself will completely shut down a lot of characters’ gameplans thanks to its blistering speed and great travel arc. Hanzo is obviously more susceptible to combos in Bust Technique thanks to no Log Trick, but when he’s played well the opponent will never get a chance to meaningfully open him up before getting put through the blender.

Strengths Weaknesses
  • Nearly impossible to lock down thanks to his great mobility
  • Slash can escape otherwise guaranteed death on a whim
  • Bust has some of the most oppressive offense in the game
  • Bust boasts a great, air unblockable WFT
  • Very limited combos, nearly all locked behind WFT, and low reward from back hit
  • Constantly has to get in himself
  • Can't do much against opponents that run away or don't block fireball
  • Slash needs to work his way back in if he lands a grab
  • Bust is forced to take more risks to escape pressure

Stats

Damage taken Rage rate Rage duration Throw startup Deflect advantage Deflect disadvantage modifier
110% 75% 3.7 sec 14f +22 ±0

Normal Moves

Far Slashes

5A
  • (Properties) - Cancellable. Deflectable. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - Annoying quick poke with good range. Not his strongest option in most scenarios but it's there.
5B
  • (Properties) - Cancellable. Deflectable. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - Longer range poke than 5A, albeit his hurtbox sticks out a bit so it can be beaten out. Cancelling into slinky is almost always a good idea.
5C
  • (Properties) - Deflectable. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - Uncharacteristically for Hanzo, this move is actually pretty okay. Middling range and damage, but fast for what it is. Good for lazy whiff punishes.
2A
  • (Properties) - Air unblockable. Deflectable.
  • (Description) - Awful damage and no real reward or setups off of this means it's not worth using.
2B
  • (Properties) - Cancellable. Deflectable. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - Much better damage than 2A and can be cancelled. It's still arguably not the best option Hanzo has in any given scenario, but he has it.
2C
  • (Properties) - Hits low. Knockdown. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - The ankle slicer. Great damage, fast startup, and decent range come as the standard. It'll happily beat out most pokes at ranges it threatens courtesy of it having guard point. Always keep this in your back pocket.

Near Slashes

n.5A
  • (Properties) - Deflectable. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - It's like if n.5B couldn't be cancelled. Maybe if you want the fastest possible point blank guard break option you could use this, but just use n.5B.
n.5B
  • (Properties) - Cancellable. Deflectable. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - Very nice button thanks to its cancel window. Usually best done while cancelling into a special such as the slinky.
n.5C
  • (Properties) - Cancellable. Deflectable. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - Hits twice, comes out fast, and can be cancelled after the second hit. Actual combo options are incredibly limited, but tossing out a slinky never hurt anyone.
n.2A
  • (Properties) - Deflectable. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - 2A but up close. Still bad.
n.2B
  • (Properties) - Cancellable. Deflectable. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - 2B but close.
n.2C
  • (Properties) - Hits low. Knockdown. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - 2C used while not far away. Same exact move.

Overheads

5BC
  • (Properties) - Hits high.
  • (Description) - Bog standard overhead, but for some reason a lot safer than other overheads. It actually has a hitbox right below him later into the downswing, so you could potentially snag a cheesy mixup by using this after resetting an opponent.
u.5BC
  • (Properties) - Hits high.
  • (Description) -

Kicks

5D
  • (Properties) - Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - Awkward high angle kick with little reward. Might make an okay anti-air at times if you're desperate.
6D
  • (Properties) - Hits low.
  • (Description) - Can check the opponent's ability to block low. Inflicts a lot of hitstun on a back hit, so you can confirm into a Bust WFT.
2D
  • (Properties) - Hits low.
  • (Description) - Panic button, neutral on block. No cancel window means no command throw blockstring for you. Go for the throw if they block this anyways. Why not.
3D
  • (Properties) - Hits low. Knocks down. Air unblockable.
  • (Description) - Wholly unremarkable. At least it knocks down so you can try to set up some oki.

Jumping Normals

j.A
  • (Properties) - Hits high.
  • (Description) - He's got better options that cover similar angles.
j.B
  • (Properties) - Hits high.
  • (Description) - Horizontal air-to-air option. Can be used after an air-to-air block.
j.C
  • (Properties) - Hits high.
  • (Description) - Great downwards heavy jumpin. Can cross up if spaced well.
j.D
  • (Properties) - Hits high.
  • (Description) - Primarily there to mess with defensive mashing on a jump-in.

Dashing Normals

66A
  • (Properties) - Deflectable.
  • (Description) - Combine the good range of 5A with Hanzo's super quick running and you get this. Its primary use is for cross under anti-airs, as it deals enough hitstun on back hit to convert into a n.5B. You could guard break someone with this, too.
66B
  • (Properties) - Hits low. Air unblockable. Knockdown.
  • (Description) - Running 2C with reduced damage. Generally good option to annoy the opponent into down/backing when you run at them.
66C
  • (Properties) - Unblockable. Knockdown.
  • (Description) - Slow unblockable. Hanzo has way better options to crack open a blocking foe in his command throws, so this never sees use outside of niche okizeme setups.
66D
  • (Properties) - Hits low. Knockdown.
  • (Description) - Quick long range sliding kick. If you're too far away to confidently use anything else, toss it out and see what happens. Works great as a cross under anti-air from long distance. Can be safe if spaced.

Unarmed Normals

u.5S
  • (Properties) -
  • (Description) - Quick punch with decent range. You can fight pretty well when unarmed thanks to nearly all of Hanzo's special moves and his Slash WFT being available without a weapon, so get used to these buttons.
u.2S
  • (Properties) -
  • (Description) - The above but crouching, and better frames on block. Probably the punch you want to be using.
uj.S
  • (Properties) -
  • (Description) - It's not terrible, I guess, but if you're gonna start jumping you should get your sword back.
u.66S
  • (Properties) - Cancellable (Apparently)
  • (Description) - Dash punch. Less easily punished than 66D but you can just cancel into a command throw if they block this one.

Command Moves

-「Sankaku Tobi」- j.3/6/9 near wall
  • (Description) - Hanzo's wall jump. May be useful for escaping the corner or ensuring opponents with poor horizontal air-to-airs can't hit you on your way down.
- 「Kuuten Geki」 - j.4/6C (can be used unarmed)
  • (Description) - Air throw. Simply having this means the opponent is going to have a hard time cracking you open when you're both in the air. Unless they also have an air throw. Only works if you're really close to the opponent.

Special Moves

Universal

- 「Baku'en Ryu」 - 214S (can be used unarmed)
  • (Properties) - Air blockable. Knockdown.
  • (Description) - The slinky. Hanzo sends out a tall projectile that, while not the fastest, controls an incredible amount of space just by existing and glues his okizeme game together. Rather than simply fizzling out, it will turn around once it reaches its full travel distance and travel back to Hanzo before expiring. If you run past it, it will immediately disappear. It also inflicts a good chunk of damage and knocks down on hit. Just to top off these great attributes, it also locks the opponent in a lot of blockstun, leaving them a sitting duck for a command throw. It even helps make up for Hanzo's poor grounded anti-airs because of how tall it is and how slowly it travels -- opponents who jump in on one will often get sniped by it and knocked down.
Heavier versions will send the projectile out a longer distance before they make their return trip, and have slower startup/recovery. One oddity is that 214B in specific actually has the slowest recovery.
- 「Kage」 - 22A (can be used unarmed)
  • (Description) - A fake teleport that's easy to spam. He stays invincible for a very long time with no punishable recovery, though like the others he's vulnerable for the first four frames. It will avoid desperate wakeup attacks and let you stay in their face for another command throw unless they manage to time their mashing super well. Don't forget about this move, because its utility cannot be overstated, even if purely for the long invincibility period.
- 「Kage Bunshin」 - 641236A/B (can be used unarmed)
  • (Description) - The shadow clone teleport with two destinations - A sends Hanzo to the left side of the screen, while B sends him to the right side. When this is input, he gains invulnerability on the fifth frame and goes through an animation where two visions of himself swap sides a few times before he appears in his chosen destination. It's surprisingly difficult to actually punish thanks to his opponent being forced to guess where he is, as well as only having five frames of vulnerable recovery. Overall. a gimmick whose most "solid" use is to run the clock down.
- 「Utsusemi Chizan」 - 41236BCD (can be used unarmed)
  • (Properties) - Hits low. Air unblockable. Knockdown.
  • (Description) - Low-hitting attack teleport where Hanzo pops out of the ground and does a canned 2C animation. Has the same general invulnerability as his other teleports. Fairly gimmicky considering its high-hitting counterpart is much slower, leaving this mixup by itself easily fuzzied or otherwise reacted to. It's also fairly punishable on block, so if you absolutely must use this, be judicious and ensure the opponent is conditioned to expect other teleports, or a fakeout.
- 「Utsusemi Tenbu」 - 63214BCD (can be used unarmed)
  • (Properties) - Hits high. Air blockable. Knockdown.
  • (Description) - High-hitting attack teleport. Hanzo falls down from the heavens with a big spinning overhead that knocks down on hit. Like his other teleports, is invincible starting on the fifth frame. Its primary "upside" is that on hit or block, he can choose whether to fall to the left or right and make punishing him a bit harder. Still a gimmick at best.
- 「Reppu Shuriken」 - j.236S (can be used unarmed)
  • (Properties) - Air blockable.
  • (Description) - Aerial shuriken toss with poor startup/recovery. Heavier versions toss an extra projectile at a more shallow angle, and have extra startup/recovery. Hanzo goes backwards after the projectiles come out. It hits overhead and is generally okay as a pestering tool from fullscreen if they're playing defensively or turtling. Could even be a surprise overhead at close range if you're feeling like gambling with your life.

Slash

- 「Migawari no Jutsu」 - AC/BD when hit (can be used unarmed)
  • (Properties) - Hits high/low. Knockdown. Air blockable/unblockable.
  • (Description) - Infamous Log Trick. Hanzo disappears, escaping grounded weapon hitstun, dizzy, or knockdown states and retaliating with either an overhead (AC) or a low (BD). The attacks follow the same mechanics as his standard high/low attack teleports, meaning the high will also allow him to bounce left or right when connecting with the opponent. It’s fairly easy to react to and block, but he can potentially escape a lethal backhit combo or punish choice attacks on hit. This is the reason you picked Slash Hanzo, unless you simply can’t part with running Mozu Otoshi. Some things simply cannot be log tricked out of, like Slash Genjuro's Sanren Satsu, however.
- 「Mozu Otoshi」 - 623CD (also from dash/can be used unarmed)
  • (Properties) - Unblockable. Knockdown.
  • (Description) - The OG command throw. It deals great damage and has incredibly easy tick setups from almost any blocked slinky. Hanzo and the opponent are separated from each other after the grab is finished, but his great speed goes a long way towards mitigating this issue. He can also happily go back to tossing out slinkies at fullscreen. One of this throw’s greatest strengths is its very fast recovery animation, so even if the opponent jumps to avoid it Hanzo can still run under and 66A them.
Performing Mozu Otoshi while running will get a running version that carries his momentum through the startup and sends him and the opponent both backwards before the drop. It deals somewhat less damage than standard Mozu Otoshi and has the same separation after connecting, but it's an incredibly threatening approach tool with surprising reach. Get used to doing this a lot.
- WFT「Fujite Mijin Gakure」 - 222AB (can be used unarmed)
  • (Properties) - Air blockable. Knockdown.
  • (Description) - While not invincible on its fairly lengthy startup, this WFT puts out a massive hitbox surrounding Hanzo that sticks around for a lot longer than its visuals would suggest. This naturally makes it difficult to challenge if they can't hit you in time. He turns invisible near the end of the move and becomes invincible until he can act again. The invisibility itself lasts until Hanzo attacks again or is hit. This attack’s primary benefit outside of being tricky to punish for some characters is that it does absolutely monstrous damage if both hits connect. Easily the hardest-hitting WFT in the game.

Bust

- 「Enbu」 - 421A/B/C/D (can be used unarmed)
  • (Description) - More a gimmick than a benefit. Hanzo undergoes his usual teleport animation and invincibility, reappearing in one of four spots depending on the input. A/C will have him appear at the top of the screen, with A putting him on the left and C putting him on the right. B/D puts him on the ground in a similar position, with him appearing on the left for B and on the right for D. Hanzo can immediately block after recovering (i.e. no punishable recovery), but improper use will still see you in a situation to keep getting pressured. A/C in particular can leave him vulnerable to strong air unblockable attacks if the opponent can react fast enough.
- 「Bakuen Mijin Gakure」 - 623CD (can be used unarmed)
  • (Properties) - Unblockable. Knockdown.
  • (Description) - Essentially an upgraded Mozu Otoshi. It is slightly harder to tick into from a run thanks to not having a running version, and it recovers slower on whiff than Mozu Otoshi. In exchange, it deals even more damage (more than his WFT, in fact), Hanzo does not separate from his opponent after the drop, and he briefly turns invisible afterwards. He gets all the time in the world to set up his okizeme from this throw and it is very easy to run over the opponent to try and set up an unjumpable. Generally speaking, get grabbed three times and you’re dead.
Not having a running version doesn't mean you cannot use this while running -- it just means the same grab will come out as if you were standing still.
- WFT「Fujite Doku Ryu」 - 632146CD
  • (Properties) - Hits high. Air unblockable. Knockdown.
  • (Description) - A super good WFT that Bust Hanzo happily abuses. Versatile combo tool with great speed and range that is oddly difficult to block. The angle and height also both lend it to crossing up at some spacings. It’s basically Slash Ukyo’s WFT except extremely good. At most spacings you can use this to leap right over a stray fireball or poke and punish the opponent for it. Being in Desperation means you can outright shut down a lot of gameplans due to always having this at the ready. The closest this move has to a "downside" is that you need your weapon in order to use it. Still too useful to leave out of your repertoire.

Strategy

Universal

Hanzo is a stealthy ninja man who likes to do the stuff his opponent doesn't want him to do. The basics between both Techniques, as is Hanzo standard, revolves around covering yourself with a Slinky so you can do your thing. Your "thing" can vary, particularly between Techniques, but it tends to look a lot like running in and grabbing them with 623CD. If you don't have space, you do have good pokes in 5A/5B/2D. If you think you'll snipe them out of a button, 2C will make them hurt a lot and let you set up a Slinky for okizeme. He of course can just command grab them with 623CD, which has solid range and damage. It's what he wants to threaten with at this range anyways.

A huge part of what sets Hanzo apart from his other appearances -- from other characters in this very game, even -- is that his Slinky can travel backwards after going its full distance. This means that a Slinky not connecting will prevent you from using another one for quite a while, but it's not the end of the world. You can just hide behind it and wait for it to go away, or run in and start your game. Your dashing normals aren't exactly the greatest mixups in the world, featuring primarily lows and no overheads, but locking them down behind a Slinky means a properly scared opponent will want to jump out of it thanks to the ever-present command grab. You've got an air throw and some pretty solid jumping buttons, so jump forward and either chicken block or just snipe them out of whatever it is they're trying to do.

Scoring the knockdown and tossing out a Slinky is where the real fun begins. Thanks to it being able to travel backwards, the opponent will be more or less stuck trying to defend against whatever you throw out. If they get up and block the Slinky, get in their face and command grab them for guaranteed damage. Bust Hanzo in particular gets to continue oki off of this. If they roll up to you and try to avoid the Slinky, you can still try to time the command grab, but it'll be much easier for them to jump out. This is where 22A comes in, because its huge invulnerability period will make any desperate mashing completely miss and let you grab them again. It even lasts so long that neutral jump attacks won't hit when well-timed either. Naturally this also lets you grab them. This sounds like a whole lot of "just command grab them" but really, it's your most threatening and strongest option overall. So use it.

Slash

Slash Hanzo's Mozu Otoshi is much less committal than Bust's equivalent, and he can land it from greater distances out of a run. This means your game is going to be incredibly flighty, with a lot of fishing and a lot of tricky movement. You can whiff command grabs and anti-air the opponent on the way down if they try to jump out. Go underneath them and 66A from behind. You can set up a Slinky for them to block later or just try to grab the 1f turnaround animation for guaranteed damage. Either way, you need to work your way back in after each command grab, so be ready to either get back in their face or hang back and toss Slinkies to cover your inevitable approach.

222AB is one part gimmick, one part reason to actually circle step. Its long startup renders it gimmicky as an anti-air, but its ability to combo and stun off of back hit is one of the scariest things you can do if you find yourself at that range and absolutely need the damage. Don't just throw this out unless you have space, because despite the unpunishable period at the end of the recovery, you can still get stuffed out of this move.

Log Trick

The Log Trick is what you're really playing this Technique for, though. Escaping guaranteed death or even just a solid hitconfirm is absolutely huge for him in a game where you can die if you get hit at all. AC is the overhead "mixup," but despite being very reactable, your opponent will need to punish out of a run, so you're still coming out with much less damage for your efforts. Unless you bounce into the corner and eat another big hit for your efforts. BD comes out much faster, but leaves you sitting right in front of them begging for a heavy punish. It can punish certain attacks on hit, which helps make this option arguably the better one.

This move overall is good primarily for specific combo-heavy matchups, especially against the likes of Bust Ukyo. If they can't reliably combo you, they begin having to struggle a lot harder to actually outpace you in the damage war. Of course, this plays right into your hands. Play your game, grab them a lot, and pick your moments to escape and make them really work to hurt you.

Bust

Remember all that stuff about how you just run and grab them? Bust Hanzo is that but at critical mass. You should be putting out Slinkies pretty much every chance you get, and grabbing the opponent every time they freeze up and block it. Landing a command grab nets you more damage than your WFT and perfectly sets up the opponent for a horrific blender with countless options for you to take. You can walk over them and try to time a Slinky to force them into blockstun on the 1f turnaround animation, at which point just grab them again. If you predict a jump or a desperate attempt to mash out, do 22A and grab them out of their recovery for it. Sky's the limit with him after you land a grab. You just need to land one first.

But all of that is pretty much Slash Hanzo with a heavier dosage of explosions. Your WFT is the real star of the show when it comes to proper mixups. If the opponent is priming to jump out of your pressure or Slinky setups or really whatever, just throw it out and snatch them. If they're down/backing at 2C range, use it. If you're at midrange and they aren't too scared to throw out a button or a fireball, use it and sail right over them for big damage. It might even decide to cross them up, because this move does what it wants and everyone else is just along for the ride.

Combos

Universal

Back hit BnB: n.5B xx 214A/B
This is about it.

Slash

Back hit stun BnB: n.5B xx 222AB
While Hanzo’s combo game is overall limited, he still has very potent damage output with full POW. The first two hits will stun by themselves, leaving the opponent open for pretty much whatever you want to hit them with. If you’re in Desperation, you could do another WFT for a simple kill combo. You can also land this off of a 66A cross under anti-air, but it’s character specific.

Bust

Front hit WFT BnB: n.5B xx 632146CD
Bust Hanzo’s combos are similarly not too varied, but if you're close enough, you can buffer WFT behind your B slashes and make them hurt a lot more.
Back hit WFT BnB: n.5C xx 632146CD
A very powerful option if you manage to back throw your opponent into the corner or bait a big enough whiff with a circle step. Deals huge damage and disarms as is the WFT standard.
Back hit WFT BnB #2: BC, n.5B xx 632146CD
Alternate backhit combo. Comboing from n.5C doesn't work as it pushes the opponent too far back to combo WFT.

External Links

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