Samurai Shodown 3/Nakoruru

ナコルル, Nakoruru

Colors

Introduction

Little known fact about Nakoruru is that she actually has multiple jobs. Part-time priestess of nature, part-time basketball prodigy.

Nakoruru, Kamui Kotan’s premier priestess, got a serious upgrade for this game. She gains all sorts of fun new toys, even without taking Slash/Bust Techniques into account. Chief among them is her new command grab, which thanks to how throw protection works, is a massive boon for her increasingly lengthy list of ways to open up the opponent. She is a tough character to play well, with a lot of special little details to keep track of and some tricky execution for her infinite combos, but she'll pay dividends numerous times over if mastered.

Slash Technique is the Nakoruru you love to hate. She calls her ever-helpful bird Mamahaha to do all sorts of helpful attacks, almost all of which have an endless amount of utility -- and we do mean endless. If Mamahaha hits you, it'll lead to a combo, a nigh-inescapable pressure sequence, or just plain irritating space control and zoning. Slash Nakoruru happily turns the entire stage into her playground, and has absolutely earned her notoriety.

Bust, however? You just hate her. She trades Mamahaha in for the wolf Shikuru and specializes in being one of the most frustrating opponents in the game. She’s arguably less versatile thanks to being forced to ride on Shikuru to get the most out of this Technique, but she gains so much when riding the wolf that it’s not even funny. Being on the wolf allows Nakoruru to break pretty much any rule you can think of, and gives her a limitless supply of offensive and defensive utility.

Strengths	Weaknesses
Unmatched aerial tools, including the best air throw in the game Both techniques are equally strong in their own right Slash has some extremely threatening keepaway options Bust is amazing at both offense and defense with several amazing tools Bust has death combos off of a reversal	Very high execution barrier overall Slash's big damage requires specific setups Bust loses access to several important functions while on Shikuru Getting hit knocks Bust Nakoruru off of Shikuru, who she relies on to gain access to most specials

Stats

Damage taken	Rage rate	Rage duration	Throw startup	Deflect advantage	Deflect disadvantage modifier
110%	87.5%	3.7 sec	14f	+29	±0

Normal Moves

Far Slashes

5A (Properties) - Air unblockable, deflectable (Description) - Quick sword swipe. Has absolutely insane range for its speed, making it great for poking.

5B (Properties) - Air unblockable, cancelable, deflectable (Description) - Nakoruru takes a step forward with a downward sword slash. Has excellent range, and the cancel makes it great for footsies and punish combos. Easy to hitconfirm, even easier on counter hit.

5C (Properties) - Air unblockable, cancelable, deflectable (Description) - Slow sword swipe. Less range than 5B, which makes it a good deal harder to use in neutral. Mostly used for big punishes or optimal front throw followups.

2A (Properties) - Deflectable (Description) - A short swipe at the opponent's shins. Fast, but short range.

2B (Properties) - Cancelable, deflectable (Description) - Like a slower version of 2A. Hard to recommend over your standing slashes unless you're really worried about that 5B blind spot.

2C (Properties) - Air unblockable, cancelable, deflectable (Description) - Slow uppercut sword swipe. The first hit can push the opponent out of range for the second hit. It slow speed makes it difficult to use as anti-air, but both of its hits being cancellable makes it a mean punish tool.

Near Slashes

n.5A (Properties) - Air unblockable, deflectable (Description) - Looks a lot like a standing 2A. Not really worth a whole lot.

n.5B (Properties) - Air unblockable, cancellable, deflectable (Description) - n.5A but a lot better. Staple in combos.

n.5C (Properties) - Air unblockable, cancellable, deflectable (Description) - Two-hit sword swipe. Both hits are cancellable, but the second hit's cancel window is very weirdly late. Mostly seen in punishes or some combos, but hard to recommend over 2C for that purpose.

n.2A (Properties) - (Description) - Same as 2A.

n.2B (Properties) - (Description) - Same as 2B.

n.2C (Properties) - (Description) - Same as 2C.

Overheads

5BC (Properties) - Hits high, air unblockable (Description) - Lightning fast universal overhead with great range and oki applications. Roughly even on crouch hit, can be punished on both block and stand hit.

u.5BC (Properties) - Hits high (Description) - Much slower jumping axe kick. Same as 5BC otherwise.

Kicks

5D (Properties) - Hits low (Description) - It hits low. It's even on block. Nothing combos from it. Don't ask.

6D (Properties) - Cancellable, air unblockable (first hit only) (Description) - Flip kick. If all three hits connect, the opponent is air reset, but forced into a landing animation that leaves Nakoruru plus. At some spacings, the third hit will not connect, causing it to knock down. Mostly used to tick into command grab.

2D (Properties) - Hits low (Description) - Standard low kick. Good for abare, but it also has 5 active frames, so it's very capable as a meaty.

3D (Properties) - Knockdown (Description) - Slow sweep that doesn't hit low. Can be used for far range anti-air, but don't count on it.

Jumping Normals

j.A (Properties) - Hits high (Description) - Downward angled swipe. Fast, but its angle makes it hard to use.

j.B (Properties) - Hits high (Description) - Horizontal sword swipe. Can be useful for air-to-air, but not much else.

j.C (Properties) - Hits high (Description) - Huge sword swipe that lasts a long time. Great for jumping in and meeting people in the air if you think they're gonna push a button. Option selects with her super good air throw.

j.D (Properties) - Hits high (Description) - Standard jumping kick. Fast, can be useful for jumping in.

Dashing Normals

66A (Properties) - Air unblockable, deflectable (Description) - Dashing 5A, which means it has insane range. Excellent for cross-under anti-air.

66B (Properties) - Air unblockable, cancellable, deflectable (Description) - Actually pretty good normal to punish whiffs with or otherwise convert off of a Slash 63214B/Bust AC from long range. It can potentially restand as well, for alternate combo routes in Slash.

66C (Properties) - Unblockable. (Description) - Slow unblockable. It's not like Nakoruru needs this, having a handy dandy command grab.

66D (Properties) - Hits low (Description) - Slide kick. Short range, but reasonably quick recovery.

Unarmed Normals

u.5S (Properties) - (Description) - Finger jab. Very stubby.

u.2S (Properties) - (Description) - Crouching finger jab. Very stubby, now while crouching.

uj.S (Properties) - (Description) - Jumping finger jab. Very stubby, now in the air.

u.66S (Properties) - (Description) - Dashing u.5S.

Wolf-riding Normals

w.5A/w.5B: (Properties) - Cancelable. (Description) - Your basic pressure fodder. Can cancel into whatever to continue pressure, because Nako loves doing that. Not cancelling this leaves you minus a billion because of the relatively long recovery.

w.5C: (Properties) - Cancelable. (Description) - Big punisher that can be cancelled for further combos or to make yourself safe. Recovers faster than light slashes anyways.

w.2A/w.2B: (Properties) - Cancelable. (Description) - It hits lower than w.5A/w.5B but is identical, complete with the same long recovery. If you feel you absolutely must down/back during pressure.

w.2C: (Properties) - Cancelable. (Description) - w.5C lower to the ground. Recovers slightly faster than w.5C, so it's slightly safer still on block/whiff. Uh.

w.j.A/w.j.B: (Properties) - Hits high. Cancelable. (Description) - w.5A/w.5B in the air. Actually not much weaker than w.j.C, and just as active, but it of course has a smaller hitbox.

w.j.C: (Properties) - Hits high. Cancelable. (Description) - Big dumb jumping heavy with lots of active frames but now on the wolf. Very good button, but no air throw OS kind of sucks.

w.5BC: (Properties) - Hits high. Cancellable. (Description) - The other best universal overhead in the game. Super fast, hops super far forward, knocks down on hit. Cancels into j.623C if for some reason you feel like it.

w.66S: (Properties) - Knockdown. (Description) - Combo fodder, whiff punisher. Does not autocorrect when running behind an opponent. Has a second hitbox that renders punishing this move deceptively difficult, but even then you're still minus on block and have a huge gap between hits, so don't just throw it out. For some reason 66A/66B have more blockstun than 66C. They otherwise seem largely identical.

Wolf-riding Unarmed

w.u.5S: (Properties) - Cancelable. (Description) - Slap that you can cancel.

w.u.2S: (Properties) - Cancelable. (Description) - It's like the other slap, but lower.

w.ju.S: (Properties) - Hits high. Cancelable. (Description) - Another slap, now in the air.

w.u.5BC: (Properties) - Hits high. (Description) - Overhead slap? About as safe on block as her armed wolf overhead, actually.

w.u.66S: (Properties) - (Description) - Dash slap. You die if this is blocked.

Command Moves

- 「Sankaku Tobi」 - j.3/6/9 near wall (Description) - Nakoruru's wall jump. May be useful for escaping the corner. Cannot be done on the wolf, but can be done after jumping off the wolf.

- 「Rera Kishima Tek」 - j.4/6C (can be used unarmed) (Description) - Air throw. You've got an inherent edge in air-to-air battles thanks to this alone. And for some reason Nakoruru's in specific has REALLY good range, on top of being tied to her already absurd j.C. Effectively your go-to anti-air.

- 「Kamuyhum Kesup」 - j.1/2/3D (can be used unarmed) (Properties) - Hits high (Description) - A strange falling flip kick. Has two hitboxes -- the early hitbox is an overhead, but the later hitbox can be crouch blocked. Very unsafe on block.

Special Moves

Universal

- 「Annu Mutsube」 - 412S (Properties) - Hits low. Knockdown. (Description) - Classic low-hitting slide. Staple in combos and split second punishes. It can low profile a number of attacks. All versions deal the same damage.

- 「Rera Mutsube」 - 236S (Properties) - Air unblockable. Knockdown. (Description) - Nakoruru charges into the skies. Can be useful for anti-air at further ranges, but its primary use is in front hit punishes. Whether it fully connects is very finicky and position/character dependent at times. Generally speaking, later hits whiff on small characters. Note that if she flies into the wall, the move stops and she falls down. This can interfere with punishes.

- 「Kamui Rimse」 - 421S(~S) (can be used unarmed) (Properties) - Knockdown on ~S followup. (Description) - Projectile reflector. Restands airborne opponents, and on back hit this opens up Slash Nakoruru’s infinite combos. 421A can also just link into itself on back hit. If you aren't reflecting a fireball or doing a back hit with it, this move is actually kind of bad. The followup doesn't combo at all on front hit, so doing it is begging to eat a punish.

- 「Rera O Chikiri」 - 623D (can be used unarmed) (Properties) - Unblockable. Knockdown. (Description) - Nakoruru's command grab. Small damage, and essentially leaves you at neutral rather than allowing you to enforce any sort of okizeme. It's still a command grab you can tick into, and is free damage on round start if the opponent either doesn't expect it or doesn't know to jump it to avoid it. Makes good breathing room for you to start up your bird zoning neutral or hop on the wolf, as well.

Slash

- 「Taka ni Tsukamari」 - 214D (can be used unarmed) (Description) - Nakoruru clings to Mamahaha, avoiding low attacks and temporarily giving her the ability to fly… sort of. For a limited time, she’ll hover, where she can move left, right, up and down with relative impunity. After time is up, she’ll let go of Mamahaha automatically, but you can manually let go of Mamahaha with Oriru. When hanging on to Mamahaha, Nako has access to basic slashes and Kamui Mutsube. ->「Taka Kara Oriru」- 1/2/3D (can be used unarmed) Description - Just let go of the bird. Comes with a good deal of landing recovery. ->「Kamui Mutsube」- 236C (can be used unarmed) (Properties) - Hits high. Air unblockable. Knockdown. Description - Fast-acting diving overhead while hanging onto the bird. Even with 214D's associated startup, Kamui Mutsube isn’t a terrible option to open up an opponent if your command grabs aren’t quite hitting home. Or maybe it can function as a fancy way to bait a whiff and punish.

- 「Rerashu」 - 63214A (can be used unarmed) (Properties) - Air blockable. Knockdown. (Description) - Mamahaha learned how to throw tornadoes at people. She sends her own version of a Senpuuretsuzan at a diagonal angle down towards the opponent, and if it hits you have time to run under and time a restand attempt or jump up and smack them with a j.C. Also makes a great trap combined with her lows, 5BC, and command grab. It’s possible to hit the opponent meaty with this, and have enough time to run up and command grab them with 623D if they block. Think of it as Hanzo's slinky oki but with a tornado. And a bird.

- 「Shichikapu Etu」 - 63214B (can be used unarmed) (Properties) - Air blockable. Hits high. (Description) - The Mamahaha dive bomb, freshly upgraded. In other games it just knocks down and resets the situation, but in this outing it stuns the opponent for a long enough time that you can run up and convert into your combo of choice. If you're close enough, you can easily do a ToD off of this.

- 「Shichikapu Am」 - 63214C (can be used unarmed) (Properties) - Air unblockable. Hits high. Knockdown. (Description) - Basically 63214B but Mamahaha drops the opponent onto the floor upon connecting. Yet another combo starter, and very easy to restand off of. It has essentially identical frame data to 63214B for Nakoruru, but Mamahaha flies noticeably farther forward and takes a bit longer to come back. You get plenty of time to confirm the hit and run over to start your combo of choice -- usually a restand into an infinite. If you're too far for that, just jump up and j.C them.

- WFT「Ererush Kamui Rimse」 - 6321463214AB (can be used unarmed) (Properties) - Air unblockable. Hits high. Knockdown. (Description) - Unreactable overhead that avoids attacks during its lightning fast startup and deals a billion damage. Incredibly easy to combo into thanks to this game's recoil mechanics and heavy hitstop. Very punishable on block and whiff. And no you can’t do it while holding onto the bird.

Bust

- 「Oogami ni Matagaru」 - 214D (can be used unarmed) (Description) - What Bust Nakoruru’s entire game revolves around. She hops on Shikuru (assuming she's close enough), gaining access to a whole host of special moves and increased mobility, complemented by dash cancels to run circles around your opponent with. When not on the wolf, she can still happily hold her own, but you’re playing Slash Nako without Mamahaha when you do so. Getting hit will knock you off the wolf, and you’ll need to find space to get back on and start your offense again. Being on Shikuru has plenty of defensive benefits, starting with a near-complete immunity to throws. The three major exceptions are that Bust Gaira's command throws still connect, she's still vulnerable to command throws when using her special moves, and she can be air thrown specifically if she is P2. Even worse, Bust Nako does not take deep hitstun from airborne attacks that connect while she’s crouching on the wolf. This includes universal overheads, which you will almost always be able to punish on hit. Often with something quite painful. Basically, most characters struggle to open her up. This does have downsides, however. It removes her ability to kick, side step, circle step, deflect, pick up her weapon, throw, and rage charge. She doesn't even have any low-hitting attacks during this. -> 「Shikuru Kara Oriru」 - w.4/6D (also in the air/can be used unarmed) (Description) - Nakoruru hops off of Shikuru. When done in the air, it acts as a double jump and is another strong way to change your air momentum. She can air block pretty much the instant she hops off, so this is not risky unless the opponent reads her with a very committal anti-air. -> 「Mer Shikite」 - w.412C (can be used unarmed) (Description) - Rushing wolf with invincibility that runs out a couple frames after the forward motion. When done close enough to the opponent, this will cross through them. Doesn't directly deal any damage, but Nakoruru has a generous window to use Bunri Kougeki to dive off and attack them herself. This combined with the ability to cross through the opponent essentially means she can cross you up at any given time from close range. -> 「Kanto Shikite」 - w.236C (can be used unarmed) (Description) - Huge jump diagonally up and forwards. Despite appearances, does not directly deal damage and invincibility kicks in later to the animation. Generally is a vehicle for a Bunri Kougeki to further change her momentum and snipe jumps. Veeeeeeery long recovery on landing, and a much shorter window for Bunri Kougeki than with Mer Shikite. -> 「Imeru Shikite」 - w.j.623C (can be used unarmed) (Properties) - Hits high. Knockdown. (Description) - Bog standard divekick that you can juggle after, and maybe even restand if your timing and positioning are good. It hits overhead, but you've got no lows. You CAN cross up with it, though. It can also be cancelled into from w.5BC as a somewhat easier tiger knee setup. Just be sure you'll land the hit. If you end up behind the opponent on block or whiff, they get a free backhit. -> 「Bunri Kougeki」 - w.1/4/7/3/6/9C during Mer/Kanto Shikite (can be used unarmed) (Properties) - Air unblockable. Hits high (after w.236C). Knockdown. (Description) - The only way Mer Shikite or Kanto Shikite will actually deal any damage. Nakoruru dives off of Shikuru with dagger in hand, inflicting up to three hits. If spaced well, either of the later two hits can cross up even if done from the front -- this, as well as the number of hits, is character specific. This attack is air unblockable, and can be done in any direction that is not straight up or straight down, with separating after Mer Shikite restricting any downwards angles. Doing this from Kanto Shikite will additionally make the attack hit overhead. Like Kanto Shikite, the landing recovery is huge.

- 「Epunkine Shikite」 - AC when knocked down (can be used unarmed) (Description) - Okay, this one is REALLY pushing it. When Nakoruru is knocked down, she can call Shikuru to headbutt her assailant for a small bit of damage and a stagger state like with Slash’s 63214B. This means if you and Shikuru's positioning are good enough, you can land a combo. This also punishes specific moves on hit (usually special moves). Bust having access to a very potent get-out-of-oki card combined with her great movement on and off the wolf leaves her very tough to pin down. Despite this move essentially being summed up as "mash the buttons, get the headbutt," it has a specific visual tell for when it can be used. The way to tell if it can be used is if Shikuru plants herself to the spot, growling, rather than following your position. When you return to an actionable laying down state (i.e. you can get up), Shikuru exits the state and begins following you again. When you hit the floor and Shikuru is in the growling state, pressing AC will result in her running forward with the headbutt. Certain attacks can essentially circumvent it if they move past Shikuru, who will not turn around to compensate and run offscreen. Still, unless you really want to get back on that wolf, you don't lose much of anything by mashing this out pretty much every time you can.

- WFT「Nupeki Kamui Shikite」 - 4123623BC (Properties) - Air unblockable. Knockdown. (Description) - Another standard autocombo WFT. Nakoruru hops on Shikuru if she isn't already on, and rushes forward farther than a full screen length, dealing heavy damage and separating from the wolf if she connects. It starts very fast when on the wolf, but is much slower and forces Nakoruru onto the wolf when she uses it on foot. Can be implemented into back hit loops and generally confirmed from her wolf buttons for damage and disarming. It also reliably low profiles most projectiles, for all your hard reads at fullscreen. Sometimes KO'ing with this move can have odd results. Either player landing another WFT fixes this.

Strategy

Universal

On the most basic level, Nakoruru excels at walling people out with her strong grounded buttons, as well as shutting down aerial approaches thanks to her amazing aerial normals and phenomenal air throw. Her standard close range tools aren't anything to write home about, and mostly serve to help her reset to neutral, but she is certainly capable of making people hurt if they commit to an unsafe option while trying to navigate around her. Her combination of numerous lows, 5BC, and command throw gives her an edge in opening opponents up, but those don't lead to further combo opportunities or pressure most of the time.

Thus, she generally adopts a hit-and-run style. She's very quick, has an incredibly small hurtbox particularly when crouching, and threatens a deceptively large space on the screen thanks almost entirely to 5B. This normal by itself, while not the fastest, has a big step forward and is an easy hitconfirm into 412B. What you do from there depends on the Technique -- they both only share the absolute basics.

Slash

Slash Nako's approach to the game is, in some ways, comparable to that of Slash Haohmaru. While her offensive tools aren't the greatest, she's exceptionally good at controlling space with her 63214S series. She mostly wants to frustrate people into making mistakes as they try to navigate around her barrage of comboable normals and bird specials to try and scope out a punish -- in the best case, a circle step or even a stray 63214S.
In the neutral, you'll primarily be trying to keep people out with the bird, occasionally sniping unsuspecting opponents at further ranges with Annu Mutsube, or smacking them out of the air with Rera Mutsube or an air throw depending on the distance. Given that she runs fairly fast as well, run under 66A can be a great anti-air option, and one that can also lead to a 623D setup.
If you find yourself in the close range, you'll mostly want to be finding ways to reset back to neutral, since Slash Nako doesn't have many ways to push an advantage if it doesn't immediately open up a combo. Ticking 6D into command throw is a great way to set this up, but just about any knockdown will also do the trick.
At full POW or in Desperation, you suddenly have access to an unseeable high/low mixup that happily steals rounds in 412S/6321463214AB. Both options lead to some frankly stupid damage, though you'll likely not want to just throw these options out unless you're seriously conditioning your opponent to block a certain way. It's a lot safer to stick to hitconfirming into these options for better damage and much more safety.

Mamahaha Glitch

There is a glitch shared with 63214B that allows Nakoruru to immediately use another Mamahaha attack (including 214D/WFT) with essentially no cooldown, even if Mamahaha has already hit the opponent. Any applicable special move done with this glitch will start up noticeably quicker, and 63214S will additionally have Mamahaha attack from where she was rather than from behind Nakoruru. The timing is strict, having an approximately 2f window when Mamahaha hits the ground for the subsequent attack to come out. If a normal comes out, your timing was wrong. Mastering the timing for this allows you to very effectively pester and pressure your opponent from a safe distance, and likely convert into your combo of choice afterwards.

Here is a clip of the glitch performed successfully.

Bust

While on the wolf, several important things happen:

• Your normals no longer recoil on block and cannot be deflected(!)
• All of your cancellable normals can cancel into dashes
• You cannot be thrown
• Your blockstun taken is shortened

Because of this, your first instinct is to, in the famous words of Uncle Alex Valle, RTSD. Dash cancelling w.5A/B with 664 lets you maintain offensive momentum fairly easily, and from here, you can begin to overwhelm your opponent with a barrage of buttons, fishing for the knockdown so you can start enforcing your left-right mixup with Mer/Kanto Shikite. Thanks to the very awkward jump angle+height when on Shikuru, you're better off not jumping unless you have a specific plan in mind, or are going for an anti-air. If for whatever reason they down/back in the face of this wolf-assisted pressure, just use w.5BC or a tiger knee'd j.623C. w.5BC is also by far Nakoruru's longest reaching attack while on Shikuru, and it still hops over lows, so it's hardly a bad option to use if they don't prove able to punish it reliably.

But rushing down is ignoring the bigger picture -- getting on the wolf also turns Nakoruru into a defensive behemoth that circumvents the normal methods of opening up down/backers and sits on leads with ease. You may be thinking to yourself that no lead in this game is safe, and you're correct. Nakoruru never heard about that though, so she doesn't care. Just get the life lead and abuse all of her extra characteristics and ridiculous movement while riding Shikuru. Their ways of opening you up are limited to hoping you block wrong or don't react to a 66C unblockable. If you see the timer start to tick down and you hold the advantage, do not be scared to down/back at them in true SamSho fashion.

Despite how rock solid Nako's defense is when on the wolf, you're still at risk of getting clipped by a stray attack, and you take more damage than most of the cast by default. Getting hit will, of course, send you off the wolf, but you have no shortage of ways to get yourself back on the wolf to start doing your thing again. You need to remain proactive to stay on the wolf, so your gameplan is unstable if the match isn't going your way. Your overwhelming strengths on the wolf more than make up for these deficiencies. But if you can't find a spot to get back on, just play the usual annoying hit-and-run neutral. You still have the best air throw in the game, great grounded footsies and hitconfirms, a command throw, and of course the anti-oki wolf headbutt. Adjust and adapt to how your opponent deals with the constant threat of the wolf, and play accordingly.

Shikuru Miscellany

On top of the countless other ways Shikuru turns Bust Nakoruru into an entirely different character, there are a few other characteristics when mounted that you should be mindful of.

• Movement can be buffered during backdashes, such as jumps
• Landing recovery allows movement to be buffered, such as backdashes, but not rejumps
• A buffered run when landing behind the opponent will run away from them briefly
• Cross under back hit attacks are unblockable
• You cannot block bombs
• You can push downed opponents while walking
• Beginner Class auto blocks do not function when standing still or walking forward

Combos

Universal

Front hit BnB: 5B xx 412B/236B

412B is her primary ender for combos, but specific characters take more damage from 236B in this situation.

Front hit punish combo: 2C xx 236C

If both attacks fully connect, it stuns. Do it again and it kills. Very strong punish, but 236C is finicky with who it works on.

Back hit infinite: [421A]xN

Stricter link, and impractical when she has better combos to work with, but Nakoruru can combo off of Kamui Rimuse by itself on backhit. When it's about to kill, she can then do the follow-up to avoid dropping the link.

Slash

Front hit ToD: 63214B [run forward] 2C xx 412B [stun] 2C xx 412B

You can land this from pretty much any stray Mamahaha hit, but you need to run forward fairly quick if far enough away. You probably don't need to learn her infinites if you can consistently pull this off.

Front hit glitch combo: 63214B 5B xx 63214B

A close range combo that makes use of an odd hitstop glitch. Following up with 5B soon enough interacts with the 63214B hitstun, allowing a normally impossible combo into another bird call. Follow up with your punish of choice.

Back hit infinite: [n.5B xx 63214C, dash under 421A]xN

Screen position dependent thanks to relying on Mamahaha. If you or your opponent are cornered it'll be less likely to work. You can start this from any successful Mamahaha hit if you’re in range. If you dash so that you’re basically directly under your opponent, you’ll be in the right spot. You don’t want to run too far, otherwise you’ll get stuck in the turn around animation and won’t be able to follow up with 421A. A helpful way to ensure 421A comes out is right after going under the opponent, to input 321A. This ensures you won't get any accidental 412A.

Easy back hit infinite: [n.5B xx 63214B, dash up circle step]xN

If timing restands isn’t your thing, do this instead. Like the above loop, you can start it from pretty much any Mamahaha attack that connects. Screen positioning can prevent this from working, however.

Easy back hit infinite #2: [n.2C(1 hit) xx 63214B, dash up circle step]xN

Exact same combo as above but higher damage and slightly more room to cancel the first hit of 2C. Preferred combo over using n.5B unless n.2C won't connect in time.

Low hit-confirm TOD mix-up combo: 2D n.5B xx 6321463214AB

This is a double frame-perfect setup off of a crossunder anti air 66A listed primarily for archival’s sake. The 2D needs to be a frame perfect meaty, and the link to n.5B is also frame perfect. But since the opponent is backturned, they cannot jump and you get to mix between the above 2D combo and raw 6321463214AB for an unavoidable 50/50. Purely swag.

Bust

Front hit wolf headbutt ToD: AC 2C xx 412B [stun] 2C xx 412B

It's like the Slash Nakoruru 63214B kill combo only you need to start it while knocked down.

Front hit stun combo: w.5A/B xx 66 j.623C w.5A/B xx w.66C

Very swaggy combo that's probably character specific. The followup after j.623C must restand otherwise the last hit won't work and you don't get the stun.

Front hit BnB: w.2A/B xx 664 w.5A/B xx w.66C

It’s possible to keep looping even on front hit until stun, but it’s much easier off of back hit and requires point blank spacing. Finish with w.66C if you think the next rep will miss.

Back hit infinite: [w.5A/B xx 664]xN

Abusing Bust Nako’s run cancels while on the wolf gives her this simple infinite.

External Links

• Nakoruru Frame Data