THE K K Y Y OOO SSSS H H IIIII RRRRR OOO K K Y Y O O S H H I R R O O KKK Y O O SSSS HHHHH I RRRRR O O K K Y O O S H H I R R O O K K Y OOO SSSS H H IIIII R R OOO PLAYER'S GUIDE/FAQ (v.5.0) a labor of love by Damone Dedicated to all the players of the bad-ass kabuki master himself: KYOSHIRO SENRYO. This is designed to be a complete introduction for beginners and advanced players alike for the appreciation and use of Kyoshiro. Any replies, cool ascii pictures of Kyoshiro I can use, etc etc, to me, Damone (damone@ios.com). This Strategy Guide/Faq is available via annon ftp: ftp.netcom.com /pub/vi/vidgames/faqs 'ss2kyosh.txt' brawl.mindlink.net in /pub/ss2/guides 'kyoshiro.damone' cencongopher.concordia.ca /pub/JustTheFaqs/VideoGames/FAQs 'ss2kyosh.txt' And soon at: kaiwan.kaiwan.com /user/dvillnva/neogeo_faqs It is at the WWW pages: http://styx.ios.com/~damone/ss2page.html http://student.uq.edu.au/~e3321942 It is also posted regularly, as updates warrant, on USENET rec.games.video.arcade. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS: PART 1: VERSION HISTORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS DISTRIBUTION, ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS, REQUESTS WANTED!!!! WHY SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T I PLAY KYOSHIRO KYOSHIRO INFORMATION MISC. INFO THE WORDS AND WISDOM OF KYOSHIRO WINNING POSES BETWEEN MATCH MESSAGES NON-ATTACK MOVEMENTS KYOSHIRO'S TAUNTS GENERAL STRATEGY NORMAL ATTACK MOVEMENTS PART 2: THE SPECIAL MOVES AND WHAT TO DO WITH THEM COMBOS INTERRUPTING ATTACKS FIGHTING THE SPECIAL CHARACTERS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN KYOSHIRO WINS CONCLUSION ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- VERSION HISTORY: 1.0: First draft. That's it. No neat artwork, info on fighting the judge, or individual player strategies. 1.5: Minor changes and format adjustments. 2.0: New sections added (WANTED!!!!, COMBOS) and other minor adjustments. 2.5: Added nifty little title graphic, minor adjustments, and format re-arrangement. 3.0: Additional input from other people added, more combos, expanded special moves section, new sections (NON-ATTACK MOVEMENTS, NORMAL ATTACK MOVEMENTS, ENDMATCH MESSAGES, MISC. INFO), added historical info, new Kuroko info, and minor format changes and corrections. 3.3: Additional corrections made, reformatting of sections, ftp availability. 3.5: Additional corrections and additions made, new information incorporated, and certain sections expanded and reformatted. Historical information updated. 3.7 Additional corrections and additions made. Specific move information incorporated. Revamping and updating of certain sections. New weaknesses of POW Special. New info on how to get to Kuroko. 4.5 Additional corrections and additions made. Significant re-writing and additions to most sections of the faq. Updated historical info. Revised GENERAL STRATEGY section. Additions and revisions to SPECIAL ATTACKS section. NORMAL ATTACKS section expanded and nearly completed. Revised COMBOS section. New information on strategies against Kuroko and Mizuki. Split into two parts. 4.7 New archive info. Some juggling of sections for better flow. Added info from Japanese SS2 Manual. New section (WINNING POSES). Small additions to the GENERAL STRATEGY section. New info on cancelling TAUNTS. Additional minor corrections and the like. 5.0 New archive info. New sections (THE WORDS AND WISDOM OF KYOSHIRO, INTERRUPTING ATTACKS). Revised historical info. ENDMATCH MESSAGES became BETWEEN MATCH MESSAGES. WINNING POSES section clarified. Minor corrections and whatnot. This is the last version barring major new info. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Shawn Holmes (shawnh@qb.island.net) See below Scott Fujimoto (sfujimoto@delphi.com) See below Greg Kasavin (shrike4@aol.com), info on getting to Kuroko Kenichiro Tanaka (tanaka@maya.com), Japanese manual & Kyoshiro translations Stephen Young (youngs3@rpi.edu), contributing writer, Team RPI Gave great input on combos, strategy, and special moves use. Kenneth Hsu (e3321942@student.uq.edu.au), author, Nakoruru Strategy Guide v.4.0 His strategy guide can be retrieved via anonymous FTP from FTP.NETCOM.COM /pub/vi/vidgames/faqs 'ss2nak.txt'. TECHNICAL RESEARCH: Scott Fujimoto (sfujimoto@delphi.com), See also below My own personal Bell Labs for testing information. His home version of SS2 and unique research methods have been the main source for specific move information. He deserved his own section. REFERENCE SOURCES: Shawn Holmes (shawnh@qb.island.net), author, SS2 Tapfaq (v. 4.0 & previous) Scott Fujimoto (ewann@sfu.ca), curator of the SS Faq (v. 12.0), editor, SS2 Tapfaq (v.5.0 and after) I borrowed move lists and and other items from the faqs. I have not properly acknowledged all the contributors to these faqs. Please check them out to give respect to all who helped in their efforts. They both can be retrieved via annon ftp at FTP.NETCOM.COM /pub/vi/vidgames/faqs. Support these worthy efforts. Shawn also gave me some feedback on this project and cleared up some small errors. Timothy Heydelaar (hydelaar@crash.cts.com), co-author, Strategy/Combo Faq (v.01) Rich Joseph (rfj105@psu.edu), co-author, Strategy/Combo Faq (v.01) Got some combo information from it. They started a big undertaking. Help them out. Scott Fujimoto (sfujimoto@delphi.com), author, Character History Faq (v.5.0) Got some historical information on Kyoshiro from the Faq. It has an EXTENSIVE list of sources on the characters. Check it out as 'ssorigin.txt' at brawl.mindlink.net in /pub/ss2/misc. He is also the author of the Kuroko Faq, found as 'kuroko.txt' at brawl.mindlink.net in /pub/ss2/guides. ARCHIVAL ASSISTANCE: Andy Eddy (vidgames@netcom.com), curator, Netcom site, Gamepro magazine He allowed me to put my faq at his site. Dave Kirsch (a00563@giant.mindlink.net), curator, Mindlink site He archives my faq at his site. Kenneth Hsu (e3321942@student.uq.edu.au), curator, his home page He archives my faq at: http://student.uq.edu.au/~e3321942 GeeSe Howard (dvillnva@kaiwan.com), curator, Kaiwan site He will be archiving my faq at his site. And to every Kyoshiro enthusiast in the world, here ya go. Did I mention Scott Fujimoto (sfujimoto@delphi.com)? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DISTRIBUTION, ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS, REQUESTS: This guide is free and public domain. It may be distributed freely and archived in its current form. I only ask that if it is archived anywhere that I be notified where, so I might update it at a later time if I so choose. THE ENTIRETY OF THIS FAQ IS PROTECTED BY PUBLIC COPYRIGHT. IT MAY NOT BE SOLD OR PUBLISHED FOR PROFIT, IN WHOLE OR PART, IN ANY FORM. If you have anything to contribute or correct, complain about, etc, please e-mail me at damone@ios.com. I appreciate all input. Please refrain for e-mail requests for this faq. Information on retrieving this faq is listed at the beginning of this document. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WANTED!!!! -> Any more translations of Kyoshiro's speech -> Any ascii or ascii-ed gifs of Kyoshiro -> Any Kyoshiro combos you know -> Any other Kyoshiro info, etc Send any or all of this to me, Damone, at damone@ios.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHY SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T I PLAY KYOSHIRO: (Adapted From Tapfaq v.3.0) 3 Good Reasons to play as KYOSHIRO SENRYO --> Lots of moves make for fun play --> Good range for long weapon --> His ego is bigger than most can count PLUS: --> Near complete air superiority --> Can do many special moves WITHOUT weapons --> *** HE'S THE ONLY ONE TO DATE THE LAST BOSS *** 3 Bad Things about KYOSHIRO SENRYO (and why they are wrong) --> Weak attacks in air, usually loses to a well-timed counter - Um, no. This is a lie. --> Only character that got ONE new move - He was perfect when created ;p --> Won't give autographs - He will if he likes you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- KYOSHIRO INFORMATION: HISTORICAL INFO ON KYOSHIRO: (From Character History Faq v.5.0) Senryo Kyoshiro Getting info on this guy was a real pain, mainly because almost all English books on Japan focus on economics, politics, and so forth and very little on popular culture. No wonder academics are considered out of touch... But silly gripes aside, it turns out the basis for our Kabuki man is VERY different from the character in the game. Kyoshiro is based on a fictional character named Nemuri Kyoshiro. "Sleepy-Eyed Kyoshiro, Notes on Villany," by Shibata Tosaburo was a novel serialized in a post-war magazine and later made into a film series from 1963-1969. Kyoshiro was a 17th-century skilled swordsman who was haunted by his violent origin. He was conceived when his mother was raped by a Portuguese missionary. Kyoshiro himself was estranged with society, and had a hatred of both Christians and women. Despite this, or because of it, he was also a complete womanizer--he often disrobed women by slashing their garments with his sword before...err...getting to know them better. Kyoshiro means "deranged fellow", while Nemuri means "sleepy", reflecting his blase attitude towards life, and his cynical and cold posture toward others. Nevertheless, he also pursued the Way of the Sword, and sought a Zen-like detachment from emotions and thoughts, just like Musashi. Note that Nemuri Kyoshiro had NOTHING to do with Kabuki, and was dressed in black, to reflect his personality. He also was traditionally armed with a sword, not a naginata. He DID have red hair, though. Kabuki notes: Senryo Kyoshiro is in the Kabuki costume of a lion. Also note that fans are an essential part of Kabuki theater, and used in dances and such. INFO ON KYOSHIRO FROM THE ORIGINAL SS: (From SSfaq v.12.0: Probably Taken From The Home Version Manual) Name: Kyoshiro Senryo Title: The Kabuki Master Origin: Tokyo, Japan Alma Mater: Kabuki Kollege of Dramatics and Stage Chewing, Edo Campus Weapon: Shishi Ha [Lion's Blade] (naginata) Misc. Info: In Japanese literature, Kyoshiro was an actor and a swordsman, though in the game, Kyoshiro uses a naginata, not a sword. Also, his father is Nao Itsu Oba. INFO ON KYOSHIRO FOR SS2: (Taken From The Tapfaq v.3.0: Taken From The Home Version Manual) The Kabuki Master KYOSHIRO SENRYO "I will have your spirit," said the crazed Kabuki student before Kyoshiro resorted to the unspeakable and poked out his eye. A promising student, Kyoshiro searches for the demon who possessed the lad. This master of Kabuki movements is a formidable adversary and lies in wait for demons who seek to destroy the clan of Kabuki. "If you can take my soul, try it. But remember, I'm not getting small. It is the theatre that is!" INFO ON KYOSHIRO FROM SS2 - JAPANESE MANUAL: (Taken From Japanese Manual: Translated By Kenichiro Tanaka) Senryo Kyoshiro =============== "The soul of your "techniques" are mine!" With that, one of his own servants attacked Kyoshiro. He was possessed by a demon. Kyoshiro nimbly evaded the attack and destroyed the demon. "You want my soul? Come and get it if you can!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MISC. INFO: -> If anyone successfully performs their POW super move, the audience in his background claps. -> When choosing to play Kyoshiro, A selects the Red Kyoshiro, and D selects the Blue (and inferior-looking) Kyoshiro. -> When killed by a slash or blood fatality, Kyoshiro spews kabuki fans. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE WORDS AND WISDOM OF KYOSHIRO (All translations by Kenichiro Tanaka (tanaka@maya.com)) SPECIAL ATTACKS: - "Kaiten kyokubu" - 'Dance of the Demon' - "Choubijishi" - 'Lion's Tail' - It appears that all Special Attack names are accurately translated in the Special Attacks section. These are just Tanaka's confirmed translations. POW SPECIAL: - "Chiniku no honou." - 'Flame of blood and flesh.' AFTER WINNING: (See WINNING POSES) AFTER LOSING: - "Munen nari." - Approximately, he's saying that he's dying with dreams left unfulfilled. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WINNING POSES: (Adapted from Tapfaq v.5.0) (All translations from Kenichiro Tanaka (tanaka@maya.com)) In SS2, the way that you hold the joystick at the end of the match determines which winning pose that your character will take. THE POSES: - Fan Flourish: Kyoshiro goes into his jacket and pulls out a fan. The color, ranging from white to red, depends on Kyoshiro's rage gauge. This is similar, if not identical, to his AC taunt. - Pole Spin: Kyoshiro spins his pole around his head, plants his foot, and pivots around. He says, "Tenbatsunari," which translates as, 'This is heaven's punishment (for your crimes).' - Exit Stage Right: Kyoshiro does the Pole Spin and bounces off the stage. He says, "Uchitottari," which translates as, 'I have killed him/her.' HOW TO GET THEM: At the end of the match, hold your joystick in these positions: ARMED: UNARMED: UP: Pole Spin UP: Pole Spin DOWN: Exit Stage Right DOWN: Fan Flourish LEFT: Pole Spin LEFT: Pole Spin RIGHT: Fan Flourish RIGHT: Pole Spin ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BETWEEN MATCH MESSAGES: (From Tapfaq v.5.0) Quotes: B -- Quote at beginning of game. BM -- Quote before match. AM -- Quote after match. BV -- Quote before mirror match. AV -- Quote after mirror match. I -- Interlude quotes. (J = w/Judge, M = w/Mizuki, A = w/Mizuki and Amakusa) F -- Quotes before final match. B: "My Kabuki spirits'll beat the evil king!" BM: "Go through the real beauty of 'Kabuki' by your death!" AM: "Fight like (you) dance, and win. That's the soul of Kabuki!" BV: "You can't behave like me, even if you imitate my costume!" AV: "What a deplorable 'Kabuki'! Commit 'Harakiri'!" IA: "Hey you, do you have something to say?" "He's awakened!" F: "It's time for the final act!" "I'm dying to dance a Kabuki with (a) demon!" (poor choice of words) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- NON-ATTACK MOVEMENTS: Dash forward -> Joystick forward twice Dash back -> Joystick back twice Fake back -> Joystick back once, forward once Roll forward -> Joystick down diagonal front twice Roll back -> Joystick down diagonal back twice Duck -> Down twice (dodges specials) Hop forward -> Forward BC Hop back -> Backward BC Catch opponent's weapon (unarmed) -> Forward half-circle ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- KYOSHIRO'S TAUNTS: AC - Kyoshiro makes move like going for flaming fan and pulls out a regular fan, which he unfurls. BD - Kyoshiro stands up and takes out a long pipe, lights up, and smokes it. No change with or without weapon. CANCELLING TAUNTS: There are four known ways of having a taunt cancelled: -> Getting hit -> Dashing -> BC hop -> Performing a special move NOTE: For some reason, Kyoshiro's BC taunt CANNOT be cancelled. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL STRATEGY: Here are some of the most basic points about how to use Kyoshiro as an effective player: 1) AIR ATTACKS: The air is where Kyoshiro is at his best. He has superior range in the air, and the AB jump and the Dance of the Demon (see SPECIAL MOVES) are devastating attacks. Remember, damage is still doubled in the air, and Kyoshiro can beat nearly everyone in the air. Nine fights out of 10 can be won by waiting for the opponent to jump in on you and then tagging them, especially against the computer. Its that simple. Whether you are jumping back with them or jumping into them from the other side, Kyoshiro runs the show in the air. At full POW, with an AB slash in the air, you can kill someone who is barely hurt. You may even want to eat a couple of projectile attacks in order to get your POW gauge up. The thing I will talk about is the 'K' point. This is the place, a little more than a body length away from your opponent, that you can stand and be at the exact extent of Kyoshiro's range, and thus be out of the range of almost everyone else. If you stay there, you will run the game no matter what. It takes a little practice to get it right, but it is worth it to find this range. For example, if you are at the 'point' and your opponent jumps towards you, jump back and AB him. Most of the time, you will hit, he will not. Its a beautiful thing. In air vs. air combat, the tactics you use should be determined by the situation. Under most circumstances, when you are jumping back with your opponent, you should be using the back-AB. However, when your opponent is jumping TOWARDS you from a great distance, you should use the Dance of the Demon (see SPECIAL MOVES section) to counter him. When an opponent is jumping right on top of you, you should use a jumping D kick. Due to its angle, the D kick can hit even those opponents who are directly over you. Some characters present certain problems with certain air moves. Nicotine's hat A, Hanzo's jump kick, Gen-an's Uppercut, and Charlotte's triangle slash are some of the moves that can give real problems with a standard jump-AB air offence. There are two ways to deal with them. You can either perform a jumping A as soon as possible, which will counter most of these moves, or again turn to the jumping D, which also is a surprisingly effective counter to most all of these moves. When jumping in on an opponent on the ground, however, the jumping-AB is still the way to go. The downward angle of the attack and its range make it a superior attack on ground-based defenders. In certain cases, it should be substituted with a jumping A, B, or kick in order to counteract a long-range anti-air attack with speed, but most of the time, the AB is the way to go. Great damage, great range. 2) GROUND ATTACKS: Kyoshiro isn't shabby at all on the ground either. While its not his natural habitat, he can put on quite a ground campaign. You generally want to keep your distance from opponents because you have reach, so use it. In close, his As and Cs have very high priority, and can quickly back off anyone too close. The crouching far A is one of the best-kept secrets of the game. It has speed and distance, and you can kill the unwary with just that move. If they do come in too close, you can use your pole throw to get them away (see SPECIAL MOVES section). If you stay at the 'K' point, you can nail most people on the ground who are preparing special moves, including Hanzo and Galford. Kyoshiro's duck and dash tactics are similar to everyone else's, except that he has less distance to go because of his reach. Remember to use it to your advantage. Dash or roll in only to the point where you can hit them and they can't hit you. Dashing in and using a variety of Kyoshiro's special attacks is a great tactic. If you dash in and use the same special (Flying Lion's Tail, Dance of Fire) at the same intensity (CD or AB), your opponent will eventually catch on and nail you. Dash in a couple of times using a C Lion's Tail, to the point where the opponent is ready to counter your dashes by blocking and jumping you. Next time in, do an AB Dance of Fire and fry him as he jumps (See SPECIAL MOVES section for more). Or dash in and throw them away on the pole. Use your judgement. The point is to mix it up. Kyoshiro's got the depth to do this. You should stay airborne, but you can pull off a ground offensive if you need to change the pace against humans. Defensively on the ground, the crouching A is the way to go. It has speed, range, and priority. It will stop most dashes and rollers in their tracks. It a great keep-back move, plus it can be easily go from a defensive maneuver to the beginning of an offensive. Kyoshiro also has great flexibility with ground-based anti-air attacks. His back-AB is the common attack of choice to catch opponents in the air. You can also wait to attack AS they are hitting the ground with a crouching B or AB, or quicker slashes or kicks in sequence if your timing is not as good. All this can be augmented by many of his special attacks such as the Dance of Fire or the Kabuki Swirl that can hit your opponent before or as he hits the ground (see SPECIAL ATTACKS section). 3) UNARMED FIGHTING: Kyoshiro is one of the best unarmed fighters in the game because he can still use many of his powers without his weapon, unlike characters like Ukyo and Charlotte who are useless without their weapons, and some of his unarmed attacks have RANGE as well as speed. Plus, his unarmed AB has TWO HIT capability. Remember that you can only use C, D, and CD throws when you are unarmed. Also, catching the opponents weapon can do some devastating damage, but is a trick to get right. Well worth the practice though. Unarmed tactics can go to either stalling until the return of the weapon, or mounting an attack weaponless. Stalling is perhaps the easiest of the choices. You can stall by throwing fans and kabuki flames (see SPECIAL ATTACKS section) to keep opponents away until the weapon returns. Your unarmed A hair toss actually has RANGE that can keep ground attacks away from you. You still have the jumping D kick which can counter almost all incoming air attacks. You can roll back and let loose with special attacks, and just roll away. Your normal speed is now augmented, so you can run faster than your opponent can. Going on the attack has its advantages as well. Unarmed, you get priorities on most attacks, so you can get away with some pretty nasty Bs and ABs, and your As and Cs should beat EVERYTHING. If you dash or roll in close, kicking is the best. The low CD kick is especially good if you are trying to drive someone back, and A or C them to death in a corner. Remember your access to many special attacks that can still be used. While the attacks you are left with leave you mostly ground-based, they are still quite effective for following up barrages of attacks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORMAL ATTACK MOVEMENTS: -SLASHES- -KICKS- -STANDING FAR- -STANDING FAR- A - Twirl Pole C - Weak Pole Kick B - Thrust D - High Pole Kick AB - Arc Slash CD - Twirling Pole Kick -STANDING CLOSE- -STANDING CLOSE- A - Spin With Pole C - Front Kick (weak) B - Forward Slash D - Front Kick (med.) AB - Upward Slash (2 hits) CD - Front Kick (strong) -CROUCHING FAR- -CROUCHING FAR- A - Weak Low Thrust C - Low Kick (weak) B - Medium Low Thrust D - Low Kick (med.) AB - Strong Low Thrust CD - Leg Sweep -CROUCHING CLOSE- -CROUCHING CLOSE- A - Fan Smack (weak) C - Weak Low Kick B - Fan Smack (med.) D - Medium Low Kick AB - Low Thrust CD - Leg Sweep -JUMPING UP- -JUMPING UP- A - Weak Downward Thrust C - Side Kick (weak) B - Medium Thrust D - Side Kick (med.) AB - Upward Slash (2 Hits) CD - Lunging Side Kick -JUMPING AT ANGLE- -JUMPING AT ANGLE- A - Weak Downward Thrust C - Downward Kick (weak) B - Medium Downward Thrust D - Downward Kick (med.) AB - Strong Downward Thrust CD - Lunging Side Kick -UNARMED SLASHES- -STANDING FAR- A - Hair Throw B - Short Hand Thrust AB - Double Hand Thrust (2 Hits) -STANDING CLOSE- A - Short Hand Thrust (weak) B - Short Hand Thrust (med.) AB - Short Hand Thrust (strong) -CROUCHING FAR AND CLOSE- A - Short Hand Thrust (weak) B - Short Hand Thrust (med.) AB - Short Hand Thrust (strong) -JUMPING UP OR AT ANGLE- A - Short Hand Thrust (weak) B - Short Hand Thrust (med.) AB - Short Hand Thrust (strong) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS (PART 2): THE SPECIAL MOVES AND WHAT TO DO WITH THEM COMBOS FIGHTING THE SPECIAL CHARACTERS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN KYOSHIRO WINS CONCLUSION ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE SPECIAL ATTACKS AND WHAT TO DO WITH THEM: (All Special Attack Patterns Taken From The Tapfaq v.3.0) (! Denotes weapon needed for move) (* Denotes does damage against blocking character) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flying Lion's Tail | Drives weapon into ground to use as (Chobi Jishi) | leverage, and twirls, emitting blasts of | / O- + Kick | fire to hit for fire damage. O O *! | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- While this move is EXTREMELY slowed up from SS, it is still a great move, with many versatile uses. In form, it is quite impressive as well. In the first step of the move, it brings Kyoshiro back out of reach of enemy attack, then drives the opponent back and out of range with the attack itself. In addition to all that, it does blocking damage. The move can be used at varying intensities. You can use it as a C, D, or CD attack, getting progressively slower and higher in damage. This is one of the attacks that you should be using at the end of dashes to mix up a ground offense. Tailor the intensity of the attack to the use. If someone is dazed or you have knocked them down with a previous attack, go at him with a CD, forcing him to block or take the full damage. If he is preparing a complex super move, jump in with a C or D. In addition, the C Lion's Tail has two particularly useful applications: anti-air defense and long-distance countering. If someone is jumping in on you, the C Lion's Tail will bring you back away from the air attack while tagging your opponent BEFORE he hits the ground, then knocking him out of counter range. It can also be used on people who thought they were just jumping up out of your range. Also, if someone with reach is goading you on with attacks to keep you back (Ukyo, Hoah, etc), you can use the C to make them pay for it. Wait till they start their slash, then go into the C Lion's Tail, taking you away from the slash and hitting them before they can block. A C or D Lion's Tail can also be used to knock back charging opponents before they can get in range to attack you. Another plus of this move is partial immunity against ground special attacks. Special attacks that move directly along the ground (Galford's dog, Jubei's Ground Lightning, etc) will be jumped over completely while you hit your opponent. Special attacks that move partly along the ground (Hanzo's slinky, etc) will hit you, but you will also hit your opponent in a trade. WEAKNESSES: If you have someone in the corner, or are using a CD attack, be very cautious with this move. It is very counterable if you do no not knock them back far enough. This move is also VERY susceptible to long range low attack counters (Nak's ground slide, etc), which cannot be blocked in time if you do not hit with this move, so use caution. This move CAN be jumped over and is susceptible to attacks from above, so be aware and don't use a CD when a C is appropriate. Certain long range counter slashes, such as Haoh and Wan-Fu's AB, will hit you out of the move completely. Also, a special warning against using this against Sieger: unless you are SURE it will hit, you are setting yourself up for Sieger's Backbreaker combo if you miss this move, and the jump back does NOT bring you out of range of his Wolf Fangen. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Swirling Dance of the Demon | Twirls into the air, holding weapon along (Kaiten Kyokubu) | shoulders to attack for weapon damage. -O | \ + Slash | O O *! | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This one is primarily an air attack. You get multiple hits with it as well, so it is a potentially powerful move. The move begins going upwards, and THEN goes over, so it does not travel in a straight diagonal. One use for this move is for anti-air attacks. If someone is jumping towards you from far away, the Dance of the Demon can be used to close the gap quickly and, due to its very high priority, most likely successfully counter the attack. Its range is quite wide, and can beat even the most long distance of jump attacks (Ukyo, Charlotte, etc), and specials (Cham Cham's face scratcher). Another use for the Dance of the Demon is fighting your way out of corner safely. If you use an A one while you are trapped in a corner, one of several things will happen: a) You will clear you opponent and be out of the corner b) You will hit you opponent with the move, while driving him back. c) He will block, taking blocking damage as he is driven back. Get the picture? Because the move goes up then over, is also quickly brings you out of range of all but the quickest counters he can throw at you. The Dance of the Demon can also be used as a quick way to close ground on an opponent while attacking. The move stays active until the pinnacle of the jump, and following it up with the Blood Mist Slice, keeps you in an attacking posture from any place on the board, until you are right next to your opponent. WEAKNESSES: The only parts of Kyoshiro that have to be hit by a reach longer than his attack is his chest area, where he is swinging the pole. His head is NOT being protected, and is subject to counters from above, so don't let your opponent get above you when you do this move. Also, he is vulnerable from BELOW as well, and certain uppercuts or rising attacks can hit him from below. Thusly, this move CAN be countered by some kicks or slashes, even relatively short range ones, if they either a) supersede the range of the Dance or b) hit the head area or from underneath. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dance of Fire | Exhales a huge, spiraling flame into the (Kaenkyokubu) | air to strike for fire damage. | \ -O + Slash | O O * | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This one is also a multi-task power that can undergone a considerable amount of tweaking from SS. This can also be used at varying intensities, with the greater damage equaling a longer burst of flame and a greater lag time after the attack is finished. A quick A Dance of Fire is a great move to pull out to either destroy projectiles or knock back pet attacks, as well as catching opponents jumping in with short-range attacks in motion. It is also a move to mix in with dash-up tactics, with As being quick enough to catch most people preparing specials. And, of course, a B or AB Dance should await those stunned opponents in range. This is a great attack to use as a follow-up to a knocked-down opponent. After you've knocked someone down, run up to him and do a B or AB. He will either block it and take blocking damage, or swallow full damage. Ditto someone stuck in a corner. WEAKNESSES: This does NOT counter ninja's portals. The A and B Dance of Fire does NOT protect against certain low attacks, like Nak's ground slide. While the move DOES block an opponent away from you, characters with long reach (Ukyo, Charlotte, etc) CAN counter you at the end of any of these moves, and after an AB Dance of Fire, there is enough lag for most characters to counter you if the attack itself does not hit. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blood Mist Slice (jumping) | Performs the Kabuki Crunch Dance in the (Chi kemuri kuruwa) | middle of a jump. while jumping, | + AB | O * ! | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This move is the distaff side of the Dance of the Demon. It is basically the same move, but it is going down. It can be performed after, or independent of, the Dance of the Demon. It basically has the same range, but is available (for some reason) only in one intensity. One of its primary uses is that it is useful as the first move in a combo (See COMBOS), bringing you in swinging in close. One use of the move is that it is a great way to break up the monotony of your air assault. If you opponent has become complacent with your jumping-AB assault, throw in a Blood Mist Slice every now and again to keep his anti-air defence honest. Also, it is one of the only moves that lets you change your mind half-way through a jump. If the situation you are jumping into has changed, you can always bail to a Blood Mist Slice, which has great range and great priority and will most likely keep you safe. Another use that has proven effective is jumping straight up when in close and performing the Blood Mist Slice on the way down. Most anti-air attacks will be overcome by the range of the Blood Mist Slice, and it will, at the least, drive your opponent back for blocking damage. An even better tactic is jumping straight up on an opponent who is charging in on you, performing the Blood Mist Slice on the way down so it hits a little BEHIND your opponent, crossing up the block and hitting for full damage, as well as knocking them back. This CAN knock Cham Cham out of the Face Scratcher if done right. WEAKNESSES: There are several ways this can be countered by your opponent. If it is blocked, you will be lagged for a second. Quick, low attacks can also catch you when you land. Also characters with superior reach (Kyoshiro, Ukyo, etc) can catch you with an anti-air attack. Ditto Charlotte's standing AB. It is also subject to the same vulnerable area (head and from below) as the Dance of the Demon. Long-reach kicks may also be able to knock you out of it if they hit the head area. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kabuki Swirl | Throws a flaming kabuki fan at opponent to (Fuuretsusen) | hit for fire damage. | / O- + Slash | O O | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the most basic of the projectile attacks. As they go, this one has adjustable intensity and an average range for projectile attacks. You can use it to negate an enemy projectile or harass, but these are the most strategically basic uses for the fan. Using rapid A fans can force an opponent into jumping, which could be followed with a jumping AB or an AB fan timed to hit him when he lands. It is also a fairly effective anti-air attack. The timing on the move is fairly consistent and you can get quite adept at getting AB fans to strike an opponent just before they are in range to perform their attack on you. Another trick that works more than it should is throwing an A fan and dashing or rolling in after it. If you time it right, you get there just before your opponent is beginning a counter, and can sneak in an A or C barrage. This is a particularly good tactic against turtlers with reach (i.e. Ukyo), as it removes their range because they have to block the fan. A special note against opponent approaching max POW: If you can time the fan to hit an opponent just as his full POW 'rage' animation finishes, the fan with hit three times even if he blocks. Its a bug. Exploit it. WEAKNESSES: There is a significant lag when you go into your shirt for the fan, so don't use it when you are too close unless you have REALLY good timing. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spear Throw | Grabs opponent and tosses with spear for when close, -O + B or AB ! | damage. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hair Toss | Grabs opponent with hair and tosses for when close, -O + D | damage. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hair Strangle | Grabs opponent, and wraps hair around when close, -O + CD | neck, strangling for multiple hits of | damage. | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The only strategical differences with these throws is that the spear throw gets the opponent farther away from you after completion. In trouble and need to get the guy way? Use the spear throw. Got him on the ropes and want him in close to finish him off (or got no weapon)? Use one of the C and D throws. (When unarmed, an A or B throw performs a Hair Toss, and an AB throw performs a Hair Strangle.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Super Deformed Transformation -O O- / | \ -O O- + D O O O ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Everyone knows about these darlings. The only thing it does is make you look cute and makes you immune from throws. There is also the consensus that the first attack against a SDT does NOT do any damage. You can get surprise on your side by coming out of it with a special move. If you are way on the other side of the screen from your opponent, you could SDT and catch him with a fan on the way in, but it is so difficult to pull off, it is strategically a bad idea unless you REALLY want to embarrass a neoephite. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- POWER SPECIAL: Aragotoshi Kyoshiro "Chiniku-no mai" (Flesh Flail Dance of Kyoshiro) | Spins across floor, creating large flames -O O- / | \ -O + C | that burrow into opponent, hitting for O O O * ! | fire and breaking damage. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a POW special that does have its weaknesses. At least it is one of the only POW specials that allows you some latitude of movement while performing it, as you can move backwards and forwards while in the middle of the move. The best time to zap someone with this is, ideally, when they are stunned, but there are other ways. One is getting them right after you have knocked them down, or if they are jumping in. An enemy without a weapon against Kyoshiro's reach is dead meat quickly. Remember you can move while you do this. If someone jumps at you, swirl back or forward and catch them on the way down. SPECIAL NOTE AGAINST NINJAS (HANZO, GALFORD, EARTHQUAKE): If any of the ninjas go into their multiple-image moves (where they twirl around and disappear, turning into copies of themselves), if you start Kyoshiro's POW special, you will hit them no matter which final position they chose. This has a couple of factors you have to get right. Firstly, you have to start the move BEFORE the multiple images appear, or you cannot begin the move in time. Secondly, you obviously have to know WHEN the ninjas are doing a multiple image move instead of a portal drop, for example. When the ninjas do their multiple image moves, after they poof, the screen will begin to zoom in on you. As soon as the screen starts zooming in on you, begin your move and you will hit them regardless of what they do. There is also a way to cancel some of the lag at the end of the move. After he successfully performs the move, Kyoshiro performs his fan taunt at the end of the move. This can be cancelled like any normal taunt. This can knock off precious seconds of lag at the end of the move. The first part of this move can also be used a temporary defense if you are at full POW. When you begin the move (forward-back with no buttons pressed and full POW) you are invulnerable for a second or two to all attacks. I have gotten skilled at this enough to be able to pull off the second of invulnerability fairly regularly and use it as a defense, especially close in. WEAKNESSES: This is, sadly, one of the most counterable POW specials in the game. Firstly, ANY projectile attack will knock you out of the move. Any POW special where the opponent does not have to touch you to hit (i.e. Galford, Nak, Charlotte, Caffiene, etc) will knock you out of it. Any super-long distance ground attack (Nicotine's staff extension, Gen-an's Claw Throw, Earthquake's low AB, Sieger's Vulcan Weinan, etc) WILL hit you out of it. And, of course, any air attack with any range (Charlotte and Kyoshiro's AB, Ukyo's Tsumabe Gaeshi, Nicotine's Fire Ladder, etc) or any ninja portal drop WILL hit you out of it. The point here being that you should use this move with EXTREME caution, and only against those whom you are SURE you are going to hit (dazed opponents, etc). On top of everything else, it has a considerable lag time at the end of move, leaving you open to AB counters at the least, but also with sufficient lag to set you up for specials like Sieger's Backbreaker combo. Don't use this move lightly or you will pay for it. That second of invulnerability can also come back to haunt you. When doing moves and attacks that require a back movement while on full POW, the computer always likes to make you start the Flesh Flail anyway, so be careful. You are lagged for a second or two after your invulnerability and you can get tagged badly if you did not expect/plan to do it. You can also be thrown in that moment of 'invulnerability,' so do not pull this trick if your opponent is too close. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: The way the combo system works in SS2, to the best of my knowledge, is that there are some attacks that stun and opponent to such an extent WHEN THEY HIT that you can follow it up with certain speed attacks with NO chance for the opponent to block. I call these 'pure' combos. Also, there are some moves that automatically hit more than once (even some normal attacks). Any other multiple hits in a row is due to your opponent not blocking. In this light, I've re-done this section to express this. OPENING ATTACKS FOR 'PURE' COMBOS: (These are only the ones I am aware of and are sure of now.) -> Jumping AB : Sets up for for an AB and CD or quicker in normal attacks, or B and D or quicker in Special Attacks. -> Blood Mist Slice: Sets up for a B and D or quicker in normal attacks (AB and CD sometimes), or A and C or quicker in Special Attacks. ATTACKS THAT HIT MULTIPLE TIMES: -> Blood Mist Slice -> Dance of the Demon -> Standing Close AB -> Jumping Up AB -> Unarmed Standing Far AB SAMPLE COMBOS: (Not a complete list) (Some Taken From Strategy/Combo Faq v.01) (These include 'pure' combos, plus 'fake' combos that work a lot of the time.) -> Jump forward C or D kick, standing close B slash, C Lion's Tail -> Standing A, Low CD, C Lion's Tail -> Blood Mist Slice, Standing B, AB Kabuki Flame, Standing A -> Blood Mist Slice, Standing A, C Lion's Tail -> Any Jumping AB, back-AB : STUNS -> Any Jumping AB, back-B ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTERRUPTING ATTACKS In the game, there are certain attacks that have a significant 'hang time' after the move, meaning that there is lag and animation after the attack itself has been performed. It is possible to cancel the lag at the end of the move by buffering in a special attack movement after you hit the buttons for the normal attack. This causes the special attack to be performed right after the normal attack is finished, eliminating the lag and making a smooth and instant follow-up. ATTACKS FOR WHICH THIS WORKS: - Crouching CD (especially effective when buffered with Lion's Tail) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FIGHTING THE SPECIAL CHARACTERS: Kuroko (The Judge): There is new info in on when you fight Kuroko. Apparently, there is one of two ways to get to fight him: - He appears randomly after the third CPU opponent is defeated. - After the sixth computer opponent, if you beat an even numbered computer opponent in two matches, winning the second match with under twenty seconds left and using a Special Attack for the kill, he will come out. It appears that this is true also for human opponents in the same circumstances. This is the most accurate information on this to date, but necessarily completely correct. It does not explain when he shows up after player vs. player contests, or other random appearances. As far as strategy, this guy is pretty impossible. I know that I will not have enough opportunities to fight him in the arcade as I did with Mizuki (you can't continue a game after you lose to Kuroko), but he DOES follow some patterns, and there are some general hints to follow: - Use A and C attacks. Anything that has any lag time longer than an A or C attack is countered very quickly. You actually get quite a rally going by just countering him coming in with As and Cs, but he still can get you. The point here is keep your attacks quick. Don't use low-A thrust attacks, because Kuroko is fast enough to roll through them and kick the hell out of you. - Don't waste your time performing special moves. Even the fastest specials will be countered easily by Kuroko, and any damage you might do in an exchange is a losing proposition. The ONE exception is his 'split-in-half-and-explode move.' If he begins to perform this, you can hop back and hit him with a flaming fan with no retaliation. - Keep a defensive posture at all times. Kuroko whips out special moves faster than Mizuki. Always stay low and stay blocking. Use 'back-slash' or 'back-kick' attacks so you can stay blocking. It lessens the damage he can sneak in on you. - Dodge and counter. Get really good at ducking and rolling and you can dodge his attacks and follow up with an A or C barrage, and roll back out. It is one semi-successful tactic to keep at hand. - Use B-slashes to keep him back. For some reason, Kuroko will NOT roll under standing-Bs and counter you. It provides some defense in keeping him away. - Use his patterns to 'throw' him when he is occupied. Although Kuroko is immune from throws (alla Earthquake), what would register as a throw turns into a multiple-kick, as with Earthquake, which does good deal of damage to Kuroko, and is thereby useful. There are a couple of patterns which he follows that allow you to 'throw' him regularly, due to quirks in his tactics and the timing of Kyoshiro's jumps. When Kuroko rolls towards you, jump straight up. He will come out of his roll, and perform an AB-slash. You will land just as he finishes the slash. 'Throw' him. When Kuroko jumps at you with his leg out, jump up and eat the kick, Kuroko will land before you, going into the AB-slash again. You will land just after the completion of the slash. 'Throw' him. When Kuroko performs his POW special, and you can afford it, eat the attack close to him. (You will be 'throwing' him anyway, and will not need your weapon.) You will get a lot of POW, and he pauses after the attack. 'Throw' him. - Being in the air is not that effective. Every now and again, an air-AB or an incoming air attack will work, but Kuroko is FAST. Nine times out of 10, he will jump and hit you with an A slash or C kick before you can do anything, so normal air moves are not generally effective at all. This is by no means authoritative. I appreciate all other input on fighting him with Kyoshiro. Mizuki Rashoushin (End Boss): It is my firm conviction that Mizuki Rashoushin is 'Bullshit Damage' in Japanese. However, my opinion against her has softened considerably since I've concentrated efforts against Kuroko. She can hit with multiple attacks at the same time. At one time once, I was hit with the Mass Confusion, Swine Curse, and her special (Hell Storm) all at once. Needless to say, I was dead. I can offer some general tips on how to stay alive long enough to kill her. I've finished the game on one credit, so this strategy does work. - Stay in the air. Six times out of 10, its the best place to be. She seems to be partially susceptible to air attacks, keeping off the ground saves you from getting dragged into her Portal to Hell, and it is a good place to be against most of her projectile powers. You can also catch her most of the time when she is doing her teleport. Be careful, as you cannot jump over her Mass Confusion, but you CAN get in a hit while also getting hit by it, and sometimes that it a good trade, if you can get used to reverse joystick movements (like me). You want to do as much damage as possible with each hit, so in the air is the place to be. The only time you probably definately DON'T want to be in the air is when she is at full POW, because her Hell Storm special will hit you in the air. Don't fall into too much of a jumping pattern, because she picks up your patterns quickly and will use them against you. - Stay away from her. In close, she will kick your ass hard and fast. Use As and Cs to knock her back fast. Keeping back also lets you see what she is doing and react to her, which is the only way to survive. You are fodder in close. Don't be there. If you can get to the 'K' spot, you can get in with an AB or B while she is preparing special moves. - Keep the match as quick as possible. In a long, drawn-out contest, more times than not, you will lose. Do as much damage as possible without leaving yourself open, and try to finish her off as soon as you can. Go for the ABs and try and stun her. When you stun her, SHOW NO MERCY. In a long battle, her massive superiority in specials will always get you. - Use her special moves against her. After a while, you will learn what each one looks like. Outside of nabbing her while she is preparing them, your key to success is to know what each attack will do and hit her while she is vulnerable. If she uses any of the demon dog attacks, jump over it and nail her with a jumping AB. If she throws a Mass Confusion at you, block it and follow up with a B or jump into it with a jumping AB which will do more damage to her than you. If she throws a Portal to Hell at you, jump it with an AB. Ditto her Teleport. - Don't use your Special Attacks. They are too slow and will do too little damage to be of any practical value. - Get her when she jumps. The only thing that can be called something close to a weakness with her is that she has a tendency to jump alot, and she is in a weaker position in the air (i.e. set up for an air-AB or an anti-air back-AB). She tends to do this more at the beginning of the round then at the end, so get in your licks while you can. - Be very careful when her POW meter is full. Try and keep her from getting full POW if you can. Her POW special (Hell Storm) can get you going BOTH ways, so watch it. She tends to start rapid fire specials when she is at full POW, and if you get hit by one of them, go back to the well for another 50 cents. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT HAPPENS WHEN KYOSHIRO WINS: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN HE WON IN SS: (From SSfaq v.12.0) Ending scene description: Kyoshiro says, "Having been trounced, I think you now realize the sublimity of Kabuki." He looks at the background. "Hey, what a great place. Why, of course..." Cut to a big curtain on the screen. "Lords, Ladies, come hither." It opens up, revealing the musicians from Tokyo sitting around Amakusa's area and a big audience at the bottom of the screen. Kyoshiro comes out and starts dancing and whipping his hair around. The audience cheers and throw flowers. WHAT YOU GET IF YOU FINISH THE NEW GAME WITH KYOSHIRO: (Ending Info Taken From Tapfaq v.3.0) Kyoshiro is standing on the cliff, overlooking the forest. He says,"I've had enough of dancing solo. I'll dance in pairs next." He then sees something and leaps off the cliff into the forest. Scene changes to forest. Mizuki is lying unconscious on the ground. Kyoshiro takes a puff of his pipe, and tosses "dust" onto Mizuki, which awakens her. She stands and says, "I can move on my own will. I'm free now." Kyoshiro says, "You tried to control him but he did control you." Mizuki says, "I thought I was the strongest, but my pride gave him the chance to control me." Kyoshiro points to the sky, and Mizuki looks. In a flash, the scene changes to Kyoshiro's background. He says, "Well, I'll tell you the best job to train your mind. It's the job to dance a Kabuki with me, and popularize it among the people." A heart flutters up from Mizuki, and she smiles and nods. Then, while she plays a flute, Kyoshiro goes on a wild Kabuki dance for everyone. IF YOU WIN THE GAME ON ONE CREDIT... (Taken from Tapfaq v.5.2) Meaning no continues and no other player joining in, you get the designer's credits at the end. As for the individual character endings, there doesn't seem to be any difference between one-credit and multi-credit endings, unlike SS1. What happens is after the judge claps and the background fades, the "designer credit" music starts to play, and cherry blossom leaves fall across the screen. Then, each character is displayed, in the order presented in this FAQ. Here's each character's sequence: The character's background appears, and the character jumps in. The character does a taunt. The character does an attack, and the screen freezes while the character's designer credits are displayed. The character does an ending pose. The character does his/her close-up, and more credits appear. Kyoshiro -- Smokes, Close B swing, "Uchtottari" (stays on screen) After this, Kuroko claps and disappears in a puff. The cherry blossoms start swirling in a spiral, and the center of the spiral goes round and around until it's finally centered on the screen. Then after all the credits roll, the screen explodes and the "chirping Iguana" logo appears. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONCLUSION: Well, that's it. If you have any additional ideas, corrections, archive requests, etc etc, mail me at damone@ios.com. Kabuki is the way. Damone (damone@ios.com) Selling faqs is the problem. Free distribution is the answer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------