The Challenger's Page

Counter moves against common attack strategies

Genjuro Slash

Counter against Genjuro's Triple Death Hack combo.

Genjuro Bust

Counter against Genjuro's Cherry Blossom Iris Reverse projectile.

Sogetsu Slash

Counter against Sogetsu's Moon Glow trap.

Amakusa

Counter against Amakusa's Evil Hornet Gouger teleport.

Galford / Hanzo

Counter against Galford / Hanzo's Shadow Copy move.

Galford / Hanzo

Counter against Galford / Hanzo's Replica Attack

Charlotte

Counter against Charlotte's jumping C slash

Tam Tam

Counter against Tam Tam's weapon slashes

Character-specific Combos and Tricks.

Kazuki Bust Super Combo

Genjuro Slash 5 Hit Combo

Haohmaru's Multiple Move Combo

Haohmaru's Extreme Special Combo

Genjuro's Triple Death Hack
Genjuro Slash's Triple Death Hack move presents a problem to opponents as it cannot be blocked in the normal way, by shifting the stick backward when Genjuro rush over.

The trick is to block forward instead of backward when Genjuro sweep over for the first slash of the move. This will block one attack, but Genjuro can go on to continue the combo slash; block backward for the other two moves behind it. If done with the A button, it can be blocked normally.

Counter the move by treating it as a run. Stop it with a well timed weapon slash, or use a move to hit Genjuro before he comes. A particularly good move to use as a counter is Bust Genjuro's Death of 1oo Demons move.

Another way is to simply jump vertically up when Genjuro sweep over for the attack, and by jumping, you get to hack him with a jumping slash from behind, stunning him for another follow up move.

Being in the corner when Genjuro use the move enable all three slashes to be blocked by blocking in the normal direction, but make sure you have totally backed off into the corner. Genjuro Bust will bypass Slash if he attempt to use the Three Heaven's Death move as a counter.

Genjuro's Cherry Blossom projectile combo
As described in the Genjuro section, the Cherry Blossom projectile can be used in a combo to trap an opponent because it can rebound off for another hit when blocked.

One way to avoid the combo is to shift or jump backward after the projectile hit first time. Jumping before the projectile to avoid it gives a chance for Genjuro to use a jumping slash on you. Another way is to dodge the projectile by using the sideswitch move, and this allow for an attack on Genjuro by yourself after dodging.

Using characters with the ability to teleport (Amakusa, Basara, Sogetsu), or using the two ninjas Galford and Hanzo (with their Shadow Copy move), allow them to avoid the projectile and get away from Genjuro safely.

If the character used against Genjuro is fast enough, examples like Galford and Ukyo, they can sometimes give a slash to Genjuro after the projectile is blocked first time and before Genjuro jump over, though you may get hit by the projectile.

When Genjuro come over after the projectile is rebounded up and block, ready to give a kick when the cube comes down, some characters can attack him and break the projectile. Other characters can attack him while he is releasing the projectile.
They include:

Nakoruru: (Slash) + slash (Use immediately with the projectile.)
Galford: + AC / BD (Use immediately with projectile); (Bust) + button.
Hanzo: + slash, (Slash) + AC / BD (Use immediately with projectile)
Ukyo: + A (If he block down)
Genjuro: (Slash) + D
Gaira: (Slash) + B / C (Depending on where he is blocking); (Bust) + slash.
Basara: (Slash) + button.
Tam Tam: (Bust) + C
Jubei: (Bust) + AB, then + A and + B.

It is also possible to do a guard crush on him to break the projectile, or use the BC attack if he block low.

When Genjuro use the Cherry Blossom projectile at a distance, try to run over after blocking the first hit and give a running slash to him before he does so himself. If Genjuro and your character are about two character size distance away, there is usually time enough to block up for the rebounding projectile first before blocking down for the running slash.

Sogetsu's Moon Glow trap
Sogetsu Slash's POWed up version of the moon glow move allow the water sprout to be done at the same spot of the screen continuously without any break for the opponent to escape from being trapped by it.

Since the move make a perfect trap, the only characters able to escape from it are Amakusa, Basara, Sogetsu, Galford and Hanzo - characters who can teleport or disappear and shift to another place.

If Sogetsu go close to the edge of the screen while doing the trap to an opponent at the corner, the character is unable to be pushed back by blocking the move and is thus forced to blocked all the way. It is better to get hit by the move deliberately and then roll forward, out of the corner position.

Amakusa's Hornet Gouger teleport
Amakusa can use this move to avoid an attack indefinitely if it is done continuously, unless you know how to break the move and catch him out of the teleport whenever he try to shift.

Basara Slash, Genjuro Slash, Galford Bust, Hanzo, Gaira and Tam Tam can use their grab moves to catch Amakusa out of the teleport for an attack. A guard crush can also be used, and timing is needed to use these moves just as the shadow of Amakusa teleporting come near.

To prevent him from teleporting continuously, crouch down and use light slashes and kicks at the direction he is to appear at the end of the shift, and he would most likely be hit by the slashes to be able to do the Hornet Gouger again.

Galford / Hanzo's Shadow Copy move
The most obvious way to know Galford / Hanzo's position just a moment before he really appear is to see which of the two image open up its hands from the praying position of the image, but unfortunately, the characters can react to attack before that ever happen.

One way to find him is to be in the middle of the two images and give a weapon slash or kick. without shifting the stick to any direction. Your character will automatically turn to face the image which is true.

Another way is to stand in the middle and try to shift backward by tapping the stick back twice. If you find your character hopping forward instead, it means that the ninja is going to appear at your former position. For example, if you are on the left and you go forward to the right when you try to shift backward, it means that the image on the left is true.

Then, you can jump vertically up in the middle of the two images just when the character is about to apppear and give a jumping C slash. Your character should turn to the correct side to hack on the ninja that appears, and you can hope that the slash hit him.

Or if you are using Galford or Hanzo yourself, use the same move to discover your opponent's real position, or confuse him with the same move - see the last section on Galford's page.

Galford / Hanzo's Replica Attack
The Replica attack is frequently used to tick off a little blood of the opponent to kill him when he has low life level, and is useful as it is fast enough to surprise and can track the opponent's position.

The best way to deal with the Replica Attack is to avoid it by running over to either end of the screen, just make sure that it is not a dead end. The move attack at the last position where you are, and so he will appear there while you have already run to somewhere else. Do not start running before the move, otherwise, the Replica Attack can track your position and will strike you while you are running.

If you are very good at it, you can also dodge it by using the sideswitch move (AB), and attack Galford / Hanzo immediately after he land.

Charlotte's jumping C slash
Charlotte's jumping C slash is very fast, and she can jump over an opponent and still use it halfway through the jump. Then, she can attack repeatedly by jumping backward and forward over an opponent and keep using her C slash.

When Charlotte does that, her jumping C slash cannot be blocked by shifting back the stick from the apparent direction she is. You will have to block forward instead of backward when she jumps over you and slash, and vice versa. Therefore, you have to keep turning to the opposite side to block if she keep doing that.

Except for blocking her jumping slashes, it is not really advisable to do any action to stop her jumps. Her jumps are too fast for a guard crush and most other moves, she will mostly get you first if you try a jumping slash too to counter her. If you can block the slashes very well, She cannot do anything to you, and will usually back away to try another way to fight.

Tam Tam's weapon slashes
Tam Tam's light slash is very fast and the longest in range, and is often used by players to trap opponents and keep them from approaching. Any attempts to jump will be countered by his long heavy weapon slash in the air.

The A slash which Tam Tam can use to keep opponent away is difficult to counter, and the few ways to escape it is (1) To jump, (2) move back and (3) use a move against Tam Tam. Jumping is not a good option, as he can jump back and use his long C slash in the air. Ukyo's Swallow Swipe move and Galford Bust's Striking Heads are the only two moves I know of that can be used to counter Tam Tam's light slash, used the moment the slash comes out.

Using a blade snag move is an option, though that is very difficult to execute that when Tam Tam's A slash come to disrupt the move. One way is to do a weapon toss challenge (start button X 3), and try to disarm him when the light slashes come. Do the move quickly by spinning the stick in circles (clockwise from the left, anti-clockwise from the right) to try to be faster than the slashes. When Tam Tam jump for a heavy Slash, use the blade snag with weapon in hand to disarm him.

Kyoshiro, Ukyo and Amakusa are the best characters to go against Tam Tam because of their jumping C slash. When you are close to him, it is all right to jump for an attack, you can get to use a jumping C slash on him first if he jump also. But if you are a distance away, wait for him to jump first instead, and counter him in the air with a faster weapon slash like A or B slash. He can jump back and hit you with his C slash if you jump first towards him. For the same reason, do not try to pursue him by running over if he jump back.

Kazuki Bust Super combo
This particular combo is possible because a friend discovered that Kazuki Bust can stop his Super halfway through. By pressing all four buttons simultaneously after he is flamed up with the Super, he will stop the Super and slump down instead. The POWed up gauge is still retained if there is no hit, or stopped after just one hit.

The Kazuki Bust combo of + A (Hade's Flames), + B (Demon Path), + C (Heaven's Glow) can have a variation with Kazuki's Super being used instead of the last step of the combo to burn the opponent when they are rebounded from the end of the screen from the Demon Path move.

With the Super-stopping trick, when Kazuki is POWed up and uses the combo right up to the Demon's Path step, use the Super when the opponent rebounds over, and stop it by pressing all four buttons immediately after one hit is registered. If done right, the opponent will suffer most of the damage and is also disarmed, but Kazuki still retains his POW to use again.

Genjuro Slash 5 Hit Combo
Genjuro Slash's Triple Death Hack move can be made into a five slash combo, with two extra medium slash added into the move for more damage. This works only for the B slash, because if done with the C slash the opponent will be pushed too far back for the last and most damaging hit to connect; the A slash can only yield the normal 3 hits. The direction is to do the move once ( down

+ B), add another slash (can be either of the three buttons), another move, one more slash and then end it off with the last move.
On the arcade machine, the 5 hit Triple Death Hack combo can only be done with the B button (occasionally with the C button, not sure what the conditions are to do so), while both the B and C button for the move can be used on the Playstation and Sega Saturn.

When your friends know enough about this move already to block / anticipate it, try this for a difference, and with this trick it is difficult to block against the move even if they know of it.

At close range, do the Triple Death Hack with the A button, which can be blocked by the opponent normally by shifting the joystick backwards. There will be a noticeable pause after that which is almost never taken advantaged of by the opponent (don't ask me why, maybe they are too relieved in blocking that move to do anything after that). Do the same move again, this time with the B / C button, which will result in almost a sure hit.
The thing is that having blocked the first hit the usual way (by shifting back the stick), they will then have to block the second try by blocking forward instead. No one I know can do that usually, as first they have to be very sure that the next mvoe will be a B button Triple Hack move, otherwise it is suicidal to shift your joystick forward for no reason. And I haven't met much people with the reflexes to do that.

Haohmaru's Multiple Move Combo
This combo is one of the few to use several moves of the character consecutively, and starts with the CD BBC combo to hit the opponent up first before following up. It can only be done at the corner of the screen as the Cyclone Slash after the CD combo can only connect at the corner.

After a CD BBC combo hit, follow up with the Secret Cyclone Slash projectile (A button) to hit the opponent up. Then use the Serene Slice (A button) move immediately, which will activate to execute a half Crescent Moon Slash when the opponent comes down. The opponent being hit upwards into the air once more, do the Crescent Moon Slash with the A button this time to complete the combo.

Haohmaru's Extreme Special Combo
Here's a combo that makes the opponent take a Super blow; though there are certainly much easier ways to combo the Super into moves, I just give myself a challenge by setting down this combo which I have not yet able to accomplish myself. Requires lots of mental stamina and speed to make it, and I can only manage to do parts of it and not connect the moves together.

When POWed up, hit the opponent with the CD slash and start doing the infinite combo (14 slash combo, interrupt on 12th slash with Sword Shockwave, CD again), repeating till you drive the opponent to the corner. Once the opponent is trapped there, do this: CD BBC combo, Secret Cyclone Slash projectile, Serene Slice (which will hit opponent as he comes down from the cyclone hit) and end off with the Super immediately after the Serene Slice hit. And yes, kick the opponent when he's down to. Illustrating joystick / button moves:

CD AABBCCABCCC + + D (repeat to push opponent to corner), CD BBC, + A, + A, + AB, A. (Minimum 21 hit)

Haohmaru � Amakusa � Gaira � Ukyo � Galford � Hanzo � Genjuro � Sogetsu � Jubei � Kazuki
CD combo � General Tips
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