Samurai Shodown VI/Ukyo

Introduction

Fun fact: Mist Finers, like many moves in ASW games, were actually invented by SNK, with such moves as Yamazaki's Hebi Tsukai and Moriya's Ittou Oboro. Is Ukyo's acquisition of them a case of SNK taking back what's theirs? Nope - this game was made by Examu.

Overheads are a little less valuable in a game that incentivizes stand blocking for frame advantage, and his lows aren't as threatening due to input buffer changes that make the 2D link into Tsubame more difficult. Ukyo has adapted to this new environment with greater focus on his monstrous poke and punish game. He trades out ghost slashes for fast mist finers that hit between half and 3/4 screen and now uses apple slices as his main combo ender. He now has counters which he can throw into his recoil cancel game, and his WFT is much faster and combos off close B normals. He still has amazing pokes (especially now that 5C recoils on block) and scary fast punishes, his ground movement is still top class, and Tsubame Gaeshi is still an all-in-one package of instant overhead, fast punish, antiair, and fireball reflector, so the gist of Ukyo remains the same.

Oh, and he can delete half your life on a counterhit punish.

Data

• Dash type: Run
• Damage taken: 113% (5th Frailest)
• Rage retention: 68 (3rd Lowest)
• Rage duration: 16 seconds (2nd Longest)
• Ukyo's Continuous Slash is throw invulnerable during startup. This also applies to Kazuki, Nakoruru, and Rera.

Gameplan

Ukyo's far slashes are all great pokes. All have spectacular range and speed for their respective strengths and all can be recoil cancelled. For recoil cancel options, Ukyo has a few more tools for the job this time around. If spaced correctly, he can used his newfound Mist Finers (236S) as quick, effective counter-pokes, but these are unsafe. In addition to the standard deflect, Ukyo also has his new counters (64123A/B), which may additionally serve as high/low mixup tools but are quite gimmicky. As for anti-airs, Ukyo can rely on 2B and his high Mist Finer at range, but up close he can bet on his heavy Tsubame Gaeshi (j1236C) as a highly-damaging air-to-air. Additionally, he can cancel his backdash into it as one means of stopping an opponent running at him.

However, Ukyo is not a character who pokes all day. Doing so would just leave him open to deflects, and unlike Charlotte, he doesn't have a safe special he can mix in with his pokes. Instead, Ukyo uses his impeccable ground movement to play a highly-effective game of hit-and-run. Coupled with his fast run and amazing range, Ukyo is capable of punishing literally anything at range with 66C, which leads into a knockdown. If you're unarmed then 66D will suffice. Another aspect of Ukyo which makes him special is that he can punish many things at close range that other characters can't. His light Tsubame Gaeshi (j1236A), when tiger knee'd, serves as an extremely fast punish against even blocked close mediums, as it will hit before they can be recoil cancelled. This not only deals a very agreeable amount of damage but also leads to a soft knockdown.

Unlike most other hit-and-run characters, Ukyo is able to stick close to an opponent after a knockdown by locking them into a vortex. This loop is even harder to stop than before, as opponents can no longer delay their wakeup or roll forward to escape it. Instead, their only options to escape it are short rolling, which is prone to meaties, and long rolling which does no favours for an opponent trying to get in on Ukyo if he has a life lead. The glue for this vortex is Tsubame Gaeshi (j1236S), which in addition to everything listed above is also an instant overhead if tiger knee'd or backdash cancelled. This goes well with his various lows. These include his 2D, which can link into Tsubame naturally while also serving as a low-to-high string which can be tweaked with additional 2D presses, and his 66D, a running slide. His running mixup is already boosted by 66B, which is a grounded crossup, but in this game runstops can be cancelled into jumps, making a running Tsubame Gaeshi much more feasible. One must be careful not to abuse the instant overhead liberally, as all versions leave Ukyo incredibly vulnerable and his low defense value doesn't help much either. If Ukyo is sitting on a lifelead it may be wiser to just run away and keep the opponent at bay with his pokes from there, as Ukyo is certainly good at switching modes on the fly. However, he can instead gamble the clutch and continue to mixup until the end if the situation calls for it. He do have an instant overhead on his hands, after all.

Spirits

• I focuses on Hyper Slash and high Rage damage, with no access to supers or system defensive options. While Ukyo's rage duration is very long, low Rage retention means he takes a long time to enter Rage. His Hyper Slash also deals subpar damage.

• II gives Ukyo full Rage duration and breaks the opponent's weapon on successful Weapon Flip. It also grants access to his Secret Move once per game. Rolls, ducks, and hops give Ukyo a variety of defensive options and some extra mobility.

• III lets Ukyo charge Rage manually and grants infinite Rage at very low HP. Low Rage retention makes for very long charge time, and Rage resetting after each round greatly limits Ukyo's access to Rage. Dodge offers a standard grounded defensive option, along with circle step in close quarters. Air parry is niche in use, especially for a character like Ukyo that mostly stays grounded.

• IV greatly enhances Ukyo's punish game, opening up devastating combos even from run. Any Continuous Slash combo leads to hard knockdown with the option to pursuit, potentially taking 1/3rd to 1/2 of the opponent's health. IV also has dodge and circle step for defensive tools, along with Rage Explosion and Issen as a last ditch option.

• V further enhances Ukyo's mobility over II Spirit with a good forward hop, while meditation de-emphasizes Rage and WFT in favor of State of Nothingness and Issen. However, Ukyo does not have a good unburstable launcher or mixup into Issen in SS6. V also offers Rage Explosion as a defensive tool, but without access to Issen.

• VI ensures reliable access to WFT thanks to its unique Rage system and is unaffected by Ukyo's low rage retention. He can also spend part of his meter on Hyper Guard to safely push the opponent away on defense. Ukyo gains access to his high damage Secret Move at low hp, offering stronger confirms and even comboing off his 5A. Mikiri dodges are strong defensive options, with successful dodges further enabling Secret Move use.

Normal Moves

Far Slashes

• 5A - Fast, long-reaching poke. Effectively a weaker version of 5B but if it's blocked you get to recoil cancel faster. Special cancellable.
• 5B - Same reach as 5A, deals more damage, but longer recovery and can't special cancel.
• 5C - A far-reaching, highly-damaging punish tool. This is great for poking and recoil cancelling, considering its startup is quite fast as well.
• 2A - Your fastest midscreen poke but it has less range than 5A. Special cancellable.
• 2B - Effective anti-air, but it leaves you crouching so you're prone to taking deephits if you screw this up.
• 2C - Ukyo's most damaging normal, and his only far normal which doesn't recoil. Slightly more range than 5C, better frame advantage on hit, and can go under high attacks, but a little slower to start up and extremely punishable on block.

Near Slashes

• n5A - Safe get-off-me tool. Special cancellable.
• n5B - High-reaching attack and thus suitable as a meaty. Special cancellable but not as fast as n2B.
• n5C - Generic punish tool. It's two hits so it can be bursted before the more-powerful second hit.
• n2A - n5A but lower. Special cancellable.
• n2B - Your fastest combo starter. Your choice is between this and n5B, in which if your distance is wrong you're whiffing 2B instead of 5B.
• n2C - Generic punish tool which does slightly less than n5C and starts lower.

Kicks

• 5D - Standard forward kick. Your farthest reaching poke that both combos on hit and can cancel on block, and a decent ranged option when disarmed.
• 6D - Quick sliding low kick. Long active frames, moves about two character widths forward. Safe-ish if it hits from roundstart range, but still minus and open to quick punishes. Soft knockdown.
• 2D - Short low kick. Very fast recovery, good frame advantage on block and hit. Excellent for tick throws on offense. Links into Tsubame Gaeshi, which also functions as a high-low mixup on block, but the link on hit is frame perfect. Can also link into n5A, n2A, 3D, 6D, or 66C without counterhit.
• 3D - A fast sweep that hits mid. Reaches upwards enough to hit high profiling attacks, and can also low profile some high hitting attacks and jump-ins. Good active frames. Soft knockdown.

Dash Normals

• 66A - Has more range than 66D. Has decent priority, but there's not much of a reason to use this.
• 66B - Ukyo will run past the opponent and strike from behind him as a crossup. This will not autocorrect depending on whether or not he actually ended up on the other side after the run, and furthermore Ukyo can not run past a cornered opponent. At midscreen this is a decent mixup option because it results in decent damage and a soft knockdown, but it is very punishable on block particularly because the opponent will be able to score a backhit state.
• 66C - This move has 4f startup, knocks down and shares an animation with 2C, although it does slightly less damage and doesn't reach as far. That aside, this move punishes literally everything, and is a big part of why Ukyo's hit-and-run is so strong. It can also function as an effective landing trap or occasional anti-air, especially after running under to hit the opponent from behind.
• 66D - Running low. Your best option for punishing when unarmed. Safe-ish for darting in and out of range.

Air Normals

• jA - Aerial n5A.
• jB - Can be used to hit opponents who are close below you. May also be used as an instant overhead in State Of Nothingness if your opponent is tall enough.
• njC - Air-to-air which covers a great distance directly in front of you.
• jC - Good horizontal range and gives Ukyo a decent jump-in, but his jump is still terribly floaty. You're better off planting your feet on the ground most of the time.
• jD - Two-hit kick, situational jump-in. Both hits are medium attacks. Your better air option when unarmed.

Unarmed Normals

• u5S - High slap.
• u2S - Low slap.
• u66S - Gives plenty of hitstun to link into a knockdown move. u66S is a heavy attack so linking it into itself causes a knockdown.
• juS - Jumping slap. jC reaches farther.

Hyper Slash (I)

• A+B - Essentially his 5C but slower, more damaging, more punishable, and knocks down on hit.

Continuous Slash (IV)

• A+B - Similar to n5B but with more reach and available at any spacing, even during dash. Leads to very damaging followups with C2 or C4. Has throw invulnerability during startup for some reason. Cannot cancel on block and very punishable.

Special Moves

Concealed Sabre Snowfall Slash - 214S (Samurai Drive)

• Ukyo tosses an apple in front of him then slashes rapidly. Strength determines the startup, amount of hits and recovery. This is Ukyo's primary combo tool in VI due to his different 236S. It also retains its use as a chipping tool.
• 214A sweeps the opponent, while 214B and C knock the opponent away. All versions will usually cause hard knockdown, but under certain conditions cause soft knockdown instead. Ukyo can pursuit after any 214B, with midscreen followups requiring a dash. 214C guarantees pursuit in the corner; 214A does not have sufficient frame advantage to land pursuit.
• 214A is the most reliable option for confirms and offers strong setups after due to position and hard knockdown. 214B is one frame faster, deals more damage, and launches the opponent away for strong corner carry, but later hits may whiff depending on spacing. 214C offers the greatest reward with both good damage and hard knockdown, but will only combo reliably in the corner or from close backhit starters.
• High hit count means 214S deals significant chip. 214A is the safest tool for this purpose and is difficult to punish on block if all hits connect, but deals the least damage. 214B and C can deal more chip, but are more punishable on block if the chip damage does not kill. Pushback may send Ukyo out of range before the final hit depending on spacing and screen position, especially on 214B and C.

Swordless Sabre Snowfall Slash - 214D

• Ukyo tosses an apple in front of him then recovers instantly. You may think throwing apples all game is really, really funny and I won't begrudge you of your amusement. However, the true purpose of this move is to get a free mixup on an opponent who has been conditioned to block 214S. However, the sound cue is completely different.

Concealed Sabre Swallow Swipe - j1236S (Samurai Drive)

• Ukyo's patented Tsubame Gaeshi. These are fast overheads which cover a decent area around him and cause soft knockdowns. Strength determines the startup, amount of hits and how long Ukyo spends coughing afterwards. If this move is active then Ukyo will only land once it ends.
• Ukyo may either tiger knee the motion or cancel his backdash to get these out instantly. Frame advantage on block is comparable for each method, but backdash canceling leaves Ukyo further from the opponent and has better advantage on hit.
• When tiger knee'd, this move is amazing as a close-ranged punish tool for its speed, range and the knockdown it gives. This is capable of punishing blocked attacks which most other characters can only punish with a throw, if theirs can even reach.
• Always, always, always use j1236A for the instant overhead as it's way faster than the other versions, being able to link from the low-hitting 2D, and all the damage is concentrated into one hit as opposed to numerous weak hits before the final one. The hitbox on this is not geared towards hitting opponents above Ukyo, but rather from slightly below him.
• j1236B is potentially more rewarding than j1236A, but it's slower and even more punishable. It's liable to whiff against smaller crouching hurtboxes or low profile attacks when tk'd, especially if you're even slightly late on the attack input, and the final hit may whiff from backdash cancels. The final hit deals less damage than j1236A's sole hit, but if at least one of the two small hits beforehand also connects it will deal more. This version reflects fireballs, which is its main use.
• j1236C is the slowest and least safe version by far, but it deals tremendous damage and hits above Ukyo. Very rewarding as an air-to-air and to punish moves with little or no landing recovery such as Gen-An 623S. Whiffs against small crouching hurtboxes. Some hits may even whiff against average sized crouches, especially if the attack input is slightly late. Final hit is very unlikely to connect from backdash cancels unless in corner, drastically reducing damage.

Concealed Sabre Send God - 236S

• Mist Finers. They can't be cancelled or delayed or anything, but Ukyo still has the traditional three angles of attack and they all have impressive range. Be very careful with using these as pokes because not only are they extremely unsafe, deflectable (except 236C), and extend his hurtbox quite a bit, but there is a huge blind spot between Ukyo and their hitboxes. Very useful for fast, far range punishes.
• 236A is great for swatting opponents out of the air midscreen, be it Iroha double jumping, Tam Tam on a spaced fadeaway jC if unsure of landing C Tsubame, or Suija or Yumeji after an air fireball. Obviously not as a close range anti-air; use Tsubame Gaeshi for that. On the ground this will only hit Kusaregedo standing. Does the most damage of the 3.
• 236B is a straight poke which travels extremely far. This is best used as a recoil cancel option from a well-spaced 5B or 5C where the blind spot isn't an issue. Whiffs against small crouching hurtboxes.
• 236C has similar reach to 236B but it's much lower to the ground, making it more susceptible to jumpouts. In return, it hits low. Deals the least damage.

Concealed Sabre Sky Wind - 64123A

• A counter against lower-body slashes. Invulnerable below the waist and will also evade low kicks, projectiles that hit near ground, and throws, but only counters slashes. If not activated Ukyo will cough in place for a bit. When activated Ukyo will hop over and punish. This is an overhead and may cross up at very close range.
• Foot invulnerable 1-20, throw invulnerable 1-20, strike invulnerable below the waist 5-20, counter on 5-20, 31f startup after catch. 46f total if counter does not proc.
• The opponent is frozen for 15f after triggering the counter, effectively making this a 16f punish.

Concealed Sabre Frost Wind - 64123B (Samurai Drive)

• A counter against upper-body slashes. This version is strike invulnerable above the knee, but it still only counters slashes. If not activated Ukyo will cough in place for a bit. When activated Ukyo will duck under and punish. This is a low and will always hit same side.
• Strike invulnerable above knees 1-20, counter on 5-20, 23f startup after catch. 46f total if counter does not proc.
• Unlike 64123A, the opponent is not frozen for any period of time on successful counter. Faster slashes are more likely to recover in time to block against 64123B, and both versions are very punishable on block.

Trampling Down Kick - u4613D

• Ukyo's unarmed small pursuit from V Special, a stanky leg. This can actually be used when your opponent is not knocked down, and it hits low. However, the lack of knockdown, convoluted input, and pathetic range, damage, and advantage mean you're better off using your other lows when unarmed.

Toy Transformation - 3214623E (II)

Supers

6 Swallow Flash - 236AB

• Ukyo leaps forward for a hitgrab which hits overhead, does decent damage, and ends in a hard knockdown. This is a direct improvement from earlier iterations of the WFT, as the super flash eats up a good portion of the startup and it travels much faster. This makes both raw punishes and close medium confirms feasible, and in fact it's actually fast enough to combo from lights at close range. Not useful for its overhead quality except as a knowledge check, as the super flash makes it too telegraphed.

Concealed Sabre God Roughness - 641236BC (II), 236BC (VI)

• Enhanced Mist Finers where Ukyo charges forward with nine hits for high damage and soft knockdown on the final hit. Unlike regular Mist Finers this will hit close to Ukyo. Fast enough to combo from standing lights, making it useful both for combos and as a high damage whiff punish. If used as a far anti-air the opponent will not be locked into eating the rest of the hits and will usually land on their feet, as the final hit is a low-angled slash. All hits can be blocked mid.

Combos

Standard Combos

• n5B/n2B/5D 214A/B - Standard combos. Use 214A instead from a jump-in or if you're not right next to the opponent as the final hit of 214B is likely to miss.
• 2D, j1236A - A link combo that is also very hard to block, particularly if you mix other 2Ds in before going for j1236A. Also very difficult to hit as it's a one frame link.
• 2D, n5A/n2A 236AB - Another link possible from 2D.
• n5A/n2A/5A/n5B/n2B/5D 236AB - WFT confirms. Only works from 5A at close range. All of these and 2A will also confirm into Ukyo's Secret Move from any range.
• ch n5B/n2B/5D 214C - Counterhit only.
• ch 2C, 6D/n2B/66C - Counterhit 2C combos for varying range/reward.

Continuous Slash (IV)

• ch 2D/n2B/2C, A+B - Counterhit only.
• A+B AABBCC 214B/236AB - Either C here can be cancelled, but the second is preferable for added damage. Can follow 214B with (dash) pursuit.
• A+B BBC 236B/236A/236AB - The 236S cancel requires some delay or else the opponent will be too close for it to hit. Somewhat finicky against smaller characters but it does good damage. Comboing into 236B is more consistent on some characters at close range, but slightly lower damage. CS4 is usually the better option for both consistency and damage, but ending with 236S leaves the opponent nearly fullscreen and the shorter combo into WFT may be helpful if Rage time is low.
• A+B BBC 214C - Corner only. Slightly less damage than AABBCC 214B.
• A+B BBC 214D, j1236A - More consistent than the 236S enders, but does less damage. Do the CS4 214B route instead. j1236B is possible for the same damage as 236A, but it's character specific and a 1f link.

Frame Data

Attack	Startup	On Hit	On Standing Block	On Crouching Block	Notes
n5A	5	0	-2	+3
n2A	5	0	-2	+3
5A	9	-5	-11	-6
2A	5	-4	-5	0
66A	11	-4	-16	-11
j8A	9	N/A	N/A	N/A
j7A/j9A	8	N/A	N/A	N/A
n5B	9	-12	-8	-3
n2B	7	+2	-8	-3
5B	8	-7	-17	-12
2B	N/A	-4	-17	-12
66B	22	KD	-38	-33
j8B	7	N/A	N/A	N/A
j7B/j9B	9	N/A	N/A	N/A
n5C	14	-4	-20	-15
n2C	14	0~+1	-20	-15
5C	13	-11~-10	-25	-20
2C	15	0~+1	-31	-26
66C	4	KD	-34	-29
j8C	11	N/A	N/A	N/A
j7C/j9C	13	N/A	N/A	N/A
5D	8	-9	-21	-16
6D	5	KD	N/A	-18	Active for 11 frames
2D	7	+6	N/A	+7
3D	5	KD	-17	-12
66D	6	KD	N/A	-15	Active for 12 frames
jD	7	N/A	N/A	N/A
Hyper Slash	23	KD	-65	-55
Continuous Slash	8	N/A	-25	-20

Colors

External Links

• Seesaa wiki