Kunagi



= Background =

Kunagi Tenrou is one of the two main heroines of Big Bang Age, and a playable character in Big Bang Beat and Big Bang Beat Revolve.

Kunagi is Rouga Zanma's strong-willed childhood friend. She's blunt and direct with everyone, Rouga included, and that contributes to her difficulties in getting along with most people. However, so far as Rouga and her friends are concerned, she has both a soft spot for them and the utmost faith in their abilities.

= Special Abilities =

Aokiryoku: Shuuchuu (Blue Power: Concentration) (press and hold D)
 * Kunagi is surrounded by a fiery blue aura.
 * While the button is held down, her B-Power gauge increases at a constant rate.
 * Fairly quick recovery and startup.

= Move List =

Normals
5A

Kunagi does a quick poke forward. Hits Mid. Air unblockable 2A

Kunagi attacks with her tail. Hits low. Air unblockable j.A

Kunagi does a quick kick downwards. Hits High

5B

Kunagi spins and slashes diagonally downward. Hits mid. Air unblockable 2B

Kunagi does a horizontal slash. Hits mid. Air unblockable. j.B

Kunagi slashes horizontally. Hits high.

5C

Kunagi spins and slashes two times, can be cancelled in between the slashes. Hits Mid. Air unblockable. The second hit launches the opponent on counterhit, though chances of actually counterhitting with the second hit are very low. 2C

Kunagi slides and slashes, sweeping the opponent, can be special cancelled on hit and block. Air-unblockable. <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">j.C

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Kunagi spins in the air, slashing with both hands. Can hit twice. Can be cancelled into any aerial move. Can cross-up.

Command Normals
Aokisou: Sora (Blue Claw: Sky) (6A)

Kunagi slashes diagonally upward. Launches the opponent, can be jump canceled on hit. Air unblockable.

'''Aokisou: ??? (Blue Claw: ???)''' (4B)

Kunagi hops backwards while slashing diagonally downward. Special cancellable on hit and block. Bounces the opponent on hit if opponent is airborne. Hits High. On counterhit it bounces the opponent.

Aokisou: Tora (Blue Claw: Tiger) (4C)

Kunagi spins and slashes horizontally. Jump cancellable and special cancellable on hit. On counter hit it launches the opponent.

Specials
Kirigiremono (Slasher) (j)(236A/B)

damage - proration

On the ground, Kunagi flings a shockwave along the floor. In the air, Kunagi tosses a disc at a 45-degree downward angle.
 * Ground A version travels quickly for about 2/3 stage distance.
 * Ground B version slowly accelerates forward for about 1/2 stage distance.
 * j.A version retains air momentum.
 * j.B version stops air momentum and hops backwards.

Koumazuki (Conquering Devil Moon) (j)(623A/B)

damage - proration

Kunagi jumps into the air with a slash, encircling herself with a crescent.
 * Launches opponent on hit.
 * A version is a shorter jump (less punishable) but lacks invincibility.
 * B version is a greater jump (very punishable) but has startup invincibility; causes hard knockdown on counterhit.

Aokikage: Sensou (Blue Shadow: Sharp Claw) (214A/B)

damage - proration

Kunagi slides forward (A) or backward (B), creating a shockwave of slashes that follow her motion.
 * Can pass through the opponent at close range.
 * Both versions move the opponent towards Kunagi on contact.

Hishou (Soaring) (421A/B)

No damage

Kunagi leaps forward (A) or backward (B).
 * Covers 1/3 stage distance.
 * Can be canceled with 5C, which can crossup, cancels into specials on hit, and will ground bounce an airborne opponent, or with j.22A/C.

Aokikage: Shinsoku (Blue Shadow: Godspeed)  (j)(22A/B/C)

j.22C: damage - proration

On the ground, Kunagi teleports in one of three ways relative to the opponent. In the air, Kunagi falls to the ground.
 * A version teleports to the air directly above and behind the opponent. Full aerial action is available during the descent.
 * B version teleports to the ground directly behind the opponent. Recovery period after landing.
 * C version teleports to the ground roughly 1/3 screen distance away from the opponent. Recovery period after landing.
 * j.A version is a straight fastfall. Short recovery period after landing.
 * j.B version is a 45-degree fastfall. Short recovery period after landing.
 * j.C version is a 45-degree dive slash. Recovery period after landing. Launches grounded enemies, ground bounces airbone enemies.

Supers
Koumazuki: Shingetsu (Conquering Devil Moon: New Moon) (j)(623D)

damage - proration

Kunagi leaps upwards with a rising crescent slash.
 * Hits 5 times.
 * No invincibility on startup.

Aokisou: Oni (Blue Claw - Demon) (63214D)

damage - proration

Kunagi makes a series of rapid fast slashes before stepping forward with her 4C, knocking the opponent away.
 * Hits 11 times, with the last hit launching the enemy.
 * Can follow up in the corner after the final hit.

Big Bang Break
Shuntensatsu (Instant Heavenly Killing) (41236ABC during Big Bang Mode)

damage - proration

Kunagi teleports above and behind the opponent, attacking with a large crescent slash from above. On hit, it continues into a barrage of aerial dashing attacks ending with a hard knockdown.
 * Fast startup and auto-tracks the enemy.
 * Can combo from 6A

= Tactics =

General Strategies
Kunagi has a surprising amount of damage potential for being such an archetypical pixie type of character; however, what's more scary than her damage is her okizeme. Unfortunately, there's only two ways to get a hard knockdown with enough time to setup oki mixup: throw and j.22c combo ender.

Kunagi's Throw

Her throw is possibly one of the best out there because of two reasons.
 * 1) The throw distance is approximately half the stage, making it easy to corner the opponent.
 * 2) It's special cancellable.

Being able to cancel throw recovery into one of your teleports will quickly become your best friend. From 22b you have enough time to run quick oki mixups such as superjump > fastfall ambiguous crossup, 236b or 214a/b safe meaty, 2a low meaty or 2a whiff into throw, etc. From 22c you're spaced perfectly for IAD j.c (sj>IAD for crossup), 421a>c j.236a for very strong combo starter, 236a safe meaty, or 214a spaced just perfect to crossup combo. You've got a lot of options coupled with strong cornering potential, so be sure to get some use out of it.

Combo Enders: Damage vs Mixup Potential

Because of Kunagi's absurd amount of options, the general rule of thumb is to go for the hard knockdown to retain momentum and mixup potential. The exception is, of course, if you have the opponent at 30% life or less, in which case go for the certain kill with the extra loop into super. Thankfully, if you have the opponent in the corner, you can opt for the Corner Super Combo to gain hefty bonus damage and still retain your ability to get the j.22c hard knockdown.

Ending combos with [421a>c j.22c] is the only surefire way to get decent damage while retaining the hard knockdown. You recover right next to the opponent with all the time you could want to set up meaty, mixup, or just dash their body into a corner. Be wary of wakeup reversals, especially when the opponent is starting to get desperate (cornered, low life). It might be smart to throw out some safe meaties, to "teach" them that reversals are a bad idea, before running some more risky mixups or going in for high damage combo starters. If you're doing it right, one knockdown combo will just chain into a mixup into another knockdown combo until they're finished. If you're doing it wrong, you should have plenty of meter to counter/burst and try again. Either way, pay attention to how your opponent reacts to everything and abuse their weaknesses as a player.

The only other good reason to use a non-knockdown combo, besides getting the guaranteed kill, is if you happen to land a really high damage starter like [421a>c j.236a (land) 5a] against a grounded opponent and chain into the higher damage Close Range Combo. The level of damage you get off of something like that is immense, registering over 4k damage even on Sanzou. Any occasion you can pull that sort of life lead on an opponent is most likely going to put them into a state of desperation, which is generally favorable for a mixup queen like Kunagi.

Meter Management

Kunagi only has 1 use for meter in her moveset, and that's to add damage to her combos. In most cases, that's only going to be worthwhile if you have them in the corner, where you can get big damage while retaining knockdown okizeme. Best case scenario, you'd always have them cornered, eating mixup after mixup and getting bodied for free, but that's never the real situation. Saving meter for inevitable fuck-ups or good reads on your opponent's behalf is important. Bursting costs 3 bars, which is immense, but meter builds surprisingly fast in this game, so you may find the opportunity to burst out of dangerous situations. Thankfully, if you're utilizing her meterless reversal (623b) and the universal counter from blockstun (B Counter: 6BC in blockstun), you can easily regain momentum if you can keep cool on the defensive. Off of a counterhit 623b, you can even get a hard knockdown and set up for okizeme yourself. So as long as you can keep at least one or two bars in stock at any given time, you have the ablity to consistently maintain the battle's momentum in your favor, whether through big damage corner combos into knockdown oki or reversing the enemies attempts at momentum shifting.

Size CAN make a difference

Although not a huge point, Kunagi is one of the smaller members of the cast, which is a distinct advantage in preventing the use of most character's highest damage combos. Her defense is low, so every advantage you can get on the defensive is an important one. Keep on point during your opponent's combos. They might drop it due to unexpected size difference shit, and you need to be ready to mash that tech out like there's no tomorrow.

Combos
(damage tested on Manbou/Sanzou for damage range)

Basic Combo

5b 5c(2) 2c 4c 6a 421a>c j.236b (land) 5c(2) 421a>c j.22c
 * 12 hit, 3.0k-2.2k dmg
 * 623a>c should be cancelled as late as possible.
 * Works midscreen or corner.
 * Great corner carry.
 * Substitute j.22c end for another [j.236b (land) 63214d] for big damage ender (around +900 dmg).

Close Range Combo

5b 5c(2) 4c 6a 5c(2) 421a>c j.236b (land) 5c(2) 421a>c j.22c
 * 13 hit, 3.3k-2.5k dmg
 * Doesn't work on Sanzou without difficult [6a 5c(1) 421a>c] or [6a 6a 421a>c] link (too floaty).
 * Remove 4c on short people (burai, kunagi, senna, kinako, agito).
 * 623a>c should be cancelled as late as possible.
 * Must be very close to opponent.
 * Great for [j.c 5c(2)](+300 dmg), [421a>c j.236a 5a](+700 dmg), or max range [214a 5a](-100 dmg) starters since they put you at point blank range.
 * Works midscreen or corner.
 * Great corner carry.
 * Substitute j.22c end for another [j.236b (land) 63214d] for big damage ender (around +900 dmg).

4b Overhead Combo (non CH)

4b 5a 5b 2c 4c 6a 421a>c j.236b (land) 5c(2) 421a>c j.22c
 * 12 hits, 2.4k-1.6k dmg
 * 623a>c should be cancelled as late as possible.
 * Works midscreen or corner.
 * Great corner carry.
 * Substitute j.22c end for another [j.236b (land) 63214d] for big damage ender (around +900 dmg).

Corner Super Combo

5b 5c(2) 4c 236a 63214d 5c(2) 421a>c j.236b (land) 5c(2) 421a>c j.22c
 * 24 hits, 4.8k-3.3k dmg
 * High number of hits results in a huge difference in damage between characters with 2% per hit auto scaling (Heita(s), Daigo, Agito, Hanny, Manbou), which don't see any additional proration due to hit count, and those with 3% per hit, which end up with about double the amount of proration.
 * Can only follow up after 63214d in corner.
 * 623a>c should be cancelled as late as possible.
 * Great for [j.c 5c(2)](+300 dmg), or [421a>c j.236a 5a](+700 dmg) starters since they put you at point blank and add lots more damage before proration kicks in.
 * If you have 200% meter to blow, substitute j.22c end for another [j.236b (land) 63214d] for big damage ender (around +900 dmg). Due to damage scaling properties, the only people worth using this additional super ender on are characters with 2% per hit auto scaling (Heita(s), Daigo, Agito, Hanny, Manbou).  The others will end up scaling the damage down to nothing.

thumb|300px|right|An early combo video for Kunagi.