Samurai Shodown VI/Kusaregedo

Introduction

Roll cancel command grab is way easier now and you can also use your new step dash to buffer it. Kusaregedo has received a few minor nerfs but he's been screwed mainly by the damage nerfs and the buffs given to zoners.

Data

• Dash type: Step (EX: Run)
• Damage taken: 95%
• Rage retention: 168
• Rage duration: 9 seconds

Gameplan

Kusaregedo plays a relatively simple fireball/DP game of sorts insofar that he has a reliable ground threat and a reliable air threat. The ground threat is his command grab (6428C), which reaches far, comes out quick and will shave off over a quarter of the opponent's health, and is often coupled with a roll, his step dash or some other good means of buffering it while moving forward such as a overhead leap (4D) spaced so it whiffs right in front of the opponent. Kusaregedo can also threaten the opponent with this move with ticking moves such as his light slashes or by recoil cancelling moves such as his n5B or 2B. In addition, this ground threat is backed up by solid, far-reaching pokes such as 5B, the low-hitting 2B, 5C, 2D, 3D and 236AD, while Kusaregedo can also use his vomit (214S) for safety). If you are in Rage then you also have access to a WFT version of your command grab (698741258AB), which is difficult to perform but hits even harder and has better range. The air threat is his assortment of wonderful anti-airs, including 5B, 2C, n2C, 6D, 2D and 236AB. Kusaregedo also his fair share of solid air-to-airs, most of which have the unique property of causing a knockdown on hit in exchange for extra vulnerability upon landing. The threat of Kusaregedo's command grab is what enables opponents to jump into his fat anti-airs, and it is a much easier threat to enforce now that roll cancel command grab is easier to perform and the input is much more lenient. Regardless, given it requires an up input you still can't do it raw, and if you miss it you will probably be punished.

Kusaregedo's main problems are his size and his speed. Kusaregedo is the largest character in the game, allowing him to get hit by moves such as Gaira's anti-air grab which miss on other standing characters while also leaving him particularly vulnerable to instant overheads such as Basara's pogo. Furthermore, Kusaregedo's mobility is horrendous, with slow walk speeds, floaty jumps which don't travel far horizontally (but do gain some serious height), a bad backdash and slow forward hops. The exceptions are his new step dash, which travels far and fast, and his rolls which travel unusually far in a small amount of time and have more invulnerability than other characters' rolls. If you want to get anywhere with Kusaregedo then you're going to need rolls.

Your options, then, are practically restricted to II or V Spirit. From these, V is usually superior because with your long-ranged pokes, good Rage retention and no real need for his WFTs to win you have plenty of time to meditate, especially if you have a puddle of vomit to defend you. In State of Nothingness these pokes are also very good at securing a Fatal Flash. II is a good choice because it gives you more bang for your buck with your WFTs and more time to land them, but you do not have a forward hop as an option for getting in nor do you have V's comeback mechanics for when you're falling behind.

Normal Moves

Far Slashes

• 5A - A big slap to the ground. This is a strong counter poke but it doesn't recoil.
• 5B - A fat poke which reaches very far for its speed. Recoil cancellable and an ideal way to set up vomit safely.
• 5C - A very long-reaching stab which reaches for the ground. Three hits which makes it susceptible to Rage Explosion. Recoil cancellable.
• 2A - Quick palm attack. Perfect for buffering command grabs.
• 2B - Low-hitting sweep with good range, but less than 5B. Recoil cancellable.
• 2C - Very slow anti-air where Kusaregedo swings his bone diagonally upward. The hitbox follows where his bone is swinging, but it's fat enough to be consistent. May whiff on crouching opponents.

Near Slashes

• n5A - A quick flick. Also good for buffering command grabs. Doesn't recoil, however.
• n5B - A stab to the chest. You can't special cancel this but it serves as another buffer into your command grab, although the hitstop makes this very obvious. Recoil cancellable.
• n5C - A huge headbutt which is great for punishes. This is yet another possible command grab buffer on hit, but don't even think about attempting this on block as this doesn't recoil.
• n2A - Same as far version.
• n2B - Same as far version.
• n2C - Kusaregedo attacks you with his spine. This has a similar purpose to 2C but comes out faster and hits crouching opponents.

Kicks

• 5D - A sluggish boot. This attack is cancellable, but it will only lead into your command grab on block as the opponent will still be in hitstun during the cancel window if it hits.
• 6D - A backflip with a fat hitbox for anti-airing. Very bad recovery but you should be using this for guaranteed anti-airs anyway. Do this early because the startup isn't all that but it is active for a while.
• 2D - An upward lick with decent horizontal range and some vertical range for niche anti-airing purposes.
• 3D - Long, low-hitting tongue sweep. Unsafe on block.

Dash Normals (EX Only)

• 66A - Running n5A. Just as good for tick throws.
• 66B - Running 2B. Halts your momentum by the time Kusaregedo has finished swinging.
• 66C - Running n5C. A punish tool which causes a soft knockdown on hit but Kusaregedo's run speed hasn't gotten any faster.
• 66D - Running 5D. Gives plenty of frame advantage but has slow startup.

Air Normals

• jA - A jab forward with his bone and a pretty decent air-to-air. You can use this to tick into command throw as well. This is your only air normal without extra landing recovery so useful for that as well.
• jB - An elbow drop with a long-reaching downward hitbox. Knocks down on hit but there is extra landing recovery.
• jC - In this game, you get this if you screw up the command grab. Hard-hitting jump-in which reaches very far downward and knocks down on hit, but is slow to startup and has even more landing recovery than the other moves. This can be used to cross up as well, but Kusaregedo's short jump range makes this tricky unless you're already right next to them.
• jD - Butt drop which can crossup. Knocks down on hit but there is extra landing recovery.

Unarmed Normals

• u5S - Same as n5A.
• u2S - Same as 2A.
• EX u66S - Same as 66A but knocks down.
• juS - jA but he tries to jab you with his stump, which is about as useful as you would expect.

Command Moves

4D, can be done unarmed

• His old universal overhead from Samurai Shodown V. Hits high, goes over lows and all that jazz. If it whiffs Kusaregedo recovers practically instantly, so if spaced correctly this can be used as a fakeout into command grab.

Special Moves

Evil Spirit Summons - 236S, can be done unarmed (also in EX)

• Kusaregedo slaps the ground and hollers in place. After a while a pool of demonic hands will spawn at the opponent's current position and attempt to grab their feet. If it hits the opponent will be stuck, allowing you to get a free hit. If you do nothing they will simply stagger back after a bit. This attack is unblockable which theoretically makes it good for setups and your new step dash makes it easy to close the gap for punishes. In neutral, however, this will get you killed because Kusaregedo stands in place for a while, the hands can be easily jumped over and he has a fat hurtbox ripe for punishment at nearly any range. As such, this isn't a move you will be using often.

Gastrorrhea - 214S, can be done unarmed (also in EX)

• Kusaregedo vomits on the ground. This is no longer a low attack and will no longer hit OTG. You are also unable to perform another vomit while one is out, and there is no changing between versions because each strength is identical. Regardless, this move is useful because it establishes a wall between you and the opponent for a hot minute. The opponent can not walk or run to get past you, so they will have to resort to jumping or poking from a distance. And for the latter case, the range on your deflect is very good to counter this. If the opponent jumps in without attacking they can block this move.

Evil Spirit Summons - EX 421D

• Because EX Kusaregedo has a run instead of a dash (and given how you can jump out of runstop in VI), this old move from Samurai Shodown V serves as a replacement of sorts for this buffer option. This high profiles a lot of things as Kusaregedo lifts his stomach up and it is also immune to throws, but it lasts longer than regular Kusaregedo's step dash and his upper region is still vulnerable.

Heretic Brand - 6428C (EX 64258D) (Samurai Drive)

• Kusaregedo's famed command grab. This has great reach, comes out near-instantly and will shave off a quarter of their health at bare minimum. Furthermore, as a grab this deals fixed damage, so none of your poking beforehand will depreciate the sheer amount of health you will shave off. The catch is that tricky up input at the end, which means you have to buffer it. Tick throws, recoil cancels, jumps, step dashes, rolls and other E-button manuevers are viable means of achieving this, but you can also fake this out with certain whiffed moves such as 4D which recovers quickly and spaces him for it.
• EX Kusaregedo's roll is back to having a short cancel window and furthermore you must be dead accurate with this version of the input, while with regular Kusaregedo you can get away with sloppy diagonal inputs in between.

Toy Transformation - 6464642E (II)

Supers

Flying Head Butt - 236AB or 236AD, can be done unarmed (EX 236AB) (also in EX)

• Kusaregedo rips his head off as it flies fullscreen, then it boomerangs back to him. This is ideally used as a fullscreen punish if you know his head can make it in time.
• 236AB travels diagonally upwards, while 236AD travels diagonally downwards like it does in Samurai Shodown V. 236AB is more useful for anti-air purposes while 236AD controls the ground. Both can be used in Continuous Slash II juggles.
• EX Kusaregedo only has access to the downward-flying version.

Heretic Hunt - 698741258AB (also in EX)

• Enhanced version of Kusaregedo's already-powerful Heretic Brand with better damage, even better range and a disarm at the end. If you can land this then do it, but be mindful that the input is precise.

Heretic Dinner - 41236982BC (II), 236BC (VI) (also in EX) (Samurai Drive)

• Another command grab, this one having the same absurd range as Heretic Hunt. The animation is similar to Kusaregedo's Overkill from V Special, but the opponent just flies from the side unscathed after it's done.

Combos

Standard Combos

• 236S, filler - Vomit is not fast enough to link from hands, so just stick to a heavy slash or a sweep.
• 214S, filler - You can no longer combo vomit into another vomit anymore.

Continuous Slash (IV)

• A+B BBC 236AB/236AD - Enjoy not having a meterless juggle lol.

Colors

External Links

• Seesaa wiki
• Seesaa wiki (EX)