Kyokugenryu Karate

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Kyokugenryu Karate (Japanese: 極限流空手) is a fictitious fighting style employed by several characters in the Art of Fighting fighting games produced by SNK Playmore.

Contents

[edit] Background

[edit] Kyokugenryu karate in a glance

Kyokugenryu karate is a fictional Karate style based on the very real Kyokushin karate. Kyokugenryu in Japanese means "Extreme Limit School/Style". It's founder appears to be Takuma Sakazaki, judging from an illustration for the game Garou: Mark of the Wolves made by SNK artist Hiroaki inspired by the cover of the Bruce Lee movie Enter the Dragon - the game takes place in a time where Takuma has died and his son Ryo Sakazaki has become the Kyokugenryuu grandmaster, and the illustration features older versions of Ryo, Yuri and Robert, along with Marco Rodriguez, who makes his debut in that game; below them is a picture of Takuma, which appears to be a homage to the art's founder.

[edit] Relationship between Kyokugen and Ki

Kyokugenryu Karate used a lot of spiritual power of the user as it incorporates user-protective techniques such as the Kou-ou Ken, Ryugeki Ken, and a sign that the user is worthy of the Black Belt of Kyokugenryu Karate: the Haoushoukouken and Haoushikouken techniques. Only the finest Kyokugenryu disciples were taught the Ryuukoranbu (Boisterious Dance of the Dragon and the Tiger) technique.

[edit] Multiple forms

Kyokugenryu Karate, although a form of Kyokushin Karate, has multiple forms based on a level of study:

  • Kou-Ou: Means "Respecting the Tiger" in Japanese. This is the standard form of the discipline. The movesets are based upon the traditional aspects of Shotokan Karate with some Bushido Tie-Ins. Ryo's moveset is based on the Kou-Ou principle.
  • Ryugeki: Means "Beating the Dragon" in Japanese. In this form of the discipline, the movesets has some Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai elements, focusing mainly on fancy kicks rather than balance between the activity of the hands and feet. Some of the kicks are taken from military-style brawling based on America's Military Units, such as Robert Garcia's Backheel Spin-Kick. When Ryo was young, he used the Ryugeki principle. While this form is easier to master than the Kou-Ou form, it is not as versatile of a form as Ryugeki has some known imbalances which exist.
  • Hienshippu: Means "Flying Gale" in Japanese. Hienshippu is the form practiced by Marco Rodriguez from Garou: Mark of the Wolves. This moveset has all the styles from the Kou-Ou form but improving on the potency of the Hienshippu Kyaku and certain Kou-Ou techniques (i.e. Enhanced Kouhou), which explains why Marco was able to use a Hienshippu Kyaku that starts with an upward knee and ends with a slamming overhead kick. Hienshippu, when mastered, tends to be as versatile of a form as the High-Level Form Shoran.
  • Raiou: Meaning "Lightning Sparkle" in Japanese, it is the most basic form of Kyokugenryu study. In this principle, only the basic and low-level techniques are taught. Also, it focuses more on defense rather than offense since it also encourages personal instinct to be used. All Kyokugenryu practitioners must pass the Raiou moveset in order to advance to more difficult forms. Yuri chose to stick with the Raiou Form, although Takuma gave Yuri the incentive to practice more difficult forms, but turned it down since almost all forms of Kyokugenryu Karate she believed focused more on offense rather than on defense. It is after the events of Art of Fighting 2 that Yuri has vowed to perfect her own version of the Raiou moveset.
  • Shoran: Means "Flying Fandango" in Japanese, this is the highest level of Kyokugenryu study. Only the most serious and most disciplined are capable of handling this principle. This principle includes the hardest technique to master, called the Shoran Kyaku. As SNK Playmore knows about it, only Takuma Sakazaki has mastered this principle. This principle has some judo, Aikido, and some Bushido elements tied-in.

[edit] Techniques

  • Kou-Ou Ken and Ryugeki Ken: The most basic move, which a user places all his/her Ki onto one hand and does a palm punch that emits either a slight breath of the Tiger or Dragon, depending on the move being used. Kou-Ou Ken is available on the Kou-Ou, Hienshippu, and Raiou principles, but not the Ryugeki principle. Ryugeki Ken is available only on the Ryugeki principle.
  • Hienshippu Kyaku: Somewhat of an Intermediate-Level Move, which two spin kicks are being done in front of an opponent. Hienshippu means "Flying Gale." Marco Rodriguez uses an Improved Hienshippu Kyaku, which he jumps with a heavy knee kick and slams through with a fierce overhead kick.
  • Zanretsu Ken: A user summons all of his/her Ki onto both of his/her arms and does a series of lightning-fast punches. Zanretsu means "Momentary Violence." This move is only available through the Shoran, Kou-Ou, and Hienshippu Principles.
  • Gen-ei Kyaku: A user summons all of his/her Ki onto his/her legs and does a series of lightning-fast kicks, ending with a Thai-Style Turnaround Roundhouse. Gen-ei means "phantom". This move is only available on the Ryugeki principle.
  • Ko-hou and Ryu-ga: Each meaning "Tiger Cannon" and "Dragon Fang", those moves are leaping Uppercuts which either the left (Kou-Ou Principle) or the Right (Ryugeki Principle) hand rises up, slamming any jumping foes from the air. They are not available in the Raiou principle.
  • Haou Shoukou Ken: A Low-Level High-Gauge Deathmove which the user places his/her will right onto the fists, does a two-handed fist palm, which suddenly a high-gauge breath of either the tiger or dragon emits from the palm punches. Haou Shoukou Ken means "Supreme King Flying Roaring Fist." This move is available in all principles, even the Raiou principle. Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia learned this move during their journey to rescue Yuri Sakazaki. Yuri Sakazaki learned this move during the events of Art of Fighting 2.
  • Haou Shikou Ken: A High-Level Deathmove used only by those who have mastered the Haou Shoukou Ken. It is virtually the same as with the Haou Shoukou Ken, but done more in a High-Level Style. Currently, only Takuma Sakazaki can use this move, though Ryo is known to employ it on several occasions.

Most noticeably, there are two high-level moves that are taught only after a Kyokugenryu user reaches First Dan Black Belt: the Ryuuko Ranbu (Dragon-Tiger Fandango) and the Shoran Kyaku, both of them taught only at the highest levels of study. The Ryuuko Ranbu is the most difficult move to master, and it is hailed as the "crown jewel" of Kyokugenryuu Karate. The user gathers their ki together and rushes at the opponent, releasing their ki in an explosive combination of attacks, ending with a Ko-hou. The Kyokugenryu Practitioner is free to discover moves of his/her own, as long as the basic forms of study have been mastered.

While there are many variations of Kyokugenryu Karate, the curricula remained the same.

[edit] Related video games

Ryo Sakazaki appeared as a secret boss character and/or Mr. Karate, while Marco Rodriguez (Khushnood Butt) appeared in Garou: Mark of the Wolves

[edit] Students

By order of seniority of Kyokugenryu Karate (Top; earliest trained):

[edit] Martial art influences

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