Basic Info: How to play E. Honda Honda is a hard-hitting character who uses sumo-powered strikes and charging moves to put the pressure on the opponent, followed by unpredictable strikes and throws. Use Honda's powerful slaps and clutch kicks to establish control on the ground. Then surprise opponents by mixing in unpredictable forward-moving moves. Get close and apply multi-hitting, pressure-creating attacks to make your opponent afraid to make a move, then throw them to take home the title. Sumo Dash is versatile enough to be used to encroach on an opponent's territory, as a pressuring tool on offense, or as a damage option in combos. Special Move: Hundred Hand Slap (QCB+P) Unleash a series of high-speed slaps. Useful for creating combos from normal moves. There's nothin' more sumo than a rapidfire storm of slaps! You can connect into this from light and medium attacks— great to keep the offense train chuggin'. Once ya get the hit, use strikes and throws to crank up the pressure! (Overdrive) Takes a li'l longer to execute, but you can link into a light attack after it connects. Combo into it from a medium or heavy attack to really bring the pain! Special Move: Sumo Headbutt (HoldBF+P) Fly horizontally forward with a powerful headbutt. Useful as a surprise attack to approach your opponent, as well as a way to tack on additional hits in combos. I invented this wild sumo technique all by myself! The stronger the button you use, the farther I'll fly! Even if they block it, they won't be able to hit ya back, so let those headbutts rip! And if you gird yer fundoshi, grit yer teeth, and wait for yer opponent to take to the skies, you can use a well-timed headbutt to knock their jump-in attacks clean outta the air. (Overdrive) Adds an armor effect that'll shrug off an opponent's attack. Use this when yer feelin' the pressure to turn the tables. Oh, and if ya hit with the very start of the headbutt, it'll become an extra painful two-hitter! Special Move: Sumo Smash (HoldDU+K) Leap diagonally into the air and then descend directly downward with a hip slam. Useful as a way to launch a surprise attack while avoiding grounded attacks, and as a way to pressure an opponent's guard. This here's the second stupendous sumo maneuver I'm best known for! If yer opponent throws out a move on the ground, soar over 'em with this and...BOMBS AWAY! Even if they block it, ya still get to act first and push the advantage! What do ya do if the other guy starts Drive Parrying it? Vary up the strength of the button ya use to Sumo Smash. That'll change the timing ya drop at, makin' it tougher for 'em to deal with. (Overdrive) This one' invincible against jumping attacks on the way up. If yer opponent's in the air, it's great for dealing with 'em! Plus, it works great as a combo move against juggled opponents in the corner. Special Move: Sumo Spirit (DD+K) Perform a sumo kata that enhances your next Hundred Hand Slap. This enhancement will be maintained until a Hundred Hand Slap is used. This technique gives my Hundred Hand Slap even MORE slap! For instance, if ya use this, then use Hundred Hand Slap, it'll let ya connect a light attack afterwards, just like the Overdrive version. Yer slappin' normals'll get some extra punch too— even if a move can't be special-canceled normally, chances are you can cancel into a Hundred Hand Slap! Special Move: Oicho Throw (HCB+K) Grab your opponent by the head, slam them into the ground, and follow up with a Sumo Slam. Useful for breaking through an opponent's guard at close range. Is there anything more majestic than a glorious sumo throw? The strength of the button ya use to start the throw will affect its grab range and power. The light version grabs folks easier, and the heavy version hits harder, basically. Slap the sense outta yer opponent and when they're feelin' the pressure—KERBLAMMO! Into the dirt they go! (Overdrive) Easier to land, with extra damage to boot! No need to be shy about usin' this one. Once yer opponent realizes they're in yer sumo sights, they'll be quakin' in their fundoshi! Or, y'know, whatever their undies happen to be! Hah! Special Move: Neko Damashi (DD+P) Clap the palms of both hands together in front of your face. Not only can it be used as an attack, but it can also be used to negate projectiles. Neko Damashi is an honest-to-goodness sumo technique. My take on the tech is all about slappin' away the opponent's projectiles! Always love the look of surprise on their faces when they realize I can do that! Oh, and you can use it as an attack up close, of course. Great for catchin' opponents off guard, then throwing 'em when they least expect it! Special Move: Sumo Dash (QCF+K) Move forward with a traditional sumo shuffle. Useful for closing the distance with your opponent. A little sumo footwork to zip right up to opponents and unleash one of two special techniques. The first is the Teppo Triple Slap, which leaves only a teensy tiny opening. Great for puttin' the pressure on, and if it hits, ya can bump up the damage with its follow-up attack too. The second is the Taiho Cannon Lift, which is real unsafe if yer opponent blocks it...but if it hits, you'll launch 'em for big follow-up potential! If they leave themselves wide open, use this to combo the daylights out of 'em. (Overdrive) Moves faster, and leaves less of an opening. AND it powers up its follow-up attacks! Teppo Triple Slap'll let ya act first even if the opponent blocks it. Perfect move for pushin' yer opponent to the edge of the ring! Taiho Cannon Lift'll come out faster, lettin' ya combo out of a heavy attack. Even if yer opponent barely leaves an opening, that'll be plenty! Or you can just skip the additional attacks, dash up and chuck 'em. Super Art: Show of Force (QCFQCF+P) Push your opponent out of the sumo ring with a mighty shove. This move is invincible at the beginning, making it useful for turning the tables on your opponent. Show of Force comes out quick and is invincible to strikes, makin' it great for turnin' the tables, or for damage in combos. Plus, it'll send the opponent flyin' if it hits, blastin' 'em across the screen! Super Art: Ultimate Killer Head Ram (HoldBFBF+K) Perform a headbutt followed by a sequence of slaps, and finish off with a final twisting headbutt. The initial headbutt travels a long distance, making it excellent both in combos and as a way of dealing with projectiles. Ya gotta charge to use this one, but there's no toppin' its sheer headslammin' force! Use this to blow through an opponent's projectile, and they'll be scared to throw one ever again! Plus, it's easy to work into combos. Cancel into it from an Overdrive special move and go to town! Super Art: The Final Bout (QCBQCB+P) Swing your opponent in a circle to draw the outline of a sumo ring, then just as you're about to push them out of it, throw them to the ground behind you with a brutal slam. This move has long reach and comes out quickly, making it quite versatile. This move is big! HUGE, even! And its power is even huger! It takes yer whole gauge to use, though, so only go for it when ya know it's gonna land. For example… When ya connect a Hundred Hand Slap off a normal move. You can only cancel into The Final Bout when ya hit, so make it count. Combo into it from a long-reaching normal, and make it yer opponent's final bout! Strategy: Fundamentals 1 Two steps to gettin' stronger. Step 1: training. Step 2: chanko. Today, I'm gonna teach ya the basics behind the trainin' part, startin' with how to use my normal moves. Sumo's all about throwin' a few slaps around to keep opponents honest. There's standin' medium punch—moves ya forward, and knocks a lot of enemy attacks aside. And then there's crouchin' medium punch, which can be canceled into special moves. Use those two normals to push yer opponent around. Crouchin' heavy punch is a little on the slow side but hard to punish. You can also use the long-reachin' Harai Kick (F+HK), which can't be blocked standin'. That'll learn 'em. Strategy: Fundamentals 2 Good sumo is all about two proud competitors battlin' it out in the ring. Which means ya gotta know all the ways to deal with yer opponent when they come at ya. First, how to stop yer opponent if they jump at ya. If yer crouchin' and have a charge built up, hit 'em with a Sumo Headbutt! Otherwise, a standin' heavy punch should knock 'em out of the air. If yer opponent's smackin' ya around up close, fly at 'em with an Overdrive Sumo Headbutt, which absorbs attacks. Or you can use Show of Force's complete invincibility to turn things right around! Strategy: Advanced 1 Now that ya got the basics down, it's time to tell ya about some of my stupendous sumo techniques. Know how they toss salt in the ring at the start of a sumo match? Think of these as the other spice you can add to a fight! First up is my old standby—the Sumo Headbutt! This thing's been putting fighters in their place for decades. It flies far, packs a punch, and leaves ya safe even if it gets blocked. It's a heckuva move, but yer opponent's not gonna let ya use it for free. If they start throwin' projectiles or usin' Drive Impacts to shut your headbutts down, bust out a Sumo Smash to get the drop on 'em! Ya can hold left or right to change where yer Sumo Smashes land, and adjust the timing dependin' on the strength of the button used. Use this to deal with opponents who wanna jump around and bait somethin' outta ya. Strategy: Advanced 2 So. Sumo Spirit. It's a little different, but bear with me here. Think of it like...a Hundred Hand Slap power up. It also powers up yer normal moves, though, so be sure to put those through their paces too. After ya pop Sumo Spirit, you can cancel into Hundred Hand Slap from normals that can't usually be special-canceled: Crouchin' heavy punch and standin' heavy punch can both be canceled while it's active. And that's not all! After ya connect with a powered up Hundred Hand Slap, you can hit 'em with a light attack afterwards. It's a surefire way to get big damage off a stray hit with one of yer normal moves. When yer far away from yer opponent or manage to score a knockdown, it couldn't hurt to get a little Sumo Spirit goin'.