Yup, I'm a fangirl all right, I actually bothered to figure out all of Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu techniques. It's actually sort of research for a fic I'm writing, and I thought it might be vaguely useful to other people. Most of the info is from the techniques page of a Rurouni Kenshin fanpage, where they provided a translation of chapter 6 of the Kenshin Hiden artbook (summarizing Kenshin's techniques up through the end of the Kyoto arc). Additional details are from the Rurouni Kenshin FAQ (see link below). The descriptions of what the techniques do are mine, since none of the sites actually explain them (they just list them and translate the names). I've most probably made some errors in here so additions/corrections are very welcome. Enjoy!
Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu (Honorable Sword of the Flowing Heavens) techniques (i.e. the special attacks).
Note: there are tons of varations on the translations of the various attacks (especially that of the school name; the one I chose is from Rurouni Kenshin FAQ), so don't take mine as cannon or anything.
Basically, the Hiten attacks fall into four main categories:
1. Ran-Geki-Jutsu. These are attacks where the swords movements are sequential. Attacks in this group are:
Ryuu Kan Sen (Dragon Wind-Up Flash): A dodge/block followed by a Battou-juutsu strike to the back of the opponent's head (from the Saitou/Kenshin fight).
Dou Ryuu Sen (Ground Dragon Flash): User strikes the ground with the tip of the sword and projects Ken-ki outward, blowing up the ground in front of the opponent.
Ryuu Sou Sen (Double Dragon Flash): Multiple strikes in rapid succession.
2. Totsu-Shin-Jutsu. These attacks are where you strike rapidly and just once with sword. Techniques here:
Ryuu Tsui Sen (Dragon Mallet Flash): User leaps up above the opponent and strikes to the shoulder from above.
Ryuu Tsui Sen Zan (Sorrowful Dragon Mallot Flash?): same as above, only the strike goes through the top of the head rather than the shoulder.
Ryuu Kan Sen Tsumuji (Dragon Wind-Up Flash Hair-spin): an airborne, spinning Battou-juutsu (used in the Chou/Kenshin fight).
Ryuu Kan Sen Kogarashi-Tsumuji-Arashi (Dragon Wind-Up Flash Storm): Describing these seperately didn't really work since they are used in combination in the Kenshin/Shishio fight at the end of the Kyoto arc. Kogarashi is a Battou-juutsu to the side of the head followed by Tsumuji (a strike to the front) then finished up with Arashi, where the user flip-spins in mid-air and brings the sword straight down on top of the opponent's head. "Kogarashi" is storm, which pretty much sums up this attack, "Arashi" means to box in, which is the effect of this skill, since the opponent is pretty much trapped by the movements of the sword.
Ryuu Shou Sen (Dragon Rising Flash): a strike from below to the opponent's chin or neck, the sword is held in the left hand and supported near the tip with the right hand.
Ryuu Shou Sen Garami (Dragon Rising Biting Flash?): several neck strikes in succession.
Ryuu Tsui-Shou Sen (Dragon Mallot Rising Flash): a combo attack, an above strike to the shoulder followed immediately by a strike to the neck from below.
3. Battou-juutsu. These are the attacks that Kenshin's best at (after all, it's how he got the nickname "Battousai" ;). It basically involves rapidly drawing the sword from the sheath in a lightning-fast one-shot attack. Skills in this category:
Hi Ryuu Sen (Flying Dragon Flash): the user spins and releases the sword from the sheath so that it flies out and strikes the opponent hilt-first.
Sou Ryuu Sen (Twin Dragon Flash): a double Battou-juutsu, a strike with the sword followed by a hit with the saya (sheath).
Sou Ryuu Sen Ikazuchi (Twin Dragon Flash Lightning): the other double Battou-juutsu, a strike with the saya, lifting the opponent off the ground, followed by a strike with the sword.
Ryuu Mei Sen (Screaming Dragon Flash or Scream of the Dragon that Deafens): Kenshin invents this to use against Enishi in manga Vol. 28, basically involves snapping the sword shut right next to the opponent's ear, deafening them.
4. Ougi. This is a two-part skill, the most powerful attack in the Hiten school and one where, by tradition, the master is killed by the student in the process of learning the technique.
Kuzu Ryuu Sen (Nine-Headed Dragon Flash): The attack that Hiko Sejirou is best at :) This attack uses the god-speed of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu to its full advantage to strike with all the nine sword cuts simultaneously. The nine basic cuts in any style of swordsmanship are: Kara-take (head or from above), Kesa-giri (upper left), Saka-gesa (upper right), Hidari-nagi (left), Migi-nagi (right), Hidori-kiriage (lower left), Migi-kiriage (lower right), Ska-kaze (groin or from below), and Tsuki (chest or heart). It is impossible to block or parry this attack, since it comes from all sides, except with the Ougi (succession) technique. Kuzu Ryuu Sen, as Hiko explains, was born in the process of teaching the Ougi technique and always precedes learning the final attack.
Ama Kakeru Ryuu no Hirameki (Heaven's Soaring Dragon Flash):
a beyond-god-speed Battou-juutsu strike, this is the only way to counter the
Kuzu Ryuu Sen. This apparently is risky for the user since the leg stance is
reversed from the regular Battou-juutsu strike. This allows for greater speed but
the user runs the risk of cutting his own leg off -_-;; Like all Hiten Battoujuutsu techniques,
the Ougi actually has two part to "prevent any suprises" in the words of Hiko. If for
some reason the first attempt at the Ougi is parried, the user can continue the attack,
spinning around in place and creating a sort of vacuum (we're definitely in Watsuki-physics
land here -_-;;) between the user and opponent that draws the opponent in and prevents
him from moving. The user can then complete his spin and repeat the first strike successfully. The second
strike concentrates the "three forces" of the Ougi and has a much greater effect than
the first strike alone.
Attack name components:
Ryu = sword school
Ryuu = dragon
Sen = flash
Tsui = hammer or mallet
Shou = rising
Hi = flying
Kan = winding, spin
Mei = animal cry, or a scream
Kuzu = nine heads
Sou = double
Dou = ground
Ikazuchi = lightning
Arashi = to box or trap in
Kogarashi = storm
Hirameki = flash
Ama = sky, heavens
Kakeru = soaring
Tsumuji = gyrate, spin
Garami = bite
Zan= sorrow, tragedy
Mitsu = royal
Rugi = sword
Ten= heavens, sky
Hidari = left
Migi = right
Ougi = literally "deep act", but basically refers to the final technique of a martial arts school
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