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SSFIVAE 3 16 2020 9 07 00 PM

Senkyutai as it appears in USFIV.

The Senkyutai (穿弓腿 Senkyuutai?, "Drilling Bow Thigh"), also known by its informal nickname "Roll Kick", is one of Yang's special attacks, introduced in the Street Fighter III series. Yun also used this technique until it was replaced with the Nishokyaku from 3rd Strike onwards. Jamie uses his own variation, known as Arrow Kick.

The move is one of many Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu (螳螂拳, "Praying Mantis Fist") techniques.

Input
Appearance Input
Street Fighter III series Arcade Stick QCF+Arcade Button Kick
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition
Ultra Street Fighter IV
Street Fighter 6
Arcade Stick S+Arcade Button Kick (hold to roll)

Description[]

The user rolls forward along the ground, and pushes himself upward with his hands while launching an upward kick. If he reaches the opponent while rolling, he will automatically kick.

The distance rolled is determined by the kick button pressed: light kick version doesn't roll at all and immediately kicks upward; medium kick version rolls halfway across the screen before kicking; and heavy kick version rolls almost the entire length of the screen.

The EX Special version rolls at roughly twice the speed of the regular versions, travels the entire screen, and its kick hits three times for more damage.

Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition[]

Senkyutai acts as Yang's anti-air move, with the rolling now done by holding the kick button until the desired distance is reached, or until the move connects.

Street Fighter 6[]

Jamie's Arrow Kick has him fall backwards with his leg extended out. If he comes into contact with his opponent, Jamie springs up with an upward kick. The Overdrive version adds an additional kick.

Tactics[]

Because of the "tell" given by the roll, the medium and heavy versions are more useful in getting under attacks and punishing fireballs, while the light kick version is somewhat useful as an instant anti-air or close-range punish option[1].

Jamie's Arrow Kick works as a reversal and a combo ender. The opponent is left at a far enough distance that Jamie can increase his drink level without being punished. Unlike many attacks of its type however, it does not combo into any of his Super Arts, making it more useful as a juggle combo ender.

Trivia[]

  • A similar technique appears in a few other fighting games.
    • Sie Kensou (The King of Fighters), Kotomine Kirei (Fate/Unlimited Codes), Lei Fei (Virtua Fighter) and Haku (Naruto: Narutimate Hero/Ultimate Ninja; only in the Japanese scripts) have the Senkyutai in their movesets, though all the aforementioned characters perform the move with just a handstand kick without the roll, while the initial three characters (barring Haku) all perform it without leaving the ground.
    • Kaoru Hazama of The Rumble Fish sports a variation of the Senkyutai called the Kaishin: Senkyuukyaku (回身・穿弓脚, Turning Body: Drilling Bow Leg), where he back-turn-kicks upwards from the ground via a crouching stance akin to his far standing heavy kick. His Kaishin: Koushuutai (回身・高蹴腿 , Turning Body: High Kicking Thigh) is more akin to how Yang's Senkyutai would work via an upwards-flying kick (albeit without a handstand of any sort).
    • Michelle Chang from the Tekken series also performs this type of exact move, but named as either the "Leaping Spin Kicks" localized or in Japanese, the Kosou Rentai (虎双連腿, Tiger Twin Chain Thigh). Her adopted daughter Julia however, uses a different motion for the same input, but retains the original Kosou Rentai as a followup to a different move.
      • Both Michelle and Julia also have a direct variation on the Senkyutai itself, named as the "Spinning Sweep Combo" or the Kousou Senkyuutai (後掃穿弓腿, Rear Brushing Drilling Bow Thigh), where after a sweep kick, they perform a more horizontal-aimed version of the attack.

Similar moves[]

Gallery[]

Sprites[]

Street Fighter III series

References[]

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