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The Tenmakujinkyaku (天魔空刃脚 Tenma Kuujinkyaku?, "Heaven Demon Air Blade Leg") is a Unique Attack used by Akuma, Evil Ryu, Kage, and Gouken. It is also one of many techniques copied by Seth in the Street Fighter IV series.

The move made its very first appearance in X-Men: Children of the Atom, where Akuma was a hidden bonus character.

Input (all appearances)
Appearance Function Character Input
Most appearances Unique Attack Akuma
Evil Ryu
Gouken
Kage
Arcade Modifier Air (forward) Arcade-Stick-Down+Arcade-Button-MKick
Street Fighter IV series Unique Attack Seth Arcade Modifier Air (forward) Arcade-Stick-Down+Arcade-Button-HKick
Marvel vs. Capcom series Special Attack Akuma
Complete Change Ryu
Arcade Modifier Air Arcade Stick QCF+Arcade Button Kick

Description[]

AkumaTenmakujinkyaku

The user jumps, landing in a diagonal-fall with a strong kick that inflicts high damage with the outer metatarsal portion of their one of their feet (though Gouken and Seth's versions use the stamp of their feet); if successful, they can follow up with any other attack, making this a good combo starter. In the case of Akuma and Gouken, it can also be performed via Hyakkishu as an alternate version.

Tactics[]

KageTenmakujinkyaku

This attack can beat out a Shoryuken if both are executed at the same time, but it cannot cancel Sakura's Shououken and Dan's Koryuken.

This move can also be used to cross-up if positioned well enough, but some moves like Yun and Yang's Raigeki Shu can perform this task better due to better steep angle control. A notable weakness is the height restriction; since it must be used at the apex of a forward or neutral jump (depending on the game), it is often very difficult to use it consistently, especially if the move hits too early at a high height (making it punishable).

In the Marvel vs. Capcom series (including its first appearance in Akuma's moveset), the move is a special attack, and its input is a quarter-circle forward motion; the move had a slower startup, but also hit multiple times and knocked down the opponent. However, in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, it was changed back into a command normal with its usual properties. All the games in the series allow plenty of midair windows for the move to be used.

Screenshots[]

Sprites[]

Akuma tenmakujin kyakuu

Etymology[]

The term Tenma (天魔) is a Japanese Buddhist term to refer to the actual heavenly or spiritual tangible demons of Buddhist myth. Depending on the usage however, Buddhist myth often tells in its lore of two accounts of Tenma: one being those who were said to be at the command of the evil being Mara that dwelled in the Sixth Heaven of the Desire Realm that included the mortal world, and were in opposition to Buddhism due to their desire to be feared and worshiped by humans, or those who found profoundness in the teachings of Buddha and came to make up the Buddhist Pantheon to spread his teachings with devotion to him.

Trivia[]

  • In the special edition of Devil May Cry 3, Vergil has a move similar to the Tenmakujinkyaku, called "Starfall" when localized or Ryuuseikyaku (流星脚? Meteor Leg) in Japanese. Dante also has a similar move called "Killer Bee" (a reference to Cammy's old codename).
  • In Mega Man X4, the boss Magma Dragoon can attack with a similar move, the Kyuukouka (急降下 "Nosedive"). This move also returns in Mega Man X8 as one of the special attacks Zero can use when equipping the K-Knuckle, the "Enkoukyaku" (焔降脚 "Blaze Drop Leg").
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