Bushin Gram - Koku

The Bushin Gram Koku is one of Zeku's special moves in Street Fighter V. It is one of the variants of Zeku's Bushin Gram technique.

Description
Executed by performing a quarter-circle forward motion and pressing a kick button, Zeku pivots and twists his body away from the opponent. He then swiftly kicks horizantally in front of him, toe first, and rotates a near 360 degrees once the move is finished. It looks similar to Nash's medium Sonic Scythe, but the kick is backwards. During the kick, a trail of energy projecting from Zeku's foot creates a black slashing wave. A high pitched sword slash sound will play as Zeku kicks.

Tactics
The startup and recovery time depends on the intensity of the button pushed, with heavier buttons resulting in longer startup and recovery times. The length of the slashing wave will also vary depending on the intensity, with heavier buttons creating longer slash waves. The damage of the move increases with the intensity of the button. The light version is quick, but barely extends a little bit beyond Zeku's foot and does low damage. In contrast, the fierce version takes a long time to start up and has a long recovery, but goes near three-quarters screen length and does high damage. It works well as a poke or as a zoning tool.

Similar to the other variants of the Bushin Gram, the move will take on different properties depending on where the move connects. If the opponent is just hit by the slashing wave, the opponent will flinch but will remain standing (except on Counter Hit). If the opponent is hit by Zeku's leg, the opponent will be knocked back and will also take additional damage.

The EX version spans a mid-range length and hits multiple times even after the wave has disappeared. The multiple hits happen whether or not the opponent is just hit by the wave or by Zeku's leg. The opponent will always be knocked down by the EX version.

The move has projectile like properties. It is able to cancel out other projectiles. The fierce version can cancel out certain multiple hitting projectiles too.

Despite this move and the other Grams being technically classified as a projectile, the move differs quite a bit from traditional projectiles like the Hadoken. Instead of traveling across the screen as a projectile, the energy wave functions like very much as a sword slash, swinging in an arc and damaging the opponent in all areas of the wave. This makes the move harder to react to and jump over once the slash arc is active. It also has the added benefit of being able to cancel an incoming projectile and hit the opponent at the same time.

This move can be used to hit the opponent after they are launched by Bushin Gram Teki. Usually, the corresponding intensity will connect (I.E a medium Koku will hit an opponent launched by a medium Teki).

Due to the long startup and recovery time of the medium and fierce versions, the move is especially susceptible to jump-ins, more so than other projectiles. Additionally, its stronger versions are very punishable on block when blocked up close.