Tatsumaki

The Tatsumaki (竜巻, "Tornado") is a special move used by Ryu, Ken, Akuma and Gouken.

Description
It originates from the classic Capcom fighting video game series Street Fighter. The practitioner jumps and, while in the air, rotates his or her legs, kicking the opponent 1~3 times depending on button pressed. It is usually performed by moving the joystick or D-pad a quarter circle backwards the opponent from the down position, then pressing a kick button. The Tatsumaki, in some games, will lift the user high enough to fly over some projectiles, like Hadokens or Sonic Booms.

Tatsumaki Senpukyaku
Users: Ryu, Ken, Evil Ryu, Violent Ken, Gouken Debut: Street Fighter

The Tatsumaki Senpukyaku (竜巻旋風脚, Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku, "Tornado Whirlwind Leg"), also known as Hurricane Kick, is a special move that is usable by Ryu and Ken in Street Fighter. In its early appearances, it hit up to three times. In later games, starting with Super Street Fighter II, Ryu's Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, though spinning much, usually only strikes the foe once, harshly, while Ken's has more hits and is more combo-able. Both of their "evil" counterparts use it as well in their games. In Street Fighter IV, this attack has Armor Breaking properties and can also become an EX special move. Ryu's Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku Super Combo becomes his EX variant, while Ken retains a normal Tatsumaki Senpukyaku flight pattern, albeit with more damage and better properties. Gouken can use it only as his airborne Tatsumaki.

Senpukyaku
A possible prerequisite of the Tatsumaki, the Senpukyaku (旋風脚, Senpuukyaku, lit. Whirlwind Leg) command normal exists for most users of the Tatsumaki, especially Ryu and Akuma/Gouki, where the user leaps forward with an outward spin kick in a similar motion to a Tatsumaki to strike the head of the opponent. This attack unlike the Tatsumaki itself has the user leap into an arc instead of flying straight through the air. Thus, this is a staple command normal/unique move for leaping attacks that go over most low attacks.

The attack eventually makes its return in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, only used by Akuma. The animation however is still the same as in past games despite the Tatsumakis having a change in animation since Street Fighter III. Akuma also flies a bit more straight in the air as opposed to hopping forward in an arc.

Yun and Yang apparently both have a command normal by the same name, but only done as a arc-leaping inward swing kick that hits overhead. It has no relation to the Tatsumakis in this regard.

Ryu
 * Tatsumaki Senpukyaku
 * Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku
 * Bofu Tatsumaki Senpukyaku
 * Shippu Jinraikyaku (only through Mode Change: Ken in Marvel vs. Capcom)
 * Shin Tatsumaki Senpukyaku

Ken
 * Tatsumaki Senpukyaku
 * Shippu Jinraikyaku
 * Guren Senpukyaku
 * Kuzuryu Reppa (a combination of both his Shoryuken and Tatsumaki variations)



Dankukyaku
User: Dan Debut: Street Fighter Alpha

Dan uses a parody of Ryo Sakazaki's Hien Shippuu Kyaku as his version of the Tatsumaki called Dankukyaku (断空脚, Dankuukyaku, "Severing Air Leg"). In Street Fighter Alpha 3, the SNK vs. Capcom series, and more recently, Street Fighter IV, he can also perform it while airborne. The Dankukyaku has three strength variations. The weakest version is a leap and knee jab forward. The knee jab can strike both crouching, standing and aerial foes, which is when it is most damaging. The second is a knee jab and kick, while the third is a knee jab and kick followed up by a second kick that can send opponents to the turf. Its EX version kicks twice and then kicks low, sending the opponent flying to the ground.



Tornado
User: Sean Debut: Street Fighter III: New Generation

Sean is another fighter that also uses a variant of this move, called Tornado. It looks similar to Ryu and Ken's Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, but uses both legs, thus making it more similar to Dan's version and also resembling Ryu's Tatsumaki Senpukyaku from the Street Fighter EX series.



Tatsumaki Zankukyaku
Users: Akuma, Cyber Akuma, Oni Debut: Super Street Fighter II Turbo

The Tatsumaki Zankukyaku (竜巻斬空脚, Tatsumaki Zankuukyaku, "Tornado Slashing Air Leg"), also known as Hurricane Scythe Kick, is Akuma's version of the Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Though his movement is similar to Ryu and Ken, in some games lightning may be created by his feet during his Tatsumaki. Like most of his techniques, it is much stronger and faster than Ryu and Ken's. It can hit multiple times, and is considerably faster and somewhat harder to control than Ryu and Ken's. It can combo well into his other moves, and it can be used in the air. The traits of the move itself are a mix of Ryu and Ken's; it has the power of Ryu's and the multi-hitting property of Ken's. In the Marvel vs. Capcom series, the attack takes on lightning properties and hits 5 times, while in Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix, Akuma's version of the move is shown to produce a poisonous gas, as Ryu's moves are already enhanced with electricity in this game. Cyber Akuma, the boss counterpart of the regular Akuma in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, has a stronger variant dubbed Thunder Shock Zanku Kyaku. Oni's version of the Tatsumaki Zankukyaku is more damaging but slower than Akuma's. In Street Fighter IV, Akuma only hits once, but still allows for combos, such as the staple LK Tatsumaki Zankukyaku -> HP Goshoryuken. The EX variant is similar to Ryu's (spinning in place).

Akuma also possesses the Messatsu-Gourasen, a Super Art version of this move. In Super Street Fighter IV, Akuma receives what is probably the most lethal of all Tatsumaki techniques, the Demon Armageddon.


 * Tatsumaki Zankukyaku
 * Thunder Shock Zankuu Kyaku
 * Messatsu-Gourasen
 * Messatsu-GouSenpuu
 * Demon Armageddon



Shunpukyaku
User: Sakura Debut: Street Fighter Alpha

The Shunpukyaku (春風脚, Shunpuukyaku, "Spring Breeze Leg"), also known as Twirling Gale Kick, is Sakura's own version of Ryu and Ken's own Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Instead of floating in the air, Sakura's variation allows her to uprise and then float back down while spinning. In Street Fighter IV, the EX version adds an extra kick that launches the opponent, and in Super Street Fighter IV it can be followed up with a Shinku Tengyo Hadoken.



Tatsumaki Gorasen
User: Gouken Debut: Street Fighter IV

The Tatsumaki Go Rasen (竜巻剛螺旋, Tatsumaki Gou Rasen, "Tornado Great Spiral") is Gouken's version of the Tatsumaki, based off Akuma's Messatsu Gou Rasen Super Art from Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike. However, instead of spinning in place or moving across the screen, the Tatsumaki Gorasen moves upwards, bringing the opponent with it. Once Gouken reaches the top of the screen, he finishes with a powerful final kick which sends the opponent flying across the screen while Gouken slowly descends to earth. This attack can be executed in mid-air, in which it becomes the Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku.

Super/Ultra Versions

 * Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku
 * Shippu Jinraikyaku
 * Messatsu-Gourasen
 * Messatsu-GouSenpuu
 * Demon Armageddon
 * Guren Senpukyaku
 * Shin Tatsumaki Senpukyaku

Trivia

 * Throughout the series, the way the Tatsumaki technique is performed has changed. Assuming the player is facing rightwards:
 * In the original Street Fighter, the player would spin to the left (or towards the background) and kick with the right leg.
 * Since Street Fighter II - The World Warrior, the player would spin to the right (or towards the foreground) and kick with the right leg, until...
 * Street Fighter III: New Generation, where the player would spin to the left and kick with the left leg instead. From that point, most Tatsumaki techniques in every main series games and crossovers would be performed in that way.
 * In a chapter of the game Project X Zone, Ryu, Ken, and other members of their small were presumed dead but managed to survive mysteriously due to the Kuuchuu Tatsumaki, and the Guren Senpuu Kyaku.

References in Popular Culture

 * See: Tatsumaki/Pop Culture.

Sprites

 * See Tatsumaki/Sprites.

Similar moves

 * Bushin Senpukyaku

竜巻旋風脚