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Chun-Li Spinning Bird Kick

Official artwork of Chun-Li's Spinning Bird Kick from the Street Fighter II series.

The Spinning Bird Kick (スピニングバードキック Supiningu Bādo Kikku?), also known as Kaitenteki Kakukyakushu (回転的鶴脚蹴 Kaitenteki Kakukyakushū?, lit. "Rotating Target Crane Leg Kick") is one of Chun-Li's original attacks in the Street Fighter II series. It debuts along with Chun Li's other special move, the Hyakuretsukyaku, in Street Fighter II. This move also appears in Street Fighter: The Storytelling Game.[1]

Input
Appearance Function Input
SFII series (pre-SSFIIT)
Most appearances
Special Attack Arcade Stick CDArcade-Stick-Up+Arcade Button Kick
Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Street Fighter Alpha 3 (X-Ism)
Several other appearances
Special Attack Arcade Stick CBArcade-Stick-Right+Arcade Button Kick
Street Fighter EX series Special Attack Arcade Stick QCF+Arcade Button Kick

Description[]

"A series of rotating, upside-down kicks with your legs extended wide. This move does lots of damage, and is useful when performing combos against opponents that have left themselves wide open."
—"Spinning Bird Kick", Street Fighter 6
SpinningBirdKick

Chun-Li jumps up before standing upside-down, then does a split (before Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, she started the move with a quick handstand to get in position; since then, she has started propelling herself from her feet). She then spins her legs like helicopter blades to attack. It is similar to Ryu and Ken's Tatsumaki Senpukyaku; if the opponent is standing, Chun-Li's feet will repeatedly hit the opponent in the face until the attack ends (thus some versions can easily be ducked under via how high Chun-Li is off the ground). Its controller input depends on whatever game Chun-Li was in, as shown above. A few games allow Chun-Li to perform this move in the air.

The EX Special version introduced in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and in Street Fighter V does not move forward, instead remaining stationary (not unlike a Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku) and acting more as an anti-air reversal attack. If the opponent is standing just close enough to be hit by the move, they will be sucked in a vacuum-like effect for additional hits. In some games (such as the Super Move version in Capcom vs. SNK for EX Chun-Li), this version is often referred to as the "Spinning Hornet Kick". It also appears in both Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Infinite where Chun-Li has to hold the downward direction part of the input to "charge" the attack before unleashing the following portions of the motion.

SBKCC

Chun-Li's Cross Cancel used against Ling XIaoyu's overhead in Street Fighter X Tekken.

In Street Fighter X Tekken this attack also doubles as her Cross Cancel. It is considered one of the best in the game as Chun can not be Side Switched as the attack hits both sides, the attack is safe on block, provides a free Tag on hit, and synergies very well with her EX Spinning bird kick/Roll/Back Dash. This makes Chun one of the hardest characters to keep pinned down in the game. The only disadvantage is the slower the usual startup that while it tends to catch recovery of attacks but can be vulnerable to the same Safe Jump timing that her regular EX version can be abused by.

In some versions of Street Fighter II, it is possible to do a jumping forward Spinning Bird Kick[2]

In Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, a new followup move from this attack is added called the Hajinkyaku (覇人脚 Hajinkyaku?, Champion Leg), where upon recovering from the spinning momentum of the attack Chun-Li follows up with a back-spin kick through the air with her leading leg.

Street Fighter 5's version of Spinning Bird Kick serves as a combo ender for Chun-Li, usually granting the player with more damage and better okizeme compared to ending with Hyakurestsukyaku. The EX Version of her Spinning Bird Kick is stationary and does not move. But it serves as Chun-Li's reversal to get her opponents off of her.

Pop Culture[]

Spinning Bird Kick/Pop Culture

Trivia[]

According to Chun-Li in Street Fighter 6 World Tour mode, the name of the technique her father taught her was "Revolving Crane Kick", inferring that the name changed when Chun-Li took it for her own. This is a nod to the original Kanji/Chinese writing for the attack: Kaitenteki Kakukyakushu (回転的鶴脚蹴 Kaitenteki Kakukyakushū?, lit. "Rotating Crane Leg Kick").

Gallery[]

Sprites[]

Street Fighter III: Third StrikeCapcom Fighting EvolutionCapcom and SNK crossoversPocket Fighter

Screenshots[]

References[]

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