Ittou Tsukikage

Ittou Tsukikage (Stray Blade: Moon Shadow) is one of Moriya Minakata's Special Moves in the Last Blade series, first appearing in first game.

Description
Moriya does 3 or 4 consecutive color-trailing slashes, ending with an overhead one.

In Power/EX Mode for : an outwards one-handed slash, an upwards lifting slash, then a leaping overhead-hitting slash into a tumble on the ground. This also applies to the version only in The Last Blade 1, but the first input has slower startup while moving further.

In Power/EX Mode for : an outwards one-handed slash, a two-handed downwards cut, an upwards lifting slash, then a forward-stepping downwards slash (does not hit overhead).

In Speed Mode for : an outwards one-handed slash, an upwards lifting slash, then a forward-stepping downwards slash (does not hit overhead). Only applies to The Last Blade 2.

In Speed Mode for : an outwards one-handed slash, a two-handed downwards cut, an upwards lifting slash, then a leaping overhead-hitting slash into a tumble on the ground. Only applies to The Last Blade 2.

In Neo Geo Battle Coliseum, the Power Mode version is used for both and, respectively, with the  version's second input animation changed. The final slash for the also does 2 hits instead as well.

Strategy
In the original The Last Blade, the move has fixed properties and is notably quite powerful even in Speed. In The Last Blade 2, varieties were introduced to give Moriya more options in his offense. He can mix other special moves or even super cancel in the middle of this move, which can be used to break defenses, attack from overhead, or extend combos that end in a hard knockdown.

Despite this, this move can be laggy on recovery so it can't be used too liberally against a more defensive foe (the stronger version even has notable startup despite more forward range). The final leaping slash even if hitting overhead, does not hard knockdown on a grounded hit, so it's still easy to punish Moriya should his victim not already be in midair.

Even then, it's also possible to special-cancel any non-finisher input of either version into Moriya's other specials, mainly the Ittou Oboro, Ittou Shingetsu or Shingetsu Ura. Though any Shingetsu may be cancelled into on accident due to the inputs all overlapping with one another (which on block still puts Moriya at disadvantage unless if used as a frame trap).

Or better yet, either non-finisher input can easily be super cancelled, though doing so into the Kassatsu Izayoi Gekka requires Moriya to be close enough to ensure all hits land cleanly for maximum damage while also being sure the foe isn't already blocking.

In The Last Blade 2, the A version can be stopped at the second hit, juggle with a standing hard slash, and do the B version of the move and either do other special moves or super cancel into Kassatsu Izayoi Gekka.

In NGBC, it's possible to combo into the version from Moriya's crouching  as a short-yet-solid confirm into a hard knockdown to start a vortex. The while slower and going further, still is a strong option for either super cancelling it or chipping the defender out on block. Other than that, the same special-cancel-into-Shingetsu (Ura) or super cancel properties still exist. The move is still unsafe on block despite animating faster.

Similar Attacks

 * Ittou Renjinzan - A similar combo used by Kaede.