Ryuuko Ranbu

The Ryuuko Ranbu (lit. Dragon & Tiger Wild Dance) is a Super Special Move used in a vast variety of SNK's fighting games, serving as one of the signature attacks for practitioners of Kyokugenryu Karate, and is known as the style's one-and-only iconic Ougi (Secret Technique).

While Ryo Sakazaki was the first playable character to have used it, it was invented by his father, Takuma Sakazaki.

There have been multiple variations across the King of Fighters series:
 * -|Ryuuko Ranbu=

Ryuuko Ranbu (lit. Dragon & Tiger Wild Dance), sometimes styled as Ryuko Ranbu, is a Super Special Move in the Art of Fighting, Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series, first used by Ryo Sakazaki all the way back in Art of Fighting.

Description
The user dashes forwards via leaping at the opponent in a long stride, just after striking a pose (normally from bracing themselves with their forearms as if to block an attack).

If they make contact with the opponent, they'll attack with a high-speed kata which is essentially an onslaught of punches and kicks, before ending with a Kohou, as per standard. The ending attack for the stronger variants (especially in later games) varies between users; such as Ryo doing a small upper and backhanding the foe before throwing out his Haoh Shoukou Ken, Robert striking with a Gen'ei Kyaku before launching a flying kick, Takuma hopping back before launching multiple Haoh Shikou Ken, to name a few examples.

Strategy
Originally, in its debut, the user and its victim before the finisher occurs, normally remain still during the barrage of attacks. Though in most games in The King of Fighters series as of KOF '96, the attacker often pushes the victim back during the said barrage (this stop being a trend in KOF XII onwards).

Though notably before KOF '99, akin to other ranbus of its time, the user will continuously attack with their sequence even if the initial dash is blocked. This often results in the ranbu unlike others such as the Illusion Dance or Kin 1211 Shiki Yaotome which get cut short at the start if they're blocked, to either deal a decent amount of chip damage to the defender, or if said defender gets careless and drops their guard, continue with the ranbu either way to still lock them in the sequence (akin to how the Zanretsuken and Gen'ei Kyaku tend to function). Even then, this often can result in the attacker getting punished easily should the blows all be blocked and/or escaped via Guard Cancel Evading.

Mr. Karate II

 * -|Geki Ryuuko Ranbu=

Geki Ryuuko Ranbu (Destroy: Dragon and Tiger Boisterous Dance) is one of Ryo Sakazaki's Super Special Move in the King of Fighters series, first appearing in The King of Fighters 2001, and last appearing in The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match.

Description
Ryo does an even quicker Ryuuko Ranbu, ending with an energy-laced spinning Kohou.

Compared to its Retsu''' counterpart, this version is completely unblockable.

Strategy
To be added later...


 * -|Retsu Ryuuko Ranbu=

Retsu Ryuuko Ranbu (Rage: Dragon and Tiger Boisterous Dance) is one of Ryo Sakazaki's Super Special Move in the King of Fighters series, first appearing in The King of Fighters 2002: Challenge to Ultimate Battle, and last appearing in The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match.

Description
Ryo does an even quicker Ryuuko Ranbu, ending with an energy-laced spinning Kohou.

Strategy
To be added later...


 * -|Zetsu Ryuuko Ranbu=

Zetsu Ryuuko Ranbu (Unparalleled: Dragon and Tiger Boisterous Dance) is one of Robert Garcia's Super Special Move in the King of Fighters series, first appearing in The King of Fighters 2002: Challenge to Ultimate Battle, and last appearing in The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match.

Description
Robert does an even faster Ryuuko Ranbu, including a Gen'ei Kyaku and ending with an Uraken into a spinning Ryuuga.

Strategy
To be added later...


 * -|Metsu Ryuuko Ranbu=

Metsu Ryuuko Ranbu (Unparalleled: Dragon and Tiger Boisterous Dance) is EX Robert Garcia's MAX2 in The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match.

Description
Robert jumps at the opponent and rushes them down with a long kata, ending with a Haoh Shoukou Ken in the shape of a tiger.

Strategy
To be added later...


 * -|Chou! Ryuuko Ranbu=

'''Chou! Ryuuko Ranbu' (Super! Dragon and Tiger Boisterous Dance) is EX Yuri Sakazaki's MAX2 in The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, and would later return in The King of Fighters XIV, replacing Haoh Raiou Ken in The King of Fighters XIII''.

Description
In its original incarnation, Yuri does an even quicker Ryuuko Ranbu, incorporating an Enyoku and ending with a Yuri Chou Upper into a Shin! Chou Upper.

In The King of Fighters XIV and onwards, the attack is more cinematic and spaced out, with Yuri taunting her opponent after only a few hits at a time - giving a peace sign after the first third of the combo, slaps her butt twice in the second, then winds her arm up for a Chou Upper before giving a thumbs-up at the end as her opponent falls back down.

Strategy
To be added later...

Trivia

 * Though later games instead make the attack be cut short like most other ranbus if the dash is blocked. The animations for the ranbu of course often are tweaked as per game/installment. As for the sequences, here are the known animations below for each character:


 * Ryo:
 * Regular version:
 * Far standing Neo Geo A Button.gif [2x]
 * Close standing Neo Geo D Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Close standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Close standing Neo Geo D Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo A Button.gif
 * Close standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo D Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo A Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo B Button.gif
 * Kohou
 * MAX version:
 * Far standing Neo Geo A Button.gif [2x]
 * Far standing Neo Geo D Button.gif
 * Close standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo B Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Kohou startup into Flameless Ko-Ou Ken animation
 * Blow Back Attack
 * Far standing Neo Geo A Button.gif
 * Close standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Hyouchuu Wari input
 * Close standing Neo Geo D Button.gif
 * Crouching Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Kohou
 * Blow Back Attack
 * Haoh Shoukou Ken
 * Robert:
 * Regular version:
 * Far standing Neo Geo A Button.gif [2x]
 * First hit of Rush Attack
 * Far standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Close standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Close standing Neo Geo D Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo A Button.gif
 * Close standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo D Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo A Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo C Button.gif
 * Close standing Neo Geo B Button.gif
 * Far standing Neo Geo D Button.gif
 * Ryuuga
 * MAX version:
 * First hit of Rush Attack
 * Far standing Neo Geo B Button.gif
 * Ryuu Hanshu input
 * First hit of Gen-ei Kyaku
 * Close standing Neo Geo D Button.gif
 * Close standing Neo Geo B Button.gif
 * Crouching Neo Geo D Button.gif
 * Second hit of Gen-ei Kyaku
 * Ryuuren • Gen-ei Kyaku [3x]
 * Charged flying kick
 * The ending pose Yuri gives at the end of Chou! Ryuuko Ranbu is homage to her victory art in The King of Fighters XIII.