Shingo Yabuki/Move List

Overview
Hey, Shingo! You're up!



First and foremost, Shingo is a Lethal Joke Character - he might not seem particularly good at first, but once given enough time and practice, he's actually a very effective Rushdown Character in his own right.



Notably, Shingo's moveset is a composite of Kyo's original KOF '94-95 moveset and his post-96 moveset, having access to his Aragami/Dokugami hooks (albeit without the follow-ups) as well as both a variation of his R.E.D. Kick (normally +/ for Kyo, it's +/ for Shingo) and Oboro Guruma, as Kyo typically has one or the other. Unlike his idol, however, Shingo also has some unique moves of his own, such as the Nie Togi, a command grab that launches the opponent upwards for a juggle combo, and the Kake Hourin, an incredibly powerful shoulder tackle that, in some games, can cause a Guard Crush and allow Shingo to continue his pressure game.



One of his unique characteristics in KOF '97 and KOF '98 (as well as it's remake, KOF '98 UM), is the ability to land Critical Hits on both his Command and Special Moves, adding extra damage to his attacks and combos. This mechanic was removed starting with KOF '99 onwards. However, this characteristic will be making a grand return in KOF XV.



KOF 2003 also added the ability for Shingo to perform his Shingo Kick in the air, giving him a rather effective air-to-air/approach tool. On top of that, his air +, like most characters, grants Shingo excellent pressure and approach; though his is notable for the particular angle that makes it somewhat difficult to react to and its very quick start-up.

Finally, well... Shingo is still a joke character - he can be used to throw the opponent off their game and/or humiliate them with some of his goofier moves (e.g., his God's Duster from 2002) or flat-out annoy the opponent with a well-placed SHIIIINGO KIIICKU!!! (which is unironically one of his better moves, by the way.) Because of this, he can make for a decent point or mid character since he's not too dependent on meter to get the job done in most cases.

Overall, if you're interested in a light-hearted and fun personified character that has a competently inoffensive Rushdown game, you can't go wrong with Shingo.