Juzoh Kanzaki

Juzoh Kanzaki (神崎 十三 Kanzaki Jūzō) is a character in The Last Blade series. Juzoh is characterized as a power-type character in gameplay. His movelist underwent a drastic change in Last Blade 2, where some of his moves from the first game were either removed or revamped. His official slogan is Big Heart (陽気な羅漢, Yōkina Rakan, The cheerful arhat).

He is voiced by Taison Ohya, and by Katsuyuki Konishi in the pachislot title.

Story
Juzoh is the adopted brother of Akari Ichijou (he was orphaned earlier in his childhood). Despite this, he and his adoptive family are very close. At home, he is generally free-spirited and somewhat lazy. Sometime during this, he learned how to use a club with his brute strength (apparently to pass the time). While in the course of his usual laying around the house with little to keep him preoccupied, he was knocked out and kidnapped by Akari, who “persuaded” him to accompany her on a journey to discover the landmark known as the “Gate of Hell”.

After their adventure, their sister Hikari falls ill and the two become extremely concerned about her health. One day as Juzoh is visiting Hikari, she discloses that their sister Akari had run away to “Hell's Gate” again to find a cure for her curse. To lay both their fears to rest, Juzoh pursues her on her quest.

Personality
Light-hearted and goofy, Juzoh is a reliable "sidekick" to Akari. He can be melodramatic at times, but he tries his best to keep a good eye on her.

Powers

 * Strength - Juzoh is a very strong man, capable of lifting and throwing a grown man high in the air with only one hand.
 * Tremor - With his strength and his kanabo, Juzoh may create small shock waves on the ground that have enough force to knock his opponent down.
 * Energy Projectile - Juzoh can fire a spark of energy to his opponents.
 * Explosive Power - Juzoh can create explosions with the sheer power behind his attacks. These explosions may vary in intensity, and the stronger ones cause massive damage.
 * Rage - When enraged, Juzoh becomes nigh-impervious to damage. He rushes at the enemy, and if he receives any attack, he simply shrug them off. The attacks still cause damage, but Juzoh doesn't flinch.
 * Sneeze - Juzoh has a special attack on which he sneezes and somehow, causes damage to his opponent. Probably added as comic relief, this power sneeze causes significant damage as a super move and also knocks the opponent back.

Fighting Style
Juzoh uses his physical strength to fight his opponents. He swings his club like a bat, and often ignites ablaze in certain moves.

Juzoh's moveset was changed in the second game to be more useful and introduce variety to his game. His normal swings and special moves are effective in Power alone, but watered down in Speed and even EX. Like many characters in the game, particularly Moriya or Kagami, his power slash (or in Juzoh's case, bash) deals big damage, particularly as a counter move, the main difference being its greatly extended range.

Juzoh also has a degree of super armor, allowing him to ignore certain attacks and carry on with his attacks. He has a running move that can be cancelled into special or even super attacks. He also has an unblockable headbutt motion that like a power slash, deals high damage as a counter move (especially right after a repel counter) and causes the enemy to collapse. The move knocks down airborne enemies too, but with lesser damage.

His command grabs has been improved, allowing the player to opt for different attacks right after sending the enemy midair, though followup attacks, that range from hitting enemy as if a baseball, and adding a fireball thereafter, or slamming the enemy onto the ground. He has super versions of his grab followups, one of which requires timing to deal the full damage to the enemy.

Juzoh's problem comes with the speed of his attacks, many of which are predictable and can be avoided. Certain command grabs can be cancelled by the enemy, if the timing is right (or wrong, in Juzoh's case). His gameplay introduces a learning curve and the requirement of precision, something that may take time to master.

Game Appearances

 * The Last Blade
 * The Last Blade 2
 * Gekka no Kenshi Gaiden ~ Akari to Nanatsu no Ayakashidama

Cameo Appearances

 * The Last Blade - in the Akari's stage, when he's not present fighting
 * The Last Blade 2 - in the Elephant stage, on a poster, and when Akari fights in this stage
 * The Last Blade - Beyond the Destiny - stars in his own mini-game
 * Neo Geo Battle Coliseum - in one of Akari's attacks
 * SNK Gals' Fighters - in Akari's ending

Etymology

 * The name Juzo means "thirteen" (十三).
 * Juzo's surname Kanzaki means "god, deity" (神) (kan) and "cape, peninsula" (崎) (saki/zaki).

Gallery
Juzoh Kanzaki