Kagura Mutsuki is a character with wide ranged-sweeping-normals and very high average damage. His Drive, Black Gale (ブラックゲイル,Burakku Geiru), allows him to transition to three different types of stances that each have three different moves that can be performed off of them, leading to a variety of combos, mixups and mindgames to be available at his disposal. His projectile and anti-air also provide some solid standard ground to work with, along with giving him a powerful wakeup offense game. With around 11,500 in total along with certain moves that grant him super armor, Kagura can also easily take a lot of punishment.
However, Kagura does have some flaws. Firstly, he is rather a bit sluggish via his poor mobility (despite his fairly quick backdash) and that some of his longer ranged normals are rather slow, making them difficult to chain into off of most normal attacks. He also lacks solid pokes that are far enough ranged to deal with most characters with solid footsies, and adding to that happens to be his difficulty in dealing with faster mixup characters. What’s more, his combos are more effective in the corner than out in the open. It is due to this, Kagura is mainly a very heavy momentum-based character; either he maintains his very pressuring-mindgame lead, or he may get helplessly blown up should he fail to recover.
His Overdrive is Vehemence Edge (ヴィエメンスエッジ,Viemensu Ejji, localized as Infinite Coupling), which grants him the ability to infinitely perform multiple Drive stance transitions/cancels for the duration, as well as granting new hit effects on some of his stance-based moves (some of his normals also gain new properties as well).
As of Patch 1.1, Kagura has a taller hurtbox when getting hit by high-level attacks via his upper hitstun animation, and has increased Negative Penalty resistance by 2. His backdash cancels also have less duration from 30 frames to 25 frames.
In BlazBlue: Centralfiction, Kagura gains a new special move called Dragon Pity Dance (龍憐舞,Ryūrenbu, localized as Dragon’s Dance), a unique inverted charge-motion attack that makes his air-combos worthwhile. However, he has taken a severe turn for the worse. A majority of his attacks now have overall lowered damage values across the board, which in turn makes his reward much less of a “bang for its buck”. Kagura now must work harder to achieve massive damage and momentum while being punished even harder for his mistakes.
Standard forward jab with a slightly bent arm. Can also be used as an anti-air. Many characters can duck under this, or go under it with moves.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
400
Short ranged diagonally downward low kick, akin to a standing low light kick. Hits low and can be used to help extend combos, but tends to be not as good of a B-type medium kick poke like most others. It’s best used as nice mixup tool and/or OTG pickup tool however.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
1000
Does a turning two-handed slash from the background that sweeps around him in one step. Long range and can control quite a bit of space, but is a bit slow to chain into from other normals. Counter Hit causes wallbounce. Blowback on air hit. As of 1.1, it has less recovery, hitstun, damage (from 1100 to 1000), blockstun, blowback on air hit and untech time. It no longer staggers the opponent on grounded hit.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
300
A crouching version of his 5A somewhat. Hits mid like most crouching light punch-type moves, despite the low angle. Decent hit confirm.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
500
A forward back-turning low sweep-kick with the following leg. Low hit, has more range than 5B but more startup.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
780
A forward low-following handed-thrust with the weapon at the legs. Stagger on hit. Hits mid despite the low angle, and can be Stance cancelled. Rather slow poke that doesn’t chain well from his normals. As of 1.1, it has less recovery, but at a cost it also has less hitstun, damage (from 1000 to 900) and blockstun.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
800
Turns to the background as he leans (with his sword planted down and supporting him) and smashes his following elbow downward in a recovering turn. Hits overhead. Will force crouch the opponent. Cancellable mainly into a special, Rapid Cancel or Overdrive. Has less recovery as of 1.1, but less frame advantage on block and can no longer cancel into a 6B or specials. Causes ground bounce on air hit in CP 2.0/EX. Now has bonus proration in Centralfiction.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
or
600
Can be done by pressing 6B or inputting 5B two times (the first one must connect on hit or block). Kagura leans while balancing on his sword for a forward following leg-knee strike in a recovering inward turn. Cannot be Stance cancelled but is jump cancellable on hit or block. More range than 5B (almost akin to a true medium kick-based normal), and tends to be a decent pressure and combo tool.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
1200
Steps forward to launch-slash the opponent with both hands on weapon. Launches on hit. Allows for a huge range of followups. Has some slight head invincibility. As of 1.1, it launches opponents lower with less damage (from 1300 to 1200) and its head invincibility being removed. However it now has less startup and increased blockstun. In CP 2.0/EX, on counter hit it launches diagonally with an untechable hard knockdown with a wallbounce.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
700
Does a reverse grip inward crouching turn to sweep-slash the opponent. Has a bit of a slight height for a launcher-type use. Has decent speed and useful in ground combos unlike most of his other C normals, as it can chain very well from his B attacks. Despite its appearance, it can go into a wide variety of Drive moves. As of 1.1, the opponent is launched lower, but is knocked back further. Less ending lag in CP 2.0/EX.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
300
A midair jab, much like his 5A and 2A. Can be cancelled.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
450
Strikes with his following leg in a hooking inward kick horizontally. Rather awkward for a j.B, but has a large crossup hitbox. Can be reverse-cancelled into j.A as of 1.1.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
750
Swings down his weapon via the bandage on the hilt while ending in a turn. A bit slow, but has an amazing hitbox and is thus a good air defensive tool. Will plummet on air hit and stagger on ground hit.
Throws[]
Input
Damage
Heat gain
0, 100, 1300
Grabs the opponent with leading hand and flings them up to bat them away with a two-handed lifting slash turn. Can be followed up with Drive. As of Patch 1.1, it now wallbounces midscreen and will wall-stick in the corner.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
0, 100, 1300
Identical to forward throw with the exception of changing sides. As of Patch 1.1, it now wallbounces midscreen and will wall-stick in the corner.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
500, 200, 700
Grabs his opponent, then immediately crushes them down with a two-handed slash drop. Ground bounces, easy to follow up with multiple normals or specials.
Counter Assault[]
Input
Damage
Heat gain
0
0
Counter Assault which cannot be Stance cancelled. Otherwise, has short tech time. Uses his 6B/BB animation. Has a more downwards hitbox as of Patch 1.1.
Crush Trigger[]
Input
Damage
Heat gain
1000
Kagura places his sword forward (behind himself) in reverse grip and draws it back via an inward slash much like his 3C. Can be charged up. Neutral on Barrier Guard, will launch on air hit. Possible to charge; 180F cooldown.
Drive[]
Input
Japanese name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
Any direction +
ブラックゲイル Burakku Geiru
Black Gale
--
--
Allows him to enter four different stances. Each stance comes with its own set of unique moves that can be chained together. Originally with stance specials being usable after 17 frames, patch 1.1 allows them to be used as soon as 14 frames afterward. CP 2.0/EX: All specials from the stances can now can be cancellable into a Crush Trigger, Overdrive, Ryūha: Gokuenjin and his Astral Heat. Can also cancel into another different stance whenever a multi-hitting stance-based special’s first hit connects.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
--
--
Neutral stance. Kagura brings his sword back in a battōjutsu stance with his sword angled up a bit high.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
--
--
Crouch stance. Same as neutral, but in a crouching position.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
--
--
Forward stance. Kagura leans forward with sword behind him pointed up, on the ready.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
--
--
Midair stance of any of the three stances. When a followup is used from here, Kagura drops quickly to the ground to perform the attack to the pertaining stance. 1.1 allows sooner usage of stance specials during said stances for the midair version (from after 8 frames to after 5 frames). However, stance cancels can only be inputted later (from after 19 frames to after 34 frames).
Overdrive[]
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
ヴィエメンスエッジ Viemensu Ejji
Vehemence Edge
Infinite Coupling
Removes the cooldown of stance follow-ups, so you can chain any of the follow-ups together as long as they’re different.
Exceed Accel[]
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during Overdrive)
哮龍・幻魔烈刀嶄 Kōryū: Genma Rettōzan
Howling Dragon: The Illusion Demon’s Violent Blade Steep
Dark Flame of the Bellowing Dragon
2000 4000 (Active Flow)
New move in Centralfiction. Kagura hits the opponent with Sairingeki; if it connects, he then follows up with several circular Sairingeki strikes (covered in glowing dark energy), finishing with a wide slash flicking upward (just from removing his planted blade). The Active Flow version has a large multi-hitting energy pillar following the final blow.
Special moves[]
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
Hold then /
龍縛旋 Ryūbakusen
Dragon Binding Whirl
Dragon Spirit
Swings his arm outward to toss a dark ball of whirling energy forward. Projectile attack. A version goes half-screen but has faster startup. B version starts up slow with Kagura gathering energy in his hand, but increases in speed as hit travels. Projectile rapidly dissipates as Kagura gets hit, and number of hits vary depending on how far it travels. Can be used as a powerful zoning, wakeup and pressure tool. Has a vacuum effect that can be negated by an instant-block barrier. Both versions have Same Move Proration that is not shared between them. CP 2.0/EX: Now deals more hits the further it flies forward, which allows the B version to have massive frame advantage when it travels far enough.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
CP: Hold then CP: EX: Hold then /
龍刃翔 Ryūjinshō
Soaring Dragon Blade
Dragon’s Ascent
Kagura lifts his sword up with both hands and swings it in a multi-hitting arc while rising off the ground. Anti-air special. Has a fair amount of untech time, and a difficult move to punish on air hit. Has some invincibility. Can scale well in combos as you can combo off a counter hit after landing. Starter Rating worsened from Fast to Very Fast in Patch 1.1, and launches opponent lower on hit with a wall-stick on counter-hit. CP 2.0/EX: Now has a B version added with the C version. B version leaps up a small amount with only head invulnerability (but is air unblockable) while the C version files up fairly high with full invincibility (but can be blocked in any way).
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
Hold , then (air also)
龍憐舞 Ryūrenbu
Dragon’s Pitying Dance
Dragon’s Dance
Normal: 1200 Followup: 600
New move in Centralfiction. Kagura with dark energy swat-slashes below himself while in midair. Air combo finisher with a uniquely inverted charge motion (and causes Kagura to instantly take into the air when he performs this from the ground), and can be used as a followup input right after Ryūjinshō. Hits overhead and plummets on hit. Works as a way to get a hard knockdown on the opponent in order to setup for okizeme, though using it as a followup limits its damage quite a bit. However, using it out in the open is mainly for landing a hard read in the neutral.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during /Neutral Black Gale Stance)
龍破衝 Ryūhashō
Dragon Rending Pierce
Dragon Blast
Kagura throws his sword in front of him (making it planted to the ground) and hook-punches it towards his opponent. Staggers on ground hit, and has a chance of wallbounce on air hit. Has super armor against anything that’s not a low attack and can Fatal Counter. Can also cancel into a forward or backward dash on hit or block. Has increased stagger on counter hit by 3 frames in Patch 1.1. Has less ending lag in CP 2.0/EX.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during /Neutral Black Gale Stance)
龍戟爪 Ryūgekisō
Dragon Halberd Claw
Dragon’s Claw
Short-ranged command grab where Kagura grabs his foe and flings him up like with his ground throw animations, then follows up with a vaulting mid-air spin kick to his opponent (via sword planted on ground). Ground bounces on second hit, and can cancel into his air stance, as well as the midair version of his Dragon Lord’s Striking Fang. In 1.1, its P2 rating changes from 60% total to 52% total. Has 100% minimum damage in Centralfiction, with both hits being cancel-able into specials.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during /Neutral Black Gale Stance)
屠龍連斬 Toryū Renzan
Slaughtering Dragon’s Chain Slash
Dragon Slaughter
Kagura swings his sword upwards twice, with the first strike being a two-handed lifting spin followed by Kagura kicking his sword into a wide upward slash. The second hit throws the foe behind Kagura, as well as wallbouncing. Has Same Move Proration. The Overdrive version can throw foes in front of Kagura instead. As of 1.1, Kagura moves forward during the attack and the second hit has a larger hitbox. The Overdrive’s version untech time also has been increased by 8 frames. Overall, this move is rather unsafe in the neutral if whiffed and/or blocked.
Has a more minor wallbounce effect in CP 2.0/EX, though it gets amplified enough on counter hit to the point where even a 6C followup is possible.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during /Crouching Black Gale Stance)
砕龍撃 Sairingeki
Smashing Dragon Strike
Dragon Strike
Kagura does a turning jump and slams his sword to the ground. Kagura then vaults and tumbles himself back into place after the move. Hits overhead with ground bounce, and can combo into a huge variety of moves. As of 1.1, when Kagura will be put into an airborne state if this move is cancelled into another stance. CP 2.0/EX: The ground bounce effect no longer counts as a hard knockdown. CF: Now can Fatal Counter, and can be cancelled into Ryūrenbu.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during /Crouching Black Gale Stance)
龍閃剣 Ryūsenken
Flash Dragon’s Sword
Dragon’s Blade
Kagura surfs on his sword to whip at his foe for two strikes. The first hit hits low and does not allow emergency tech. The second hit hits mid and can allow emergency tech. Cannot combo into most moves without use of a Rapid Cancel, though Ryūbakusen can be used afterwards for wake-up pressure. Travels faster as of 1.1 with increased attack level (from 3 to 5) and improved frame advantage by 4 frames. CP 2.0/EX: Can no longer be emergency teched on counter hit.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during /Crouching Black Gale Stance)
臥龍双破 Garyū Sōha
Reclining Dragon’s Dual Pierce
Dragon’s Dual Strike
Kagura attacks with an outward slash followed by a downward thrust. Second hit is a low attack. Ground bounces on airborne second hit, and has a decent hitbox making it a solid move for combos; the second hit also has plenty of pushback which makes it safe on block. Has Same Move Proration. CP 2.0/EX: Second hit causes spinning stagger on ground hit.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during /Forward Black Gale Stance)
龍牙迅 Ryūgajin
Swift Dragon Fang
Dragon’s Fang
Kagura rushes forward with a stepping wide turning slash aimed low. Hits mid despite appearance. Sends the opponent a fair distance via ground bounce, making it more suited in the corner, but can otherwise link into a variety of moves. Has less untech time as of 1.1. Has reduced recovery in CP 2.0/EX, as well as increased invulnerability before the attack comes out (which allows it to beat out plenty of reversals if timed right). CF: Now Fatal Counters.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during /Forward Black Gale Stance)
龍影迅 Ryūeijin
Swift Shadow Dragon
Dragon’s Mirage
Kagura warps via a flaming shadow behind the opponent after a dash forward but a twirl (to prep for an attack), then slashes downward and outward at their back (which ground bounces the opponent). Crosses up and hits low. Can Fatal Counter. A rather slow move, but can be a very solid frame trap and mindgame tool. CP 2.0/EX: No longer ground bounces and causes only a normal knockdown on hit. CF: No longer Fatal Counters.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during /Forward Black Gale Stance)
飛龍尖撃 Hiryū Sengeki
Flying Dragon’s Sharp Strike
Sky Dragon’s Strike
Kagura turns then dashes forward with a one-handed thrust with his weapon, then briefly halts himself to return to neutral position. Grounds foe on ground hit, and can wallbounce on counter hit. Does a flinging knockdown during OD, and has Super Armor against projectiles and is air unblockable. However, as of 1.1 it can now only withstand 1500 damage from projectiles during the attack rather than any amount. In CP 2.0/EX, the Overdrive version no longer has a Same Move Proration penalty and now ground slides on hit. Now has full guard against projectiles with no damage taken, but is no longer air unblockable. Can now link-combo into Ryūsenken at midscreen as well. CF: Now has the hitbox become fully extended at 20 frames into the move.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during any Black Gale Stance)
構え解除 Kamae Kaijo
Stance Cancellation
Release
Allows Kagura to cancel the stance he entered. If done in the air, he’ll rapidly fall to the ground. Regardless, either version has some recovery by a few frames as the cancel is not instantaneous.
Distortion Drives[]
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
Hold then
龍覇・獄焔塵 Ryūha: Gokuenjin
Supreme Dragon: Dust Blaze Prison
Supreme Dragon’s Inferno
Kagura swings his sword forward in reverse grip to flick forward three spires shaped like dark spear-heads of fire along the ground. Projectile attack. Carries the opponent via knockdown to the end of the attack.
The Overdrive version has Kagura switch hands for another slash, instantly followed by a two-handed slash as both slashes are done criss-cross fashion. The projectiles fired from there are dark rings that slice through for multiple hits and cause wallbounce. This second portion can only activate when the first part of the attack connects on hit (but can easily miss in the corner depending on the positioning). Only the follow-up hits can KO the opponent as of Patch 1.1.
Has lowered minimum damage in Centralfiction, overall nerfing this move’s usage in combos.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during any Black Gale Stance) (air also)
龍皇・斬牙殴衝 Ryūō: Zangaōshō
Imperial Dragon: Piercing Fang
The Dragon Lord’s Striking Fang
Kagura charges his blade with dark energy as he brings it over his shoulder, then slams it down on the ground to cause a purple flame pillar to launch his opponent. Can legitimately be done in midair where unlike all his other stance attacks, Kagura activates the super flash while in midair and lands on the ground with the attack. The initial slash must connect to make the energy pillar appear.
The Overdrive version added in 1.1 deals more hits (but can somehow rarely miss at maximum range). Both versions as of that patch now auto-correct Kagura’s facing direction.
Astral Heat[]
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
黒龍天翔雷刃 Kokuryū Tenshōraijin
Black Dragon’s Soaring Thunder Blade
Black Dragon’s Sky-Rending Blade
Kagura attacks the opponent with two crossing-slashes (the same animation used for his Overdrive version of Gokuenjin) as black and purple lightning courses around his sword. He points his sword toward the sky and a cinematic occurs where his sword emits a large pillar of black energy. There is a zoomed in shot on Kagura’s face which pans out as he delivers the final blow by crashing his sword down on the downed opponent.