---Orihime Inoue FAQ--
Created by Dark_Lord_Uraj
This FAQ is a guide for the character Orihime Inoue in the fighting
game “Bleach DS 2nd: Kokui Hirameku Requiem” for the Nintendo DS. The purpose
of this guide is to give players an insight into the character and also give
helpful tips on how to use the character successfully. If you have any
questions or comments about this FAQ, feel free to email me at
[email protected] (make sure to make the topic Chad FAQ
Question/Comment).
Please note that this is an advanced FAQ concerning a single character,
and thus it is written assuming that you, the reader, already have an
intermediate to advanced knowledge of the game mechanics. If you find any
terms particularly confusing, I suggest taking an extensive look at
SixFortyFive's FAQ to answer your questions. If you're still confused, you
can email me at the above mentioned email address.
To find a section quickly, use the “find” function and search for the letters
in the brackets for the section you want to see. Credit goes to Batigh, aka
Jesuits, for making this table of contents.
Table of Contents........................................................[TBL]
Introduction.............................................................[ITR]
Command List Analysis....................................................[CMA]
Normal Movelist..................................................[NML]
Crouching Normals........................................[CNM]
Crouching Light..................................[CLT]
Crouching Medium.................................[CMM]
Crouching Heavy..................................[CHY]
Standing Normals.........................................[SNM]
Standing Light...................................[SLT]
Standing Medium..................................[SMM]
Standing Heavy...................................[SHY]
Aerial Normals...........................................[ANM]
Aerial Light.....................................[ALT]
Aerial Medium....................................[AMM]
Aerial Heavy.....................................[AHY]
Throw....................................................[TRW]
Aerial Throw.............................................[ATW]
Shunpo...................................................[SHN]
Special Movelist.................................................[SML]
Special A................................................[SPA]
Special B................................................[SPB]
Special C................................................[SPC]
Special D................................................[SPD]
Super Movelist...................................................[SUM]
Super A..................................................[SUA]
Super B..................................................[SUB]
Super C..................................................[SUC]
Combo Section............................................................[CSN]
Legend...........................................................[LGN]
Basic Combos.....................................................[BCB]
Advanced Combos..................................................[ACB]
Playstyle Guide..........................................................[PSG]
Basic Playstyle Guide............................................[BPG]
Advanced Techniques..............................................[AVT]
Matchups.........................................................[MTU]
Versus Low Defense Characters............................[VLC]
Versus Komamura..........................................[VSK]
Versus Orihime...........................................[VOH]
Conclusion...............................................................[CCN]
Legal Stuff and Contact Info.............................................[LSN]
History..................................................................[HST]
==============================================================================
Introduction [INT]
==============================================================================
Orihime is not a character anyone would consider "powerful" by any stretch of
the imagination. Truthfully, Orihime is not a character who can win without a
long and difficult battle, and even when played to her very best it's very
easy for a simple slip-up to cost the entire match.
However, Orihime offers a very different playstyle from any other character in
the game. While she has what could be considered the worst of the untraditio-
nal shunpos in the game, she has some interesting play mechanics that work
both in her favor and against.
The most noticable trait Orihime alone has is the fact that her guard blocks
low and high at the same time, making it impossible to break the guard, even
by using TAFS aerials and/or low attacks. However, this is offset by Orihime's
lower than average defense (a new trait Orihime has been given that she didn't
have in the first game). Add to that, the fact that she actually does less da-
mage than any other character, and you've got a constant uphill battle on your
hands.
Once you understand Orihime's strengths and weaknesses, you'll find that, even
though she might not be the strongest character, or even one who can win with-
out a long struggle, she can give a unique play experience and offers a decent
character to use in handicap match situations.
Orihime fights with 6 spiritual manifestations known as the Shunshun Rikka
(Six Princess Shielding Flowers), and since I will be referring to these spi-
ritual allies by name throughout the guide I will take a brief moment to iden-
tify them:
Hinagiku, Baigon, and Lily- 3 spirits who can go into a formation to create
Orihime's shield, the Santen Kesshun, used as her guard and Special D/Super B.
Shuno, Ayame- 2 spirits who can form a healing circle known as the Soten Ki-
shun. Only appear during Orihime's Super C.
Tsubaki- The lone spirit that assists Orihime in her attacks. Appears during
all of her normal attacks, and for Special A/Special B/Special C/Super A.
==============================================================================
Command List Analysis [CMA]
==============================================================================
The next section will cover all of her basic attacks, including their uses in
different situations.
A quick note: the term "shunpo" and "flashstep" will sometimes be used inter-
changeably in this FAQ. Please know that these two terms both refer to the
movement done when the B button is used, and are the same thing.
==============================================================================
Normal Movelist [NML]
==============================================================================
Orihime's normals are one of the things that makes her completely different
from the other characters. Every single one of her normal attacks changes in
range and strength depending on whether or not she has thrown Tsubaki (the
yellow spinning disc) with special/super A or special B, meaning that the
strength of her combos will vary based on the situation.
While the animations for Orihime's moves remain unchanged from the first game,
their hitboxes and speed have been greatly altered, mostly for the worst.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Crouching Normals [CNM]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Orihime's crouching normals possess less range than her standing normals (with
the exception of her standing/crouching heavy attacks), but are still the only
moves she has that break standing guard and thus have their place in her arse-
nal.
CROUCHING LIGHT [CLT]
*****************************************************************************
cL-- Orihime thrusts her left hand at the ground, sending out Tsubaki who ri-
cochets off the ground (if Tsubaki is retracted).
1-2 hits for 2-3 dmg
A basic attack that can break standing guard. Like all of Orihime's moves, if
Tsubaki isn't currently 'released' from a special or super this attack's dis-
tance is increased, as well as adding an extra hit (One hit for Orihime's hand
and one for Tsubaki's strike). This increase also comes with a whopping 1
point increase in damage.
On a sidenote, the reason behind this most likely is that while the Tsubaki
strike is supposed to count for two damage, thus adding up to 4 when combined
with her hand strike; however, due to damage scaling, Tsubaki's strike gets
reduced by one point of damage since it counts as the second hit in the combo.
If you didn't understand that, basically what it adds up to is that Orihime
will always do less damage per strike than any other character, no matter what
attack is being used.
CROUCHING MEDIUM [CMM]
******************************************************************************
cM-- Orihime strikes out with her right hand towards the ground, shooting Tsu-
baki out who ricochets off the ground at a larger arc than cL (if Tsubaki is
retracted).
1-2 hits for 3-5 dmg
Not as much range as the standing medium, but breaks crouching guard, so yeah.
Pretty much a more ranged version of cL.
CROUCHING HEAVY [CHY]
******************************************************************************
cH-- Orihime swings around, making a low sweeping motion with her hand and
swinging Tsubaki along with it ("").
1-2 hits for 4-7 dmg
This attack is Orihime's most ranged normal attack, and possesses the added
trait of moving her forward slightly upon finishing the move. The range is ac-
tually very good if she has Tsubaki retracted, though it's still decent if she
has already thrown Tsubaki. If you can't reach with her launcher or are going
for her high damage setups, this move is the normal string finisher of choice.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Standing Normals [SNM]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Orihime's standing attacks have a bit more range than her crouching attacks,
save for her launching heavy. If you want to continue ground strings, her
standing attacks make this a bit easier than her crouching.
STANDING LIGHT [SLT]
******************************************************************************
sL-- Orihime thrusts her left hand out parallel to the ground, shooting Tsuba-
ki out a short distance ("")
1-2 hits for 2-3 dmg
Same damage as cL, with a slight distance increase. If you're doing ground
strings, stick to this move unless you're trying to break standing guard.
STANDING MEDIUM [SMM]
******************************************************************************
sM-- Orihime strikes out with her right arm, thrusting Tsubaki forward ("")
1-2 hits for 3-5 dmg
Slightly better range than sL, better range than cM, with slightly longer
startup. Pretty much what you'd expect from a medium attack.
STANDING HEAVY [SHY]
******************************************************************************
sH-- Orihime swings her left arm (and Tsubaki, if Tsubaki is retracted) in an
upwards arc.
1-2 hits for 4-7 dmg
Orihime's launcher. This attack sends the opponent skyward, and can be used
to start an aerial combo. It has the least range of any of her standing moves,
meaning there's a chance you can whiff this move if you don't link the attacks
quickly enough or if you're poking with your other attacks. If you're going to
bother launching, you might want to only start the combo with a light to a sH.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aerial Normals [ANM]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Orihime's aerial attacks all boast good range and give her the added advantage
of mobility and the ability to break crouching guard. Try to always lead into
Orihime's ground combos with an aerial attack, as it gives her a good way to
get out of the line of fire if she's blocked; with Orihime, you can't risk
being hit too often.
AERIAL LIGHT [ALT]
******************************************************************************
aL-- Orihime strikes out with her left arm, shooting out Tsubaki a short dis-
tance (if Tsubaki is retracted)
1-2 hits for 2-3 dmg
Pure lateral distance means that this move is no good for IAD combo startups
on anyone other than the tallest characters (like Kyoraku and Chad), so stick
to using it after jumping from a launch, or occasionally to catch someone who
is jumping at you while you're in the air.
AERIAL MEDIUM [AMM]
******************************************************************************
aM-- Orihime sweeps her right arm underneath her, swinging Tsubaki as well (if
Tsubaki is retracted)
1-2 hits for 3-5 dmg
This attack was heavily reduced in use in transition between the first game &
this particular game. The thing that makes this move not worth using is the
extremely strange hitbox on it; while it may seem that Tsubaki gives it a
great reach (which it did have in the first game), the devs decided for some
archaic reason to make the hitbox not correspond to where Tsubaki actually is
onscreen. Hence, there are times when it will look like you should've hit the
opponent, but Tsubaki will simply pass harmlessly through the opponent.
This move does have a decent backwards hitbox, making it decent to use while
air dashing away from the opponent as a defensive maneuver. Also it works de-
cently as a start to combos from an IAD. Still, aH is usually better for this
job.
AERIAL HEAVY [AHY]
******************************************************************************
aH-- Orihime swings her right arm forward, with Tsubaki following the path it
makes ("")
1-2 hits for 4-7 dmg
Easily Orihime's best normal attack. Good range, comes out fast, though not
quite as good as the same move in the first game since it can't be used in re-
petition in a single jump. Still, this move is the best one to go with from an
IAD or to dissuade an aerial opponent from trying to start something. A great
move to start combos with from IAD.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Throw [TRW]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Orihime grabs the opponent and whirls around, throwing the opponent behind
her.
2 hits, 6 dmg
One of Orihime's very few strong points is the fact that her opponent must
throw her to break her guard (aside from an unblockable attack, of which only
Ganju possesses). Since there is a short window after being hit (around 22
frames- thanks to Bwdyeti for this find) where a person cannot be thrown, many
opponents will end up whiffing throws against Orihime while trying to throw
her after hitting her guard.
Mastering a good throw game (a fairly difficult task to do in BDS2nd) is ess-
ential to capitalizing on this weakness, as Orihime has more options after a
throw than any other action she has in her arsenal. She can heal herself,
start a combo (especially important is that a throw in a corner followed by an
OTG combo can lead into her most damaging combos), or just get some breathing
room, which Orihime will often find herself desperately looking for.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aerial Throw [ATW]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Orihime grabs the opponent and whirls around, throwing the opponent to the
ground.
2 hits, 6 dmg
Same animation as her ground throw, but it spikes them to the ground. If you
find yourself facing an opponent who likes to block and counter a lot from the
air, use this move as needed, but otherwise it has no uses.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shunpo [SHN]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Orihime holds her arms up in front of her and summons her Santen Kisshun, sli-
ding forward a short distance.
One of the several "untraditional" shunpos in the game, and most likely the
worst one as well. While in the animation, unlike other characters, Orihime
doesn't become invincible to attacks other than RF, but rather is counted as
blocking. The biggest problem with this is that she can still be thrown. She
cannot cancel the move with attacks, and the startup for it means a fast oppo-
nent can dash in and have enough time to catch Orihime with a throw as she's
ending the animation.
On one positive note, this is really the only shunpo that isn't cut off by RF
attacks (since she's considered blocking), making it a better option to escape
from foes with while they use RF attacks.
==============================================================================
Special Movelist [SML]
==============================================================================
Orihime is a character who does the brunt of her damage with slight chips, and
her specials are what help most with this. However, her specials are unique in
that they have a direct effect on her other actions, like attacking and block-
ing.
Please note that for these specials, the names are essentially made up by me,
and aren't the 'official' names of the attacks.
SPECIAL A [SPA]
******************************************************************************
Ike, Tsubaki! (Attack, Tsubaki!) (Input: Down forward attack)
S-A-- Orihime throws Tsubaki at the opponent, who shoots forward in the form
of a spinning yellow disc and then returns to Orihime.
Light: Orihime throws Tsubaki half of the stage length before he boomerangs
back; In the air, Orihime throws Tsubaki straight forward.
Medium: Orihime throws Tsubaki the entire length of the stage before he boom-
erangs back; In the air, Orihime throws Tsubaki diagonally downwards.
RF: Orihime throws Tsubaki, who becomes roughly 4 times his normal size, the
length of the entire stage before he boomerangs back; In the air, Orihime
throws Tsubaki, 4 times his normal size, diagonally downwards; both versions
hit multiple times.
1-2 hits for 4-7 dmg, distance dependant (Light and Medium versions)
2-13 hits for 1-12 dmg, distance dependant (RF; Costs 1 reiryoku bar)
Orihime's premiere poking attack. The damage is downright pitiful, but consi-
dering that Orihime isn't exactly a damage dealing machine this move does fine
for what it is.
In the first game, no matter what happened the move would follow through to
the end, but this time around Tsubaki will actually stop the attack and return
to Orihime if she is struck while Tsubaki is out.
Another, stranger feature is what occurs if you use this attack in the air.
Using different buttons with special A in the air causes it to take different
paths, allowing for more flexible usage of it while airborne. However, the
strange property is that if the aerial version of it is used to low to the
ground, Orihime has the chance of landing before the move fully comes out.
What this results in is Tsubaki coming out for a second, then reverting to the
'return' animation, meaning that she will be unable to throw her projectiles
or gain the extended range of her attacks until the Tsubaki sprite returns to
her. Be careful using this attack while in the air but close to the ground.
On the plus side of the attack, its boomerang properties make it excellent to
throw out, then catch an unaware opponent on the return. The RF version is
even better in this regard since it will hit flashstepping opponents, and with
the multihit properties the RF version offers it allows Orihime to go on the
offensive from there. At the end of the day, this is the special you will most
likely use the most of with Orihime.
SPECIAL B [SPB]
******************************************************************************
Onegai, Tsubaki! (Please, Tsubaki!) (Input: Forward down forward attack)
S-B-- Orihime throws Tsubaki diagonally upward in a similar fashion to S-A.
Light: Orihime throws Tsubaki diagonally upward at a roughly 45 degree angle.
Medium: Orihime throws Tsubaki diagonally upward at a sharp angle (slightly
less than 90 degrees).
RF: Orihime throws Tsubaki, at 4 times his normal size, at an angle slightly
less than the medium S-B. Hits multiple times.
1-2 hits for 4-7 dmg (Light and Medium versions)
2-13 hits for 1-12 dmg (RF; Costs 1 Reiryoku bar)
The same thing as S-A, but at an upward angle.Fairly useless except as a fin-
ish to air combos to tack on an extra point of damage or two. It can function
as an anti-air special as well, but only sparingly, and only RF really has the
ability to do it well.
SPECIAL C [SPC]
******************************************************************************
Tsubaki Kaiten (Tsubaki Rotation) (Input: Down down attack)
S-C-- Orihime crosses her arms across her chest and closes her eyes in a sort
of prayer as Tsubaki circles around her twice, hitting anything within range.
Light & Medium: Tsubaki revolves around Orihime twice before disappearing. Any
opponent struck by Tsubaki is knocked down.
RF: Same number of rotations, but Tsubaki grows to 4 times his normal size and
causes opponents to fly away on contact.
1 hit for 8 dmg (Light, Medium, and RF- RF costs 1 reiryoku bar)
Not the greatest special, since the recovery from light and medium will give
the opponent the opportunity to get in close to Orihime, which is something
you don't want to give the opponent much chance to do on their terms. The RF
version is more useful since it essentially creates a small area that the opp-
onent cannot shunpo into, and the knockback gives Orihime some breathing room,
which she wants to make as often as possible.
SPECIAL D [SPD]
******************************************************************************
Santen Kesshun Rush (Input: Down forward Guard)
S-D-- Orihime summons Hinagiku, Baigon, and Lily to form the Santen Kesshun,
which flies forward quickly for about 3/4 the stage length and knocks down
anyone in its way.
1 hit for 12 dmg
Orihime's strongest special, unfortunately it's almost impossible to combo in-
to this move. However, throwing this move out alongside her special A/B can
put some decent pressure on the opponent from a distance. The biggest downside
to this move is that she cannot block until the Kesshun Trio sprites return to
her following the move's completion, making it risky to use if the opponent is
close.
==============================================================================
Super Movelist [SUM]
==============================================================================
Orihime's supers are just as varied and peculiar as the rest of her movelist.
Two of her specials offer her highest damage output possible, but one allows
her to do something almost no one else in the game can do: heal.
SUPER A [SUA]
******************************************************************************
Koten Zesshun! Watashi-wa reject! (Lone-God Cutting Shield! I reject!)
(Input: Down forward down forward attack)
SU-A-- A powered up version of Orihime's special A, Orihime throws Tsubaki at
4 times his normal size, who travels an entire stage length before returning.
Orihime can also focus her spiritual power and hold Tsubaki before throwing
him, causing Tsubaki to slowly grow in size before launch. During this charge,
anyone touching Tsubaki will be injured.
Up to 30 hits for 26 dmg; Costs 1 reiatsu stock
Only a couple things separate this attack from the RF version of Orihime's
special A. One major thing is the ability to charge this move. By holding the
attack button (if input) or touchscreen button (if touchscreen activated) Ori-
hime will hold still and spin Tsubaki in her hand, at which time any opponent
who touches Tsubaki will be injured. If this is used in the corner, the oppo-
nent can be pinned into the corner to be hit for the max number of hits and
damage.
Another difference between this move and RF special A is the fact that if Ori-
hime is hit after launching this move, Tsubaki will not simply return to her,
but will continue attacking for the duration of the technique, meaning the
attack can help defend against an attacker on its return.
SUPER B [SUB]
******************************************************************************
Santen Kesshun! Watashi-wa reject! (Three-God Shield! I reject!)
(Input: Down forward down forward guard)
SU-B-- Orihime forms Hinagiku, Baigon, and Lily into her Santen Kesshun shield
and pushes it, causing the shield to slowly move forward and strike anything
in its path.
Up to 75 hits for 51 dmg; Costs 1 reiatsu stock
Orihime's most powerful technique, but also her most dangerous move to use.
When used, just like her Special D, Orihime completely loses the ability to
block until the move ends, which is about 7 seconds. This technique has a long
startup, and comboing into it is only possible in the corner, but when used
properly Orihime can actually do some serious damage to the opponent.
Unfortunately, damage scaling will often weaken the power of this move by the
time you get a chance to actually use it, and if the opponent escapes the move
the only way to get your shield back is to use Special D (which will call the
Kesshun Trio back from the Super B animation), but in that case you still have
to wait for the Special D to finish, and at the same time you've wasted a rei-
atsu that could've been used on a damage cancel.
SUPER C [SUC]
******************************************************************************
Soten Kishun! Watashi-wa reject! (Twin-God Reflection Shield! I reject!)
(Input: Foward back down forward guard)
SU-C-- Orihime crosses her arms over her chest, summoning Shuno and Ayame,
before kneeling down and putting her hands towards the grounds, causing Shuno
and Ayame to form an ellipse shaped area on the ground that heals anyone
standing within.
Heals ~30 dmg over ~6 seconds; Costs 1 reiatsu stock
This is Orihime's most unique move, being one of the only 2 characters in the
entire game who can heal themselves (the other being Hanataro, though his hea-
ling pales in comparison). It is true that most of the time you're better off
saving your reiatsu for a damage cancel, but Orihime's healing isn't necessar-
ily useless.
One thing to watch out for is that Super C is stationary, and is large enough
for two characters to stand in. Once you lay it down, your opponent can (and
will certainly try) to remove you from the area while standing in it themself.
The easiest way to remedy this is to use the move in the corner while FACING
the corner. This will cause half of the healing area to actually land off the
screen, leaving only half of the area exposed on the field to heal. This will
make it easier for Orihime to be the sole occupant as you then ward the oppo-
nent off while you heal.
==============================================================================
Combo Section............................................................[CSN]
==============================================================================
Orihime only has a handful of combos, considering that her specialty is one
more favorable towards chipping away small amounts of damage over a long per-
iod of time. However, there are a couple that, should the opportunity present
itself, you should know how to use.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Legend [LGN]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please use the following legend for the following sections (credit goes to
SixFortyFive for this legend):
s standing
c crouching
a aerial
L light attack (Y button)
M medium attack (X button)
H heavy attack (A button)
T throw (any two attack buttons)
S-X special attack X
RF-X reinforced special attack X
SU-X super attack X
FS flash step (unusable in combos with Orihime)
BOFS Behind Opponent Flash Step (shunpoing behind opponent w/o ending combo-
unusable with Orihime)
TAFS To Air Flash Step (shunpoing to the air to land aerial hits in a ground
combo- unusable with Orihime)
D dash (quickly tapping either direction- used during combos occasionally
to continue a combo)
IAD instant aerial dash (air dash instantly after starting a jump)
OTG off-the-ground (striking an opponent who is falling, but who is so
close to the ground that it counts as hitting them while they are on the
ground, which forces them into the standing animation-- this is useful for
resetting infinites and other long lasting combos)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Basic Combos [BCB]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
this section will cover some basic combos that you should practice in order to
get a feel for the way Orihime plays. These combos will also make it easier to
transition into her more advanced combos.
Note that unless otherwise specified, these combos can be done anywhere on
screen. Each individual action in a combo will be separated by a quotation
mark (").
Combo 1 (4 hits, 17 dmg)
------------------------
close up cL " cM " cH " LS-A
Extremely short, extremely simple, extremely weak. Normally after a combo like
this Orihime will be running away, which gives the opponent a chance to be hit
by Tsubaki on the return if they're not paying attention. Not really a combo
you'll want to use often.
Combo 2 (5 hits, 12 dmg)
------------------------
close up cL ” sH ” LS-B
A cM can be added to this, but wont make any difference to damage, so try to
refrain from going for the extra hits. Even though it can't technically be
followed up with an air combo, jumping after the opponent is a viable strategy
since most opponents won't block, instead trying to hit Orihime afterwards.
Combo 3 (12 hits, 17 dmg)
------------------------
close up cL ” sH ” Jump ” aL ” aM ” aH " Jump ” aL ” aM ” aH
Orihime's basic air combo setup. Make sure to jump into the opponent, getting
Orihime as close as you can to them while you attack so she connects with both
Tsubaki's hit and her own. A LS-B can be added to the end of this, making the
combo 13 hits for 18 dmg.
Combo 4 (15 hits, 22 dmg)
------------------------
T ” OTG cL " sH ” aL " aM " aH " Jump ” aL " aM ” aH
Since it starts with a throw, this combo can't be blocked. The most difficult
part is the OTG, since learning OTG hits is a difficult thing to do anytime.
However, this is a very practical combo that shaves a decent enough chunk of
life off the foe, and once you get down the OTG hits for this combo you can
use it to start variations of her other combos.
Combo 5 (15 hits, 20 dmg)
-------------------------
sL " sM " RF-A " Dash " sL " sM " cH
This is a rather tricky combo, but necessary to learn if you want to use any
of Orihime's combo resets and/or her Super B. If used right, Orihime will hit
the opponent twice, throw Tsubaki, hit them 3 more times, and Tsubaki will re-
turn just in time to strike them a few more times.
There are a couple tricky parts. One, you have to make sure to dash back in
after throwing Tsubaki, since the pushback from the two attacks and the RF-A
will require Orihime to get in close to strike again. Taking too long to dash
in, though, will cause the combo to end, so make sure to practice.
Second, when using the second normal string (sL sM cH) try to delay the moves
just a bit between; Otherwise, the combo might break before Tsubaki comes
back.
Combo 6 (6 hits, 11 dmg)
------------------------
aH " RF-A
A seemingly simple combo that's actually very useful in starting ground combos
with Orihime. Right upon jumping, use aH and immediately follow it with RF-A.
This is almost the equivalent of a TAFS aH for Orihime, and considering that
she can't do a normal TAFS this is very useful for her. Credit goes to JayceMJ
for this find.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Advanced Combos [ACB]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Orihime's advanced combo only really consists of one very long and complicated
combo, but is useful if your opponent is caught off-guard and has no reiatsu
to damage cancel with.
Combo 7 (~287 hits, ~148 dmg; Costs 5 reiryoku and 3 reiatsu)
-----------------------------------------------------------
IAD aH " RF-A " sL " cH ^ sL " sM " RF-A " Dash " sL " sM " cH " SU-B " Push
into SU-B " IAD aM " aH " sL " sM " SU-A charge " sL " sM " cH " SU-B " Push
into SU-B " (IAD aM " aH) x 3 " dash in " (sL " sM " RF-A " dash in " sL " sM
" cH ^ IAD aM " aH) x 3 " sL " sH " aL " aM " aH " aL " aM " aH " LS-B
One of the most complicated and difficult combos in the game, this combo is
pretty much impossible to get off online, especially considering that during
the combo the reiatsu they build up from being hit will allow them to damage
cancel out.
First off, the important thing to remember is that a lot of this combo relies
on being able to reset your position as Tsubaki returns to you; anytime that
RF-A or SU-A is thrown, remember that part of this combo requires you to use
that downtime (to make it easier, I've marked all intervals when Tsubaki will
be returning with a ^ rather than a ")
Remember to delay attacks slightly when waiting for Tsubaki to come back after
a S-A/SU-A, but be careful about delaying the attacks too much: otherwise, the
opponent might end up getting free.
If done properly, you will have enough time during the SU-B stint to recharge
the two reiryoku gauges you use up in the beginning.
==============================================================================
Playstyle Guide [PSG]
==============================================================================
This section will give some tips on both basic and advanced techniques that
can be utilized with Orihime and just in the game in general to give you a
greater edge in battle along with your combos.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Basic Playstyle Guide [BPG]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ending Combos with Supers
-------------------------
A very basic concept, using supers at the end of combo is completely different
from the first game now. Damage cancels can no longer be activated after a su-
per has been activated, unless the person is also being hit by another, non-
super attack. This means that it's far easier to set up supers, but at the
same time you must be wary of your opponent's reiatsu stock even more than
before. Making sure that you damage cancel any combo that has the likelihood
of being ended with a high damage super is important, but will require you to
judge when your opponent will actually use their reiatsu.
Comboing from Knockdown state
-----------------------------
Some examples of knockdown state including those hit by the damage cancel
burst, Ichigo's specials A and C and supers A and B, and Kyoraku's non-RF
special B, to name a few. It prevents recovery (except by damage cancel) and
grants invulnerability until the character in question hits the ground and
gets up. Almost invulnerable, that is. There are a few frames of vulnerability
after the state-inducing move connect, making it possible to combo out of
knockdown-inducing moves. This is particularly useful for those supers that
'come out' quickly, like Chad's super B, Renji's super B, Mayuri's super A,
etc. It is possible for the aforementioned characters to damage cancel and go
directly into an instant super; this is risky, though, as it is possible to
damage cancel out of a damage cancel.
Damage canceling out of a damage cancel verified by Hayato118, aka MrHellFire.
Do's and Don'ts of Damage Canceling
-----------------------------------
Damage canceling is an excellent gameplay mechanic, but it should not be
overused. Managing both your own and your opponent's super meters is an
important part of the game, and damage canceling every time you're comboed is
just asking to eat a 3-stock super. Try to limit your damage cancels to only
the following situations:
-Enemy starts a combo that is likely to end in a super
-Enemy sets you up for an easy infinite combo
-Enemy uses a wallbouncing move on you and is in good position to follow up
with a 3-stock super for massive damage
-You have very little health and your opponent catches you in a combo
I've seen far too many players online who damage cancel the moment they take
damage. Hopefully, they read this and learn from it.
The Shunshun Rikka
------------------
Whenever Orihime uses any special or super attack, once the attack is finished
the Shunshun Rikka spirits revert to a 'return' form in which they appear as
white sprites that fly back to her. Until these 'return' sprites reunite with
Orihime, she is unable to utilize them with whatever function they're associ-
ated with. However, activating an ability that uses those particular Shunshun
Rikka while they are busy with an attack or returning to her will cause them
to immediately return (if they aren't already), and the move will activate
once they do return.
It is important that, when using Orihime's attacks, you judge whether or not
she'll be able to cope with the absence of that particular spirit; despite the
brevity of the absence, you don't know when throwing out a Special D could put
you in the perfect position to eat a super from an opponent.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Advanced Techniques [AVT]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Breaking Guard
--------------
While this may not be the most advanced technique, it's an important technique
that anyone aspiring to be good at the game should learn and know well. There
are three different kinds of guard: standing, crouching, and aerial. It goes
like this: standing guard can be broken by crouching attacks, crouching guard
can be broken by aerial attacks, and aerial guard can only be broken by aerial
throws. Knowing how to guard and when is a very important part of playing a
good defense; no matter how good of an offense you put up, if your opponent
can break through your guard easily every time you don't stand much of a
chance.
Remember that you can defend against crouching attacks with crouching guard,
aerial attacks with standing guard, and any attacks with aerial guard. Lear-
ning how to adjust your guard based on your opponent's attack patterns and
how to respond accordingly, ala guard canceling, is one of the most important
aspects of the game to learn, and once mastered will give you a superior edge
in a fight.
Dash Cancel
-----------
This little known technique can easily surprise an opponent. It's common
knowledge among higher level players that it's impossible to grab out of a
dash. However, it's quite possible to stop a dash short. By tapping the block
button and releasing quickly, you can cause your character to immediately
leave the dash animation, which allows you to execute a throw. In essence,
this allows you to throw out of a dash. Most people will expect you to throw
if you walk at them, but with this technique you can catch them off-guard with
a throw.
Credit goes to Hayato118, aka MrHellFire, for this finding.
==============================================================================
Matchups [MTU]
==============================================================================
This section explains Orihime's various matchups against different characters,
as well as strategies when facing AGAINST Orihime players.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Versus Low Defense Characters (other than Hollow Ichigo) [VLC]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Unfortunately, the only time Orihime will have a decent chance of a fight is
when the opponent takes extra damage themselves, with the exception of Hollow
Ichigo, who deals extra damage and thus can defeat Orihime exceptionally eas-
ily. The extra damage she can inflict against them helps offset her own low
defense, and with her Soten Kishun she can keep her life high.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Versus Komamura [VSK]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Orihime frankly doesn't stand a ghost of a chance against Komamura. Good ol'
Buckethead/James McCloud is pretty much the anti-Orihime in every way. His
high defense makes it nigh impossible for Orihime to even put a scratch in
him, while his command grabs do high damage and go straight through her guard.
Add in Komamura's ridiculous range and you've got everything you need to beat
Orihime twelve ways from Sunday.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Versus Orihime [VOH]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Orihime isn't exactly the hardest opponent to figure out how to beat. Throws
make it difficult for her to do anything, and she eats damage so easily that
starting just about any combo is sure to steal a good deal of her life bar.
Using supers as soon as possible in a combo string is a good idea, so she
doesn't get a chance to damage cancel. Stick to this and the basics and even
a good Orihime shouldn't be too much trouble.
==============================================================================
Conclusion [CCN]
==============================================================================
Orihime isn't the best character, or even a decent character in most respects,
but she is one of the most unique in the game. If you find yourself in need of
a fresh breath of life and/or a character to use as a handicap, Orihime can
offer a new experience in the great game that is Bleach DS 2nd.
==============================================================================
Legal Stuff and Contact Info [LSN]
==============================================================================
This FAQ was made for use expressly on GameFAQs.com. Feel free to use any or
all of this FAQ on a site, as long as credit is given where it is due (to
either myself or the people I cite for info myself in the FAQ).
If you'd like more information on the game in general, feel free to drop by
the Bleach DS 2nd: Kokui Hirameku Requiem message boards on GameFAQs. If you'd
like to join the #Bleach_DS IRC channel for questions or easy to find matches,
you can find instructions on the Bleach DS 2nd GFAQs board, or you can email
me at
[email protected].
Lastly, I'd like to thank GameFAQs for hosting this guide; you, the reader,
for taking your time to go through this; Tsubaki, the character whose name is
mentioned almost more than Orihime's in this FAQ; and most of all, the inhabi-
tants of the IRC channel for making this my favorite game of all time.
==============================================================================
History [HST]
==============================================================================
*Version 1.0-- Created May 25th, 2007
*Version 1.1-- Created May 26th, 2007 (fixed slight error in Orihime's S-C)
*Version 1.2-- Created June 6th, 2007 (combo 6 added to basic combos)
*Version 1.3-- Created June 15th, 2007 (slight cosmetic errors and incorrect
throw input corrected)
