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FIRE PROWRESTLING Z CHARACTER GUIDE: KEIJI MUTOH
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for Sony PlayStation 2 (Japan)
Version 1.0
by Bill Wood (
[email protected])
Last modified: 7/31/03
Fire ProWrestling Z (c) 2003 Spike
NOTE: This guide views and prints best with a monospace typeface.
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==VERSION HISTORY==
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1.0 - Initial release of the guide.
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==TABLE OF CONTENTS==
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SECTION 1: HISTORY OF KEIJI MUTOH
SECTION 2: SKILL AND PARAMETER STATS
SECTION 3: MOVELIST
SECTION 4: STRATEGY
SECTION 5: CLOSING
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==SECTION 1: HISTORY OF KEIJI MUTOH==
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The tale of the wrestling career of Keiji Mutoh is really the tale of
two wrestlers; Keiji Mutoh, the brilliant technician, and the Great
Muta, his masked alter-ego. Mutoh is as respected as they come in
Japan, earning a spot in the top 25 of the PWI 500 for the majority of
his career. He has won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 3 times, the
NWA Heavyweight Championship the AJPW and IWGP Tag Team Championships
along with other international titles along the way.
As Muta (who is a separate wrestler in Fire Pro D under the "WWC"
promotion), he was NWA Television Champion in the U.S. in 1989, beating
Sting for the title. The Great Muta eventually joined Masahiro Chono's
nWo Japan stable and later became WCW Tag Team Champion with Vampiro.
With the dawn of the new millenium, Mutoh found himself at a crossroads
in his career. The Great Muta gimmick was retired (but resurrected
later in AJPW), and the nWo stable had run its course. And so, like so
many other wrestlers have done in the past, Mutoh reinvented himself,
changing his look and wrestling style. He shaved off his long hair and
grew a goatee, becoming the "Cross Wizard" Keiji Mutoh.
The new gimmick exploded, and Mutoh became more popular than ever. He
also created a new finisher, the "Shining Wizard", a move that took the
puroresu world by storm. The move is now a staple of many Japanese
wrestling matches and is used by many performers from Taiyo Kea to Jun
Akiyama, and even the hilarious Stalker Ishikawa (with equally
hilarious results). Even WWE wrestler The Hurricane has copied it
(although he doesn't perform the move the same as Mutoh).
In 2001, Keiji Mutoh won All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown with an
intense victory over Genichiro Tenryu, a match hailed by puroresu fans
as one of the best of the year. Because Mutoh was working for New Japan
Pro Wrestling at the time, this was seen as a major coup.
Yet it would not be the only coup. With Mutoh's popularity at perhaps
an all-time high, All Japan would lure Mutoh away from rival New Japan
just months later, making him a permanent part of their roster.
Ironically enough, in the year 2003, the future of All Japan Pro
Wrestling may rest squarely on the shoulders of Keiji Mutoh. Only time
will tell if he can rise to the challenge.
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==SECTION 2: SKILL AND PARAMETER STATS==
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SKILL
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Real Name....................Keiji Mutoh
FPZ Name......................Ken Shundo
Promotion........All Japan Pro Wrestling
FPZ Promotion................Olive Japan
Size..............................Medium
Class..............................Heavy
Height............................188 cm
Weight............................110 kg
Country............................Japan
Birthdate.....................12.23.1962
Stance.........................Technical
Offensive Skill...............Technician
Return Skill..................All Around
Critical Type...................Finisher
Special Skill....................Stardom
Recovery..........................Medium
Recovery (when bleeding)..........Medium
Respiratory.......................Medium
Respiratory (when bleeding).......Medium
Awareness.........................Medium
Awareness (when bleeding).........Medium
Neck Strength.....................Medium
Arm Strength......................Medium
Waist Strength......................High
Foot Strength........................Low
Movement Speed...............Medium Fast
Ascend Speed........................Fast
Ascend Skill........................Jump
PARAMETER - OFFENSE PARAMETER - DEFENSE
------------------- -------------------
Punch.............5 Punch.............7
Kick..............5 Kick..............7
Suplex............7 Suplex............8
Submission........7 Submission........8
Stretch...........7 Stretch...........7
Power.............6 Flying............8
Instant-P.........9 Crush.............7
Arm Power.........6 Vs Lariat.........6
Technical.........8 Technical.........9
Rough.............7 Rough.............8
Ground............4 Ground............5
TOTAL SKILL POINTS (on a scale from 0-300): 200
SKILL CHANGES FROM FIRE PRO D TO FIRE PRO Z:
* Offensive Kick stat increased from 4 to 5.
* Offensive Power stat increased from 5 to 6.
* Offensive Arm Power stat increased from 5 to 6.
* Offensive Rough stat increased from 2 to 7.
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==SECTION 3: MOVELIST==
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NOTE: This movelist is my direct translation of the Japanese Fire Pro
Z Player's Guide, there may be some minor errors. If I was unable to
translate, I looked up the move in Edit Mode.
Specialty moves are marked with [S]. Finisher is marked with [F].
KEY:
([]) = Square button
(X) = X button
(O) = Circle button
STRIKES
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Standing ([])...............................Thigh Kick
Standing (X).................................Elbow Pat
Standing (O) + d-pad.....................Rolling Sobat
Standing (O).........................One Spin Dropkick
Standing ([]) + (X).......................Low Dropkick
Running ([])..............................Face Crusher
Running (X)..........................One Spin Dropkick
Running Counter ([])......................Low Dropkick
Running Counter (X).....................FRANKENSTEINER [S]
Running to corner.....................Handspring Elbow
GRAPPLES
--------
Grapple ([])...............................Elbow Smash
Grapple ([]) + Up....................Leg Grab and Trip
Grapple ([]) + Left/Right..................Flying Mare
Grapple ([]) + Down................Elbow Stamp to Knee
Grapple (X)...............................Low Dropkick
Grapple (X) + Up...........................Brainbuster
Grapple (X) + Left/Right...........Schmidt Backbreaker
Grapple (X) + Down...............HI SPEED DRAGON SCREW [S]
Grapple (O)................................Cobra Twist
Grapple (O) + Up.................Spinning Inferno Kick
Grapple (O) + Left/Right..............Jumping Backdrop
Grapple (O) + Down...........Gotch (Cradle) Piledriver
Grapple ([]) + (X)......................SHINING WIZARD [F]
Back Grapple ([])...........................Neck Smash
Back Grapple (X)..........................Face Crusher
Back Grapple (O)..........................Sleeper Hold
Back Grapple (O) + Up/Down...........Crucifix Arm Lock
Back Grapple (O) + Left/Right............German Suplex
Back Grapple ([]) + (X)..................Dragon Suplex
Back Grapple Counter ([])....................Elbow Pat
Back Grapple Counter (X)..................Kick to Head
OPPONENT DOWN MOVES
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Opponent Face Up at Head (X)........Two Hand Press Pin
Opponent Face Up at Head (O)..................Key Lock
Opponent Face Up at Feet (X).......FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCK [S]
Opponent Face Up at Feet (O)........Achilles Heel Hold
Opponent Face Down at Head (X).......Crucifix Arm Lock
Opponent Face Down at Head (O).........Stomping (back)
Opponent Face Down at Feet (X)...Rev. Indian Deathlock
Opponent Face Down at Feet (O)..........Stomping (leg)
Running at Downed Opponent (O)..........Flashing Elbow
MOUNT MOVES
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Mount Position ([])................Mount Knuckle Arrow
Mount Position (X)...................Crucifix Arm Lock
Mount Position (O).................Figure Four Leglock
Mount Position Counter...............Crucifix Arm Lock
Front Facelock Attack ([]).........Striking Knee Lifts
Front Facelock Attack (X)..............Front Neck Lock
Front Facelock Attack (O)..................Back Switch
Front Facelock Attack Counter...............Hammerlock
Back Mount Position ([])......Back Mount Knuckle Arrow
Back Mount Position (X)...............Back Mount Elbow
Back Mount Position (O)..............Crucifix Arm Lock
Back Mount Position Counter........Escape through legs
POST AND APRON MOVES
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Post ([]).............................Diving Knee Drop
Post (X)...........................ROUNDING BODY PRESS [S]
Post (O)..................................Missile Kick
Post ([]) + (X).....................Twist Missile Kick
Run-Up Post vs Standing ([])......................none
Run-Up Post vs Downed (X).........................none
Corner Grapple (O) + Up...........Aval. Frankensteiner
Corner Grapple (O) + Left/Right...........Low Dropkick
Corner Grapple (O) + Down...........Aval. Dragon Screw
Front Avalanche Counter.....................Elbow Butt
Back Avalanche Counter......................Body Press
Apron Grapple from inside........Dragon Screw to floor
Apron Grapple from outside........Brainbuster reversal
Running to out of bounds..................Tope Suicida
Slingshot to outside...................Plancha Suicida
Slingshot to inside.............Swan Dive Missile Kick
DOUBLE AND TRIPLE TEAM MOVES
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Two Platon Front Grapple....................W.Dropkick
Two Platon Back Grapple.....................W.Backdrop
Two Platon Corner...........................Double DDT
Three Platon Front Grapple.............Triple Beatdown
Three Platon Back Grapple..............Triple Beatdown
Three Platon Corner......................Triple Impact
PERFORMANCE
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Analog Stick Left........................"Wizard" pose
Analog Stick Right......crosses forearms, extends arms
Analog Stick Up............turns to crowd, raises fist
Analog Stick Down.............raises fist, pumps elbow
MOVELIST CHANGES FROM FIRE PRO D TO FIRE PRO Z:
* Well, for starters, Spike reanimated the Shining Wizard, creating a
version that is much more accurate (i.e. sloppier looking) than the
previous FPD add-on move. It's also his finisher of course (it was
the Rounding Body Press in FPD).
* They also animated his "cross wizard" taunt, which is immensely
popular in Japan, and copied nearly as much as the Shining Wizard.
* Apart from these additions, nearly Mutoh's entire moveset has been
modified and updated. Refer to my FPD Mutoh guide for his previous
moveset.
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==SECTION 4: STRATEGY==
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GENERAL STRATEGY
In between the time from Fire Pro D to Z, Keiji Mutoh has risen to
prominence from an influential and skilled Japanese wrestler to one of
Japan's most important wrestling figures both in and behind the scenes.
As such, he's been updated to make him one of the more dominant
wrestlers on the FPZ roster.
From his dramatic appearance change to his moveset update to his
offensive stat boost which puts him in the elusive FPZ 200 Club, Keiji
Mutoh is not the same wrestler he was in FPD. Which is a good thing,
as he was so outdated in FPD he was pretty much a mandatory re-edit
for anyone who owned that game.
And if you're new to Fire Pro, let me just say that Mutoh's pretty
much a powerhouse. His strikes are average, but his grapples are where
it's at. In the stat department, he has 7's and 8's where it counts
when it comes to grappling.
Amazingly enough, Mutoh still has a 9 offensive Flying rating, proof
positive that Spike refuses to downgrade any wrestler's attributes.
Hey Spike, it's 2003, not 1993!
Defensively, Mutoh's stats are incredibly high. He only takes a
backseat to icons like Jumbo Tsuruta and Antonio Inoki in the defense
department. This means you can take a beating with Mutoh and still
mount a comeback.
Since Mutoh's special skill is "Stardom", don't forget to taunt (Cross
Wizard preferred) if you're getting worn down in a close match. This
will help Mutoh to increase his offensive potency.
In a nutshell, your primary focus should be on grappling. Win your
grapples and work on submissions from the ground. Although they're no
longer a sure thing like they were in FPD (due to the introduction of
ground counters in FPZ), the new-era Mutoh is definitely more grounded
than he was in the early days, and likes to work those long submission
holds. So knock your opponent to the mat and use some "psychology" on
their limbs!
STRIKES
Bleh, I don't like Mutoh's strikes at all, but at least they're better
than they were in FPD. I particularly despise dropkicks in any Fire
Pro game, and Mutoh has two of them in FPZ. But if you want to work a
realistic Mutoh-style match, no match is complete without at least a
dozen low dropkicks. It's your call.
If I had to choose any strike of Mutoh's to use on a consistent basis,
it would be the Elbow Pat. The new animation just looks great and
it's easy to connect with.
GRAPPLES
As bland as Mutoh's strikes are, his grapples are just the opposite.
If used correctly, Mutoh can be an exciting and very effective wrestler
in FPZ.
Your bread and butter as far as Mutoh grapples are concerned should be
the Low Dropkick, the High Speed Dragon Screw, and of course, the
Shining Wizard.
Again, just about any grapple should chain into a submission from the
ground. The Figure Four and the Reverse Indian Deathlock should be used
repeatedly to wear down your opponent's legs.
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==SECTION 5: CLOSING==
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In closing, I would like to thank:
* www.puroresu.com and www.puroresufan.com for historical reference.
* CJayC and GameFAQs for hosting this guide.
Fire ProWrestling Z Character Guide: Keiji Mutoh
(c)2003 Bill Wood
