Introduction
This is Honki ni natta Mr.Karate, aka the Serious/Shin version of Mr.Karate(I'll call him Shin Karate here, because it's just easier), one of the most classic SNK bosses. He(In this version) was probably based off the first version of Mr.Karate(Where he was a boss), like: He can jump off walls here(In the first Art of Fighting game, every character could do that), has only one Super(His Exceed), and some other things. I don't know if he is better than his normal counterpart, but what I can say is that... He can be a boss character, but he is as strong as some other characters in this game(He isn't 100% broken, I mean, any character can win when against him in a player match). Now for his pros and cons.
Shin Karate's Good and Bad Things
Good Things:
- Very fun to play(He is a boss with easy infinites, and easy infinites = fun for beginners);
- Very nice walking speed(He is faster than his normal counterpart);
- Has easy infinites in MAXIMUM Mode(Unlike his normal counterpart);
- Can jump off walls;
- Can charge his meter(Another Art of Fighting thing);
- His normals are faster than his normal counterpart's normal moves;
- Can stop normal projectiles with the tip of his LPs(Yeah, I'm not joking, and I think it's another AoF thing);
- Has some unblockable moves(Not only his Exceed).
Bad Things:
- Has no cancelable normals/Command Moves(But he can cancel them in MAXIMUM Mode);
- Has the Ko'ou Ken from KoF 2002(I really don't like it, and it won't help you so much in this game, only to do one of his infinites);
- Has no Super Moves(His normal counterpart's old Supers are now Special Moves, including his old Exceed, the Chou Haoh Shikou Ken);
- Has no Far/Close animations on some buttons;
- He isn't that good with Light Attack chains(Because he can't cancel normals, and he can't even think about canceling a Light normal in MAXIMUM Mode);
- Has no Shouran Kyaku(Running Grab), unlike the normal version;
- Can be very hard to learn if you don't like to play with infinites.
How to select Shin Karate
Oh, wanna have fun with him, but cannot even see his face? Simple. Just do these inputs below before the timer reaches 10(Possible only on the AES home version of the Neo Geo):
(While holding start) Up, Left, Up, Down, Right(2x), Down, Left, Up, Left, Right(2x), and press a button to select him
A little hard to do(You won't have so much time to do it, so... If you can't do it, use cheats, or search for a hacked version).
Moves List
Normal Moves
(Important note to remember: Shin Karate cannot normal cancel his normal moves, but he still can cancel them in MAXIMUM Mode)
s.LP - The Far and the Close versions are the same. It's the best starter for his Light Attack chains(It's the only way he has to begin Light Attack chains, and he can do good damage with them, I can assume), but will whiff those low crouching chars. It has the same speed as the normal Mr.Karate. Oh, did I said that you can make normal projectiles vanish with the tip of this move? I'll talk about this later.
s.LK - The Far and the Close versions are the same. Can be used as a finisher for Light Attack chains(Won't even whiff on low crouching chars, strangely enough). Can be used as a poke, or even to anti-air. It has the same speed as the normal Mr.Karate.
s.HP - (Far) Very fast to use as a poke. Only that. This move is faster than the normal Karate's. (Close) Just a punch. The recovery of the move is different from the normal version, but it still will be faster than the normal Karate's.
s.HK - The Far and the Close versions are the same. This move was Takuma's in the early KoF games(It was used as an anti-air, because he didn't had a DP). The normal Mr.Karate doesn't have this move.
j.LP - The Diagonal and the Neutral versions are the same. Shin Karate will do a punch exactly like his j.HP, but it will stay for a longer time, and will do less damage. The normal Karate's j.LP is different.
j.LK - The Diagonal and the Neutral versions are the same. Incredible move. Sadly, the normal Karate doesn't have it. It can crossup with ease, making it one of his best jump attacks. The reach and the angle in this kick are really helpful too. The normal Karate doesn't have this move in his arsenal.
j.HP - The Diagonal and the Neutral versions are the same. A simple punch with good damage to use on jump-ins. Nothing very special. The normal Karate's j.HP is exacly like this move.
j.HK - (Diagonal) Very tricky to use on combos due to the startup, but good anyway. Can be used to crossup too. The normal Mr.Karate can do this move. (Neutral) You won't be using this so much, but you can use this in neutral jump combos. The normal Mr.Karate has this move too.
cr.LP - This move isn't that useful when compared to the normal Mr.Karate's. It's slower, isn't that used in Light Attack chains(Due to the reach), and can't even chain into itself, or even other Light attacks(Unlike the normal Mr.Karate). You can stop normal projectiles using the tip of this punch(For ground-based projectiles).
cr.LK - The normal Mr.Karate doesn't have this move. It has great reach(It's probably the normal with the best reach on Shin Karate's arsenal), and it's faster than Mr.Karate's cr.LK. It's the best finisher for Light Attack chains(The reach is what helps).
cr.HP - It's the same as the normal Mr.Karate's cr.HP, but with better recovery. Good when used to anti-air while you charge db(Down-backwards).
cr.HK - A simple sweep that knocks down. Nothing very special.
Command Moves
Yoke Migi Seiken Zuki
- b+LP - This move isn't that useful. Shin Karate will stop by a brief moment, and a little time after that, he will do a normal punch(With the same animation as his s.LP, but will push your opponent by a longer distance). While Mr. Karate is in the "stop" animation, he will have upper body invincibility(Only moves with a hitbox near from the ground can hit him). Unlike his s.LP, it will hit most crouching characters, and you can't make projectiles vanish with it too. You can't normal cancel it.
Ducking shite Mawashi Geri
- b+LK - Same properties as the move above, but he will do his s.LK(With a sprite included). Like the move above, you can't normal cancel this move.
Jigoku Zuki
- df+HP - Shin Karate will do a punch. It's pretty good, I can say. Why? It's an overhead, and can be the fastest of all ground overheads in this game. It will knock your opponent down, and you can't normal cancel it. Good to use on wakeup games.
Soku Gatana
- df+HK - Shin Karate will do a kick that hits low, and will knock your opponent down. It's very fast too, you can use it on wakeup mixups.
Kiryoku Tame
- Press(and hold) LP, LK and HP - Shin Karate will begin charging his meter as you hold the button, and he'll quickly stop after you release the button. While he's charging, the (kind of) blue energy that envolves him will negate normal projectiles(And some super ones), and he'll continue charging after the projectile hits. It can be dangerous to use against some characters(Like EQ with his Fat Guilty), so watch out. This move is very important to Shin Karate's game, and remember: In MAXIMUM Mode, you can use this move, but you won't get meter.
Special Moves
Ko'ou Ken '02
- QCF+P -
Zanretsu Ken
- f, b, f+P -
Built Upper
- DP+P -
Hien Shippuu Kyaku
- Charge db, f+K -
Kyokugen Kohou
- QCF(2x)+K -
Kishin Geki
- QCB(2x)+P (While near from the opponent)
Haou Shikou Ken
- f, HCF+P (can hold) -
Chou Haou Shikou Ken
- f, HCF+PP (can hold) -
Super Moves
No Supers for Serious Mr. Karate, sadly, but he has an Exceed to use.
Exceed
Chou Ryuuko Ranbu
- QCF, HCB+PP -