Takamaru (Smash 5)

Takamaru makes his first appearance as a playable character to the Super Smash Bros. franchise in Super 5mash Bros. 5. Takamaru first appeared in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as a sticker and then again as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. This marks his first time as a playable character. Takamaru is an extremely quick that can quickly close gaps between himself and his foes while executing blinding fast sword strikes. Takamau’s emphasis is speed, agility, and precision which makes him a suitable character for speed lovers but he needs precise and carefully calculated hits to deal enough damage.
==Attributes==
Takamaru emphasis on speed and momentum; carrying more damage the faster he is moving. Many of his movements can accelerate his speed such as his dashing animation which renders him a blur rather than fully visible though his walking animation is similar to the rest of the cast. In addition, his second jump also renders him a blur but reappears near the end of his second jump as he slows down. His rolling and air dodging animations are also a blur His attacks carry momentum and do the most damage when he is moving quickly rather than standing. This is also true as he moves about in the air. He truly is the unseen blade and strikes when foes least expect it.
Takamaru emphasis on speed and his long reach due to his swords length. Due to keeping his sword in the sheathe, his attacks can be fairly surprising and hard to predict. Takamaru is the type of character that in order to fight against him, you have to know the character well. Takamaru’s attacks focuses on unleashing quick sword slashes and then returns the blade to its sheath in one quick succession. He can easily guard himself with quick pokes and slashes that prevents character from entering his space and then can charge in with a quick dash to deal damage. However, he is poor at close combat and has very few moves that help protect himself when they get within his space. Most of his sword slashes have a disjointed hitbox at the tip of the sword though none at the base. Takamaru is a mid-ranged fighter with some attacks that are short or far ranged. He is best suited for speedy hit and run techniques and quick attacks that keep him within striking distance but far enough from his opponents.
==Moveset==
===Move Set===
 	Name 	Damage 	Description
Neutral Attack 	Samurai Slash 	3%, 4%, 2%, 5% 	Takamaru slashes vertically from up to down. His second attack brings the katana up vertically. His third attack and a consecutive jab does 2% each hit and is a sword poke where Takamaru brings the katana at a level to his head and pokes forward. The finishing blow is a more powerful sword spoke that deals more damage and knock back.
Forward Tilt 	Sheathe Strike 	6% 	Takamaru slams his sheathe forward. It is a close ranged attack and deals knock back.
Up Tilt 	Quick Blade 	8% 	Takamaru quickly slashes at a upward diagonal in front of him and then sheathes his sword. It has good reach and the hitbox is at the tip of the sword.
Down Tilt 	Leg Sweep 	6% 	Takamaru kicks out in front of him and it is a very quick attack
Dash Attack 	Samurai Dash 	10% (mid), 5% (early-late) 	Takamaru pushes forward and slashes horizontally. It has less reach than his other attacks but very quick. The attack does more damage and knockback in the mid portion of the slash rather than early or late.
Forward Smash 	Vacuum Slash 	14% (clean) 7% (late), 20% (clean), 11% (late) 	Takamaru quickly slashes his sword forward. Charging it extends the vacuum effect it has when unsheathed; drawing in players close to Takamaru. Has close range.
Up Smash 	Fire Ninja Technique	8% (early), 15% (late), 10% (early), 24% (late) 	Takamaru expels a flame above him that rises slightly up. The early portions of the attack deals less damage than the later parts. The animation first starts off small but grows as it expands out.
Down Smash 	Spin Slash 	4-6% (first hit). 4-6% (second hit), 10-15% (last hit), 2% (late first hit), 2-3% (late second hit), 8-12% (last last hit)	Takamaru unsteathes his sword and quickly spins low to the ground; slashing on both sides. The first hit carries the opponent into the second hit and then then Takamaru slashes upwards with his sword pointing up; launching players upwards.
Neutral Aerial 	Air Blade 	8% (clean), 5% (late) 	Takamaru quickly vertically slashes forward at a slight downward angle. It does more damage the further Takamaru is from the opponent.
Forward Aerial 	Samurai Spin 	4% (clean per hit), 2% (late per hit) 	Takamaru spins 3 times with his sword held out with each spin dealing a hit. He spins quickly and moves sloghtly forward while doing the attack. It does more hitstun on the first hit.
Back Aerial 	Tumble Slash 	3% (first hit), 7% (last hit) 	Takamaru swings backwards and allows the momentum to carry him back; spins, and attacks again with a more powerful slash.
Up Aerial 	Sky Cutter 	3% (clean per hit), 2% (late per hit) 	Takamaru slashes with a wide horizontal arch above him. It does 3% each hits but deals more knock back on the first. Bets for low percentage fighters to juggle.
Down Aerial 	Tabi Smash 	13% (clean), 5% (whiff) 	Takamaru slams his foot down below him with the clean portion doing more damage and meteor spike. If whiffs if its late.
Grab 	--- 	--- 	Takamaru grabs his opponent.
Pummel 	Chop 	2% 	Takamaru quickly chops the opponent in the head.
Forward Throw 	Death Blow 	8% 	Takamaru slams the opponent down in front of him and then slams his fist into their neck area.
Back Throw 	Judo Throw 	6% 	Takamaru drops backwards and performs a judo throw that launches opponents back.
Up Throw 	Launch Slash 	9% 	Takamaru throws the opponent upwards and then quickly slashes them knocking them even further.
Down Throw 	Smoke Screen 	5% 	Takamaru slams the opponent down, causing smoke to appear. Takamaru can roll or move quickly from the smoke as a way to distract players.
Floor Attack (front/back)	Gut Slash 	8% 	Takamaru quickly slashes in front of him while crouching as soon as he begins to get up.
Floor Attack (trip) 	Pinwheel Kick 	4% 	Takamaru spins and kicks on either side while getting up..
Edge Attack 	Foot Cut 	6% 	Takamaru slashes at the opponents foot as he pulls himself up.
===Special Custom Set A===
 	Name 	Damage 	Description
Neutral Special	Windmill Blade 	8% (thrown), 4% (return) 	Takamaru pulls out his Windmill blade and throws it. It does more damage on the first throw than on the return trip back to Takamaru. A quick attack.
Custom 1 	Shuriken 	7% 	Takamaru throws out a shuriken that is smaller than the default but is quick and can be spammed. Does less knockback. It can pierce through multiple opponents.
Custom 2 	Flaming Windmill 	5% (thrown), 8% (return) 	Takamaru lights the Windmill Blade on fire. It does more damage and larger hitbox on the return back.
Side Special 	Battojutsu 	20% (fully charged clean), 15 (charged late), 10% (uncharged clean), 7% (uncharged late), 4 (area fully charged), 2% (area uncharged)	Takamaru charges his blade in the sheathe. Letting go of the special button causes an aura to appear around Takamaru that damages on both sides. He slashes out forward with a long reach. If a person is close, the aura knocks the opponents forward into the cutting attack. Longer charged the bigger the aura and the more damaging the aura and slash is.
Custom 1 	Vacuum Battojutsu 	16% (fully charged clean), 13 (charged late), 7% (uncharged clean), 5% (uncharged late), 2% (area fully charged), 1% (area uncharged)	Deals less damage but the aura draws in opponents who are out of distance.
Custom 2 	Striking Battoujtsu	28% (fully charged clean), 15 (charged late), 18% (uncharged clean), 7% (uncharged late) 	Does not create a damaging aura but the charged strike has a sweetspot that launches players further but only if it gets a clean hit.
Up Special 	Ascending Counter 	16%, 15%, 14% (timing) 	Takamaru jumps at a forward diagonal; angle with his hand on his sword. If he connects with an attack in mid-jump (he is shown flashing), he performs a counter which propels him upwards in the opposite direction and dealing damage.
Custom 1 	Ascending Jump 	5% 	Takamaru dashes upwards more quickly and cover more distance but doesn't perform a counter but simply damages with his aura.
Custom 2 	Skyward Counter 	16%, 17%, 18% (timing) 	Jumps straight up and travels upwards. The counter does more damage if it connects later. Does more damage but reduced recovery distance.
Down Special 	Smoke Bomb 	3% (hit with smoke bomb) 	Takamaru throws a smoke bomb onto the ground; causing it to erupt into smoke. It does damage if it connects with an opponent and causes the opponent to be full of smoke.
Custom 1 	Poison Bomb 	2.5% 	Much like the default but causes a poison cloud that does damage slowly. A bit slower on the start up. It can damage Takamaru.
Custom 2 	Flashbang Bomb 	2% 	Produces a bright flash that causes the opponent to be dazed. Deals little damage if it connects.
===Special Custom Set B===
 	Name 	Damage 	Description
Neutral Special	Sudden Charge 	3% (per hit), 10% (launch) 20% (stabbed), 13% (pull)	Takamaru charges forward; piercing his sword forward. He can charge the attack for further travel distance. The attack does multiple hits as it pushes opponent forward and then launches with a powerful stabbing attack. If the player isn't hit in the first portion but is connected with the stab, it does stabs into the opponent and then Takamaru pulls out hiss sword forcefully; dealing damage.
Custom 1 	Glancing Sudden Charge	5% (per hit), 18% (launch) 	Takamaru rushes forward but does damage but doesn't push opponent along with him but dashes past. The launch does more damage than the default.
Custom 2 	Vanishing Charge 	20% (launch), 15% (stab), 10% (pull) 	Takamaru charges the attack like the default but vanishes but reappears depending on how long it was charged. He doesn't do damage as he travels but the launch attack does more damage. The stabbing/pulling attack is also present but deals less damage.
Side Special 	Knife Transformation 	5% (regular knife), 12% (giant knife) 	Takamaru throws out a knife which spins as it's thrown. It deals little knockback or hitstun. Pressing the special button quickly transforms the knife into a huge knife which does more damage. After several seconds, it returns to it's regular knife form and travels before vanishing. The gaint knife does more damage and knock back.
Custom 1 	Giant Knife 	12% (start), 10% (late) 	Takamaru throws the Giant Knife forward. It deals less damage but significantly slower with start up and ending lag.
Custom 2 	Reverse Transform 	5% (regular knife), 12% (giant knife) 	Much like the default but, instead, Takamaru throws out the Giant Knife first. Pressing the special button transforms the knife into the regular knife which allows it to pierce through opponents.
Up Special 	Vanishing Strike 	13% (clean), 10% (late) 	Takamaru suddenly vanishes. Moving the control stick causes him to reappear where he does a slashing that hits on both sides.
Custom 1 	Vanishing Gust 	0% 	Sacrifices damage but faster and longer movement movement and duration.
Custom 2 	Powerful Vanish 	18% (clean), 14% (late) 	Sacrifices recovery distance and speed for power. Attack can also deflect projectiles.
Down Special 	Spirit Ward 	2% 	Takamaru throws a ward attached to a throwing knife. It erects a medium sized barrier that prevents any but Takamaru for his allies from entering. It will damage and knockback away opponents who are close to it. It can be damaged and broken by attacks though.
Custom 1 	Shock Ward 	4% 	Takamaru throws a Shock Ward attached to a throwing knife that causes anyone to be electrocuted when they come in contact with it. It does more damage but is weaker than the default/lasts less.
Custom 2 	Launch Ward 	0% 	Takamaru throws a Launch Ward attached to a throwing knife. Anyone who touches is immediately launched in the direction the throwing knife handle is pointing. If thrown on the ground, it launches opponents upwards.. If thrown under a platform, launches opponents downwards. It doesn't deal damage but has high knock back.
===Final Smash===
 	Name 	Damage 	Description
Final Smash 1	Bushido 	30% (sword strike), 15% (ink gush)	Takamaru releases an aura that causes a large sphere to surround him. It takes up about half the size of Final Destination and is similar in size to Luigi's "Negative Zone". The sphere changes everything to black and white that resembles a woodblock print. Anyone who is caught in the sphere is stunned and Takamaru readies into a striking position. He then dashes forward and cuts, causing the screen to become entirely black. The sound of a sword striking causes it to flash and Takamaru dashes past the opponent. The opponent stands there for a second or two before ink gushes out of there body and they are launched into the sky.
Final Smash 2	Hidden Technique	--- 	Takamaru puts up a hand sign and becomes invisible. He can move freely without being damaged and can strike opponent. He appears very briefly while attacking and appears to be shrouded in some sort of opaque mist. All of his attacks have increased launching capabilities and do 2x the damage than usual. He then reappears after it ends.
==Taunts==
Italics means they have to be unlocked.
Note: All of Takamaru's dialog is in English.
*Takamaru slightly unsheathes his sword and says “A foolish man taunts his opponents into attacking.” (Up)
*Takamaru holds out his open hand and makes a fist saying “Only cowards taunt opponents.” (Right)
*Takamaru kneels down and readjusts his sandal. (Left)
*Takamaru bows deeply and says “True warriors understand each other through battle.” (Down)
===Character Selection Screen===
*Takamaru unsheathes his sword and slashes it forward quickly and says “You have selected well!”
*Takamaru holds up his fingers in a ninja-esque pose and says “Give me strength!”
*Takamaru unsheathes his sword and looks at it while saying “Allow me to test my blade on you!”
===On Screen Appearance===
*Takamaru appears behind a shoji screen door and cuts through it; the door sliced in half and falls to the ground.
*Takamaru is sitting on a pillow in traditional seiza sitting drinking green tea. He puts the green tea down and stands up.
*Takamaru appears in a puff off smoke and bows to the right or left.
===Victory Animations===
*Takamaru slashes three times quickly and then sheathes his sword saying “My blade thirsts for more battle.”
*Takamaru slams his hand to the grow and smoke puffs up. He then vanishes into the smoke. His voice says “Till next time, warrior.”
*Takamaru bows continuously to the right and to the left.
 *If fighting a female, he says “I hope I didn’t harm you, my lady.”
*Takamaru takes out his sword and wipes it down with a clothe.
*Takamaru takes out his Windmill Sword and throws it in the air and catches it. He then says “I understood you in our fight. You are strong.”
*Takamaru is sitting on the ground while doing calligraphy. He makes a big slashing motion with the paintbrush that throws up black ink.
===Crowd Cheer===
Group cheer “Takamaru, Faito Faito!” (kept in Japanese)
===Victory Fanfare===
A remix of the main Mysterious Castle Murasame theme song that appears on the title screen. There is an additional shamisen and taiko drum that accompanies the piece.
===Fighting Stance===
Takamaru is close to the ground, his knee bent forward with his other leg slightly stretched back a bit. He holds his sword in the sheathe with one hand resting on the pommel of the sword. His head is facing forward.
====Idle Poses====
*Takamaru taps the swords pommel with his hand.
*Takamaru taps the ground behind him with his foot.
*Takamaru slightly unsheathes but then quickly sheathes his sword.
*Takamaru exhales out and then closes his eyes.
===Misc Animations===
====Crouching====
Takamaru kneels down on one knee and is relatively motionless while holding his katana.
====Jump====
Takamaru jumps into the air with relative stiffness while holding his katana.
====Rolling====
Takamaru pivots and turns around while slightly ducking.
====Walking====
Takamaru walks forward slowly; inching his feet in by inch. He has one of the slowest walks in the game.
====Dash====
Takamaru sprints forward and becomes a blur as he travels forward.
====Sleeping====
Takamaru props himself up with one arm while holding his sowrd and slightly bending forward.
====Tripping====
Takamaru falls over while holding his katana in the sheathe.
====Balancing====
Takamaru sways back and forth over the edge going "Ha?" and holding his katana.
====Home-Run Bat====
Takamaru swings his one arm while the other is holding the katana in the sheathe.
====Star KO====
Takamaru goes "HYAAAAAAAA!!"
====Screen KO====
Takamaru slams into the screen while going "guhrk" while holding his katana in the sheathe.
==Trophies==
Takamaru's trophies can be earned by completing Classic Mode, Adventure Mode, All-Star Mode, and Boss Battle mode. In addition, further trophies can be found during matches and at the Trophy Shop.
Takamaru
Unlock: Classic Mode
"Takamaru is a famed swordsman known for his dedication to protecting the innocent and upholding justice. Takamaru has a very one-sided view of justice and that law breakers who intend to prey on the innocent are 100% guilty. He wields his sword in the name of justice and utilizes many powerful swordsman and ninja techniques to take down his enemies. He first went against Lord Murasame who was possessed by an extra-terrestrial spirit. This is of course the usual day in Feudal Japan as Takamaru demonstrated his expertise in dealing in such delicate matters. I guess this makes Takamaru the first Nintendo to have direct contact with an extra-terrestrial entity...except for Samus."
Takamaru (Alt)
Unlock: Adventure Mode
Console/Yellow
"Sudden Charge is an attack that Takamaru must train intensely for. Breaking his concentration during training could be hazardous for himself and the person who disturbed him. When crouching on the ground, Takamaru will focus the essence of his soul into the sword. At the right moment, he will charge forth and strike the opponent as he dashes. Anyone caught in his path will soon learn to avoid it next time. However, anyone unlucky to be caught of when Takamaru stabs at the end...well...maybe they won't be having a second chance."
Takamaru (Alt)
Unlock: Adventure Mode
Handheld/Purple
"Takamaru's Windmill Blades are known far and wide. Stories of how he destroyed enemies just by the power of these blades have been sung from the Saturn Valley to Lake Hylia to the Mushroom Kingdom. Whether it's from his unique abilities or way of throwing the blades, they will always return to Takamaru no matter where he is though they won't return if they get stuck in a wall obviously. They don't do much damage which is quite surprising as they are blades. Just watch out for its return trip!"
Ninja Takamaru
Unlock: Boss Battle
Console
"Takamaru isn't just a skilled swordsman but is a talented ninja. Takamaru is capale of performing some high-level ninjutsu or "ninja techniques. These include throwing shurikens, vanishing from sight, commanding the elements, and other techniques pulled from fictional sources. Sadly, this outfit has never been seen in any Mysterious Castle Murasame game and was created just for Super Smash Bros.! That is pretty neat! The way the red scarf wraps around his neck reminds of a certain ninja frog pokemon. And his ninja clothes reminds me of a certain Sheikah ninja. Regardless, he isn't a copy of them and commands his own skill set!"
Samurai Warrior
Unlock: Boss Battle
Handheld/
"The samurai warriors of Japan are known for their dedication, loyalty, morals, virtues, and strength. Takamaru isn't an exception and seems to be the spitting image of a samurai. Though his usually clothes just has him in a kimono and hakama! When he dons on his family's ancestral samurai armor, he comes a force to reckon with! Though he doesn't gain any sort of advantage on the battle field, he is still frightening to fight against and instills fear in those who find them on the opposing side! This costume was created just for Super Smash Bros.!
'Takamaru (Knife Transform)
Unlock: Match or Trophy Shop
Blue
"Simply making a hand sign and going "Ha!" after throwing a knife won't make it grow in size. In order to achieve this attack, Takamaru had to spend years and years in isolation in the mountain forests to train for this attack. Takamaru throws a small kunai or "throwing knife" which doesn't really do much damage on its own but Takamaru can form the right hand sign to transform it to butter-knife sized to a huge giant butcher knife. However, Takamaru can only keep this transformation for a second or two so care must be taken to ensure this large knife finds its target before it returns to it's puny size."
Takamaru (Battoujutsu)
Unlock: Match or Trophy Shop
White
"Battoujtsu is the art of "drawing one's blade from the sheathe quickly". While many samurai sought to master it, only a few actually succeeded. It leaves the swordsman open to attack but allows for quick reflexes and a surprise attack. Takamaru is one of those that succeeded. By charging the special attack, Takamaru can slash forward with such blinding speed that it appears invisible when performed. In fact, the effect is so great it distorts the area around it and can even damage opponents without it actually connecting! Anyone struck by this flash of steel lightning can kiss themselves "bye bye"."
Takamaru (Orange)
Unlock: Match or Trophy Shop
"Kouyo or "the fall colors" are a common activity in Japan where people journey out into the mountains to watch the beautiful autumn leaves as they change to orange, red brown, and purple. Takamaru, training in the mountains, felt so inspired by these colors that he commissioned from the developers an autumn leaf kimono coat and hakama that reflects his loves for the mountains of his home. Takamaru perfected this to the point that when he performed movements and attacks, autumn leaves would scatter out from him. He truly is a gifted and talented swordsman!"
Takamaru (Pink)
Unlock: Match or Trophy Shop
"Spring is one of the most cherished seasons in Japan due to the sakura or "cherry blossoms" that graces the country. Their appearance on kimonos is a common sight and it's only natural for Takamaru to also bear its image. Takamaru is so much in love with cherry blossoms that he loves to where this kimono; especially when fighting. He feels this brings the pride of the country he loves. He feelings for the cherry blossoms that his attacks and movements causes cherry blossoms to flutter in the wind. Who knew a swordsman could have such a gentle soul?"
Takamaru (Down Taunt)
Light Green
Unlock: Match or Trophy Shop
"Takamaru may be a warrior, swordsman, and ninja but he deeply respects the opponents he faces. Such are the values of the samurai. He finds true joy in clashing swords with his opponents and feels he can openly communicate to his opponent better while fighting rather through words. To show that he respects the abilities and strength of his opponent, he bows to them in typical Japanese fashion as a way to show he acknowledges them as a true opponent. i guess you can say Takamaru shows his admiration through bowing as well as performing Smash attacks."
'Retro Takamaru
Unlock: Complete a Takamaru Character Challenge
"Takamaru first appeared in mYsterious Castle Murasame on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986 alongside with Samus, Link, and Pit. Wait, they are all included in the game? That is great news but let's ocver that later! In this game, he battled enemy samurai warriors, ninjas, and other other-worldly creatures until he, at last, defeated Lord Murasame! Since then, Takamaru has been given a face lift...well...a huge face lift. He was always seen as a pretty boy but he now looks like a very strong pretty boy!"
Bushido
Unlock: All Star Mode (Easy or Normal)
"Takamaru trains extensively in the art of the sword and can transfer his soul into the sword for stronger attacks. Bushido the height of his swordsman skills. Expanding his soul, he transports anyone caught in the sphere to a time of Feudal Japan. Using his powers, he paralyzes them with his aura and then rushes forward; slashing deeply into his opponents. The slash motion is so intense it cuts the universe in two thus rendering everything void. Once finished, Takamaru dashes past his struck opponent and sheathes his sword; putting everything in order. His opponent sprays black ink from their wound and gets launched high into the heavens! Such as a beautiful attack!"
Hidden Technique
Unlock: Unlock all Pit trophies
"Takamaru has trained his body and spirit extensively throughout the years. He can enter into a state of near invisibility thus rendering him veritually unseen to his opponents. His image only appears when attacking but, even then, it's like looking at him through a snow storm. Takamaru's power, strength, and speed has been increased due to this ability making him one of the most powerful assassins. His unseen blade cuts through the air like a phantom and connects to his opponent before they even know what's happening. However, he can only keep this ability up before it breaks his mind so dispatching one's enemies quickly is of the essence."
==Alternate Costumes==
Color Title 	Color 	Notes 	Status
Default 	Red 	Takamaru's default design from Mysterious Castle Murasame. 	Starter
Green 	Green 	Green hair, green coat with bamboo prints, blue lining, white shirt, and green pants with bamboo prints. 	Starter
Yellow 	Yellow 	Blonde hair, yellow coat with sunflower print, red lining, brown shirt, and yellow pants with sunflower prints. 	Starter
Blue 	Cyan 	Light blue hair, light blue coat with the large wave, dark blue trimming, black shirt, and black pants with a large wave. The wave looks like the Hokusai woodblock print.	Starter
Purple 	Purple 	Purple hair, purple coat with a crane, blue lining, white coat, and white pants with cranes on it. 	Starter
White 	White 	White hair, white coat with snow on it, yellow trimming, white coat, and white pants with snow on it. 	Starter
Orange 	Orange 	Brown hair, orange and brown coat with fall leaves, white shirt, and brown with fall leaves. 	Starter
Light Green 	Light Green	Light Green Hair, white and light green coat with koi jumping from the water, light blue shirt, and light blue pants that looks like waves. 	Starter
Black 	Black 	Black hair, black coat with red splotches that look like blood, black shirt, and black pants with blood splotches. 	Starter
Pink 	Pink 	Pink hair, white coat, cherry blossom print, white shirt, and white pants with cherry blossom print. 	Starter
Ninja Takamaru 	Black 	Takamaru dons on a ninja costume that looks a bit like Shiek but with a red scarf. 	Locked
Samurai Warrior	Dark Red 	Takamaru wears a suit of traditional Samurai armor with the mask. 	Locked
Retro Takamaru 	Blue 	Appearance looks like Takamaru in the first Mysterious Castle Murasame. 	Locked
==Reveal Trailer==
Inkling is seen standing on a platform and defeated Mario, Kirby, Pikachu, Link, Donkey Kong, Fox, Pit , and Villager by covering them all with ink. She blows the colored smoke off from the barrel of the gun but is suddenly interrupted by a sudden whoosh of wind and cherry blossom petals. The scene flashes white and she is launched into the air with a scream. The cherry blossom petals swirl like a tornado and from the tornado, a samurai steps out: Takamaru! Takamaru looks at the screen, readies his blade, and slashes at it; cutting it in half.
the next scene shows Takamaru in a battle between Link, Fox, and Pit inside a Dojo-like room with tatami flooring. The light had a bluish-purple haze to it and strange ghostly-flames danced about the room. Takamaru runs towards the opponents and seemingly vanishes in diagonal rushing lines as he dashes at the opponents. Takamaru then slashes at the opponents and launching them upwards. he then jumps up diagonally with his swords sheathed. Mario recovers and tries to attack but gets count with his special up special counter attack which knocks Mario away. The scene then cuts to Takamaru tapping his sandals on the ground and then performing his jabbing attacks which are quick sword strikes. villager attempts to bury Takamaru with his down smash attack but Takamaru, instead, uses his down special attack and buries villager instead. Takamaru is then seen kneeling on his home stage and begins to glow with the final smash effect. It then shots the screen turning to black and white ink painting effect and he rushes forward and slashes; cutting the screen in half. the logo for Super smash bros. then cuts in.
Following the logo, the scene then cuts to Takamaru on tatami floor drinking tea when Samus, Link, and Pit walks in and sits down to enjoy the tea. Takamaru looks from his tea and suddenly a scroll from behind unfurls down and says “1986”
==Director 2 Director==
Masahiro Sakurai: Hello, I am Masahiro Sakurai, one of the directors for Super Smash Bros. 5.
Hisashi Koinuma: I am Hisashi Kounuma, producer for the Samurai Warrior series, Hyrule Warriors, and the upcoming remake for "Mysterious Castle Murasame". I assisted Mr. Sakurai is developing Takamaru into a playable character.
Sakurai: As you may remember, Takamaru was included into Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS as an available Assist Trophy where he threw windmill blades and performed powerful sword strikes. Generally, appearing as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. is great endorsement for the character. We saw this for Little Mac and Saki in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Both characters saw new games within their franchises.
(Video shows Takamaru in Super Smash Bros.for Wii U as well as well as Little Mac and Saki from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.)
Koinuma: Yes, this is true. I helped produce Samurai Warriors 3 which featured Mysterious Castle Murasame content. This was my first involvement in this franchise and something that I found to be very rewarding. After that, I wished to continue working in incorporating Nintendo content into the Warriors series. Being able to bring Hyrule Warriors into fruition was a dream come true. Finally, I immediately accepted when asked by Nintendo to develop a remake of Mysterious Castle Murasame and I look forward to the future of the series. When Mr. Sakurai contacted me about including Takamaru and Mysterious Castle Murasame content into Super Smash Bros. 5; I felt this was the next step in the right direction concerning this universe.
(Video shows game play footage from Samurai Warriors 3: Murasame Mode, Hyrule Warriors, and the Mysterious Castle Murasame remake.)
Sakurai: When we began developing Takamaru, we wanted to emphasis his quickness. He is incredibly quick and precise; almost to the point it can be a hindrance. Those who first pick him up may find he is fairly hard to control and to actually hit opponents but more advanced players, with some practice, may be able to predict where he will strike and an compensate for his quickness.
(Video shows Takamaru standing still and then instantly dashing quickly and jumping quickly.)
Koinuma: When I first played as Takamaru, I intended to perform a dash attack but I ended up dashing right past the opponent and attacking behind the character; completely missing my opponent. Takamaru has a slight button delay on some of his attacks. This is due the fact the majority of his attacks carry a sense of force. The faster Takamaru is moving, the more powerful his attacks are. At a standstill, his attacks are medium at best but, when dashing full force and on the move; he is an unstoppable force. Slower opponents will find it very hard to deal enough damage to Takamaru.
(Video shows ta split screen of game play and the controller. Takamaru dashes and performs a dash attack and corresponds with the player input the command. On the gameplay portion, it shows Takamaru continuing to dash but performing attack attack a second after the command thus completely missing the opponent. The next scene shows the same split screen by the input command is done earlier thus allowing Takamaru to perform the attack and connect it.)
Sakurai: His movements also focus on tricking the opponent. As you can see in this video, his rolls as well as air and land dodges not only makes Takamaru vanish momentarily but leaves an after image that is meant to trick opponents. This is also true for when he first dashes and several of his special moves. He is a tricky fighter that is hard to master. A true warrior.
(The video shows takamaru rolling and leaving an afterimage after vanishing.)
Koinuma: However, he does have his share of weaknesses. As previously stated, he is less powerful when not running or jumping at full speeds. When he is attacked, he immediately loses this momentum thus making him less powerful. Fortunately, he has a relatively quick start up for his dashing movements. Besides his generally weak attacks, he is focused less on defense so he can be launched into the air fairly easily if someone can manage to get their hands on him.
(Video shows Takamaru rolling around but Donkey Kong manages to slam his fist into Takamaru and KO’s Takamaru.)
Sakurai: He is a fighter that fans of quick and agile characters will like a lot. In previous installments, we added quick fighters such as Zero Suit Samus, Shiek, and Greninja. Takamaru not only differs because he is a Samurai and wields a blade but because he's focuses on gaining momentum to augment his strength. The longer and faster he moves, the more damaging his attacks are.
Koinuma: We look forward to seeing how well Takamaru does. While I may be biased since I have invested a lot of myself into the Mysterious Castle Murasame series but he is easily my most favorite character. The thrill of moving at such high speeds and landing lightning fast sword strikes is really what Takamaru is all about. And he doesn’t look half bad when doing that. :laughs:
Sakurai: :laughs:
==Smash Sneak a Peek==
Introduction: The Smash Sneak a Peek is a look into the development and implementation of Takamaru for Super 5mash Bros. 5 and why Takamaru made the roster while some others didn't.
Takamaru was slated for the roster as early as September shortly after the release of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. Being a contender for a roster spot in the games development, he was regulated to an Assist Trophy. Taking a page from Little Mac's rise to fame; I decided to follow suit and promote Takamaru to the roster with the goal of promoting and advancing him in the Nintendo spotlight. He has been apart of this project since day one and still remains one of the first characters I added. In addition, I finished his moveset first which set the tone and standard for future movesets.
Upon implementation, I knew I wanted to create a character that is nimble and fast to the extent that it would be hard to utilize him. His strengths were outlined as being fast, precise, and spacey with an emphasis on a high learning curve. Due to the apparent lag in his button commands, fast speeds, and momentum mechanic; I feel this character is best suited for intermmediate to advanced players. A Takamaru in the hand of a master is a force of nature. I didn't want Takamaru to be to over powered so that is why I made him sort of a "ice cannon on speed" he moves and hits fast but shatters under pressure. I watched game play videos of The Mysterious Castle Murasame and Samurai Warriors 3: Murasame Mode as well as the other Samurai Warrior games and Muramasa: The Demon Blade. I also drew some move set and animation inspiration from Ryu Hayabusa from the Ninja Gaiden series who was actually slated to be a newcomer for this game but was pushed out by the characters Takamaru and Impa who slightly fill in that archetype.
I really wanted to expand this character from what we have seen in games he has appeared him and give him a Super Smash Bros. personality that is unique within the series. We have the silent ninja Sheik with his/her silent demeanor and resolution as well as Greninja with his froggy acrobatics but we have yet to have a fully fledged samurai warrior hence why I REALLY focused on this when creating and molding his move set. I wanted him to exude these samurai like qualities. To achieve this, I studied both the history of the samurai and ninja as well as watched various films such as "Tasogare Seibei" and "47 Ronin" (re-watched actually lol).
Takamaru is character that I really wanted players to not only use but appreciate as he has such potential for creativity and personality. We love Mario because he is Mario but we don't know Takamaru that much so basically building him from the ground up was a complete thrill and I am happy how he turned out. I hope you too consider picking up Takamaru and giving him a try!
==Trivia==
*Takamaru was the last 1986 character to be added after Link, Samus, and Pit.
List of Characters in S5B5
Veterans
Bowser・Bowser Jr.・Captain Falcon・Charizard・Diddy Kong・Donkey Kong・Duck Hunt・Falco・Fox・Ganondorf・Greninja・Ike・Jigglypuff・King Dedede・Kirby・Link・Little Mac・Lucario・Lucas・Mario・Marth・Mega Man・Meta Knight・Mii Fighter・(Mii Brawler・Mii Swordfighter・Mii Gunner・Mii Mage・Mii Athlete)・Mewtwo・Mr. Game & Watch・Ness・Olimar & Pikmin・Pac-Man・Palutena・Peach・Pichu・Pikachu・Pit・R.O.B.・Robin・Rosalina & Luma・Roy・Samus・Sheik・Shulk・Sonic・Toon Link・Villager・Wario・Wii Fit Trainer U・Wolf・Yoshi・Zelda・Zero Suit Samus
Newcomers
Bayonetta・Captain Toad・Chorus Kids・Corrin・Dixie Kong・Elma・Fighter Hayabusa・Gardevoir・Impa・Inkling・Isabelle・Kamek・Lana・Mach Rider・Matthew・Paper Mario・Rayman・Ridley・Sami・Takamaru・Wonderful Ones・Wonder Red・(Wonder Blue・Wonder Pink・Wonder Green・Wonder Yellow・Wonder White・Wonder Black)・Yuuri
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