================================================== FIRE PROWRESTLING D CHARACTER GUIDE: KENTA KOBASHI ================================================== Version 1.2 by Bill Wood (billwood661@attbi.com) Last modified: 4/7/02 Fire ProWrestling D (c) 2001 Spike/VAiLL NOTE: This guide views and prints best with a monospace typeface. =================== ==VERSION HISTORY== =================== 1.2 - Minor corrections. 1.1 - Combos added to Strategy, courtesy of Richard Bownes. Reader submitted strategy added, courtesy of Kazuki 1313. 1.0 - Initial release of the guide. ===================== ==TABLE OF CONTENTS== ===================== SECTION 1: HISTORY OF KENTA KOBASHI SECTION 2: SKILL AND PARAMETER STATS SECTION 3: MOVELIST SECTION 4: STRATEGY SECTION 5: READER SUBMITTED STRATEGY SECTION 6: CLOSING ======================================= ==SECTION 1: HISTORY OF KENTA KOBASHI== ======================================= Kenta Kobashi and several other former All Japan wrestlers, most of whom now work for Pro Wrestling NOAH, are responsible for an era of puroresu that only be described as classic. Along with Misawa, Kawada and others, Kobashi waged wars that tested the spirit and often left the body broken. One of the more memorable matches was a Kobashi vs. Misawa Triple Crown match that lasted nearly an hour and ended with both combatants unable to move,having spent every last inch of energy in the heat of battle. Perhaps like no other, Kenta Kobashi represents the embodiment of the true spirit of puroresu. Factoid: Kobashi plans to debut a new finisher, the Diamondhead, in 2002. ======================================== ==SECTION 2: SKILL AND PARAMETER STATS== ======================================== SKILL ----- Real Name..................Kenta Kobashi FPD Name...................Keiji Togashi Promotion.............Pro Wrestling NOAH FPD Promotion.................Super NOVA Size..............................Medium Class..............................Heavy Height............................187 cm Weight............................118 kg Country............................Japan Birthdate.....................03.27.1967 Stance............................Strong Offensive Skill.................Orthodox Return Skill....................Orthodox Critical Type...................Finisher Special Skill................Second Wind Recovery............................Fast Recovery (when bleeding)..........Medium Respiratory.......................Medium Respiratory (when bleeding).......Medium Awareness.........................Strong Awareness (when bleeding).........Medium Neck Strength.......................High Arm Strength........................High Waist Strength......................High Foot Strength........................Low Movement Speed....................Medium Ascend Speed......................Medium Ascend Skill..................Can Ascend PARAMETER - OFFENSE PARAMETER - DEFENSE ------------------- ------------------- Punch.............8 Punch.............8 Kick..............4 Kick..............8 Suplex............7 Suplex............9 Submission........2 Submission........5 Stretch...........6 Stretch...........6 Power.............8 Flying............7 Instant-P.........8 Crush.............8 Arm Power.........9 Vs Lariat.........8 Technical.........5 Technical.........8 Rough.............2 Rough.............7 Ground............4 Ground............5 TOTAL SKILL POINTS (on a scale from 0-300): 209 ======================= ==SECTION 3: MOVELIST== ======================= NOTE: This movelist is my direct translation of the Japanese Fire Pro D 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]. STRIKES ------- Standing (X)...........................Horizontal Chop Standing (A)......................................Kick Standing (B) + d-pad.....................Lariat Attack Standing (B)...............................Thrust Kick Standing (X) + (A)............................Dropkick Running (X).....................Flying Shoulder Attack Running (A).........................TATAKITSUKE LARIAT [S] Running Counter (X)........................Thrust Kick Running Counter (A)..........................Powerslam Running to corner.....................Jumping Knee Pat GRAPPLES -------- Grapple (X)..............................Knuckle Arrow Grapple (X) + Up.............................Body Slam Grapple (X) + Left/Right...................Flying Mare Grapple (X) + Down..........................Hammerlock Grapple (A)..........................Machine Gun Chops Grapple (A) + Up..................Stalling Brainbuster Grapple (A) + Left/Right...........................DDT Grapple (A) + Down...............................Sobat Grapple (B)..................Rolling Machine Gun Chops Grapple (B) + Up..........................Orange Crush Grapple (B) + Left/Right..............HEAD HOLD LARIAT [F] Grapple (B) + Down.................Jackknife Powerbomb Grapple (X) + (A).......................Powerbomb Whip Back Grapple (X)..........................Sledgehammer Back Grapple (A).....................Back Brain Lariat Back Grapple (B)...................Sheer Drop Backdrop Back Grapple (B) + Up/Down..........HALF NELSON SUPLEX [S] Back Grapple (B) + Left/Right...........Sleeper Suplex Back Grapple (X) + (A)...................Dragon Suplex Back Grapple Counter (X)....................Elbow Butt Back Grapple Counter (A)..........Bulldogging Headlock OPPONENT DOWN MOVES ------------------- Opponent Face Up at Head (A)..............Sleeper Hold Opponent Face Up at Head (B).................Chin Lock Opponent Face Up at Feet (A).......................Pin Opponent Face Up at Feet (B)..........Texas Cloverleaf Opponent Face Down at Head (A).......Roll over and pin Opponent Face Down at Head (B).........Guillotine Drop Opponent Face Down at Feet (A)...............Half crab Opponent Face Down at Feet (B)................Stomping Running at Downed Opponent (B).........Guillotine Drop MOUNT MOVES ----------- Mount Position (X).................Mount Knuckle Arrow Mount Position (A).........................Boston Crab Mount Position (B).......................Lift Up Press Mount Position Counter........................Arm Lock Front Facelock Attack (X)...........Striking Knee Lift Front Facelock Attack (A)..............Front Neck Lock Front Facelock Attack (B)...............Powerbomb Whip Front Facelock Attack Counter...........Watermill Drop Back Mount Position (X).......Back Mount Knuckle Arrow Back Mount Position (A)..................Choke Sleeper Back Mount Position (B)..............Reverse Powerbomb Back Mount Position Counter.................Back Press POST AND APRON MOVES -------------------- Post (X)........................Diving Guillotine Drop Post (A)...............................MOONSAULT PRESS [S] Post (B)..................................Sledgehammer Post (X) + (A)..................Diving Shoulder Attack Run-Up Post vs Standing (X).......................none Run-Up Post vs Downed (A).........................none Corner Grapple (B) + Up.................BURNING HAMMER [S] Corner Grapple (B) + Left/Right......Machine Gun Chops Corner Grapple (B) + Down..............Turnbuckle Bomb Front Avalanche Counter.................Powerbomb Whip Back Avalanche Counter..................Backhand Elbow Apron Grapple from inside.....Apron Half Nelson Suplex Apron Grapple from outside...............Shoulder Butt Running to out of bounds...............Plancha Suicida Slingshot to outside...................Plancha Suicida Slingshot to inside.................Flying Body Attack DOUBLE AND TRIPLE TEAM MOVES ---------------------------- Two Platon Front Grapple....................W.Dropkick Two Platon Back Grapple.....................W.Backdrop Two Platon Corner..................Highjack Piledriver Three Platon Front Grapple.............Triple Beatdown Three Platon Back Grapple..............Triple Beatdown Three Platon Corner....................Triple Beatdown PERFORMANCE ----------- Analog Stick Left................raises fists to crowd Analog Stick Right....raises fist, brings forearm down Analog Stick Up.....................raises fist, yells Analog Stick Down.................stares down opponent ======================= ==SECTION 4: STRATEGY== ======================= GENERAL STRATEGY As stated in the history section above, Kenta Kobashi is a fierce competitor with a strong fighting spirit. He is extremely tough to break defensively, his only weakness being his leg strength. (In real life, Kobashi has had a history of knee injuries and operations that probably should have ended his career a long time ago.) Your focus here should be a no-nonsense offensive barrage. If you win grapples, you will win the match. It's as simple as that. Kobashi's arm strength means you should use his lariats often, both from a strike and from a grapple. If you've ever seen a real Kobashi match, you know the kind of impact he can deliver. STRIKES You want to abuse Kobashi's lariats as much as humanly possible. Both the Lariat Attack and the Tatakitsuke Lariat are extremely effective. And since Kobashi's punch stats are at 8, you should work in the Horizontal Chop as well. GRAPPLES Kenta Kobashi's set of grapples is superb, they perfectly compliment his stats. In other words, his moveset does a good job of taking advantage of his abilities in Fire Pro. The Machine Gun Chops can quickly bring an opponent to his knees, as can Kobashi's patented Orange Crush, which I like to use as his finisher. And don't forget the (B) + Left/Right Lariat finisher. Another trademark Kobashi move is the Burning Hammer, which is done from a corner grapple. Again, this is a move you want to use often. COMBOS Note: These are not combos in the "fighting game" sense of the word, as grapples can be countered and opponents can recover in between moves. These combos are more akin to natural wrestling combinations for this particular wrestler. Also, unlike fighting games, Fire Pro D combos are easier to perform when the opponent is worn down as his recovery time is longer. 1) Running Lariat -> Lift Up Lariat 2) Running Knee Pat (corner) -> Burning Hammer ======================================== ==SECTION 5: READER SUBMITTED STRATEGY== ======================================== This additional strategy section comes from Kazuki 1313: R "Looking at his stats and his fighting style, you're probably E guessing the man can do just about anything...well, you are right. A From lariats, to powerbombs, even to moonsaults, the man can pull D off a lot of moves and still have enough left to go on, but if E you can PLAY as Kobashi, then the real hurting begins..." R STRATEGY S "Don't waste a lot of time doing strikes or kicks unless you U really just want to show off. At the start, just mainly do his B Hammerlock (Grapple X+Down) because his other X moves leave the M opponent face up and all Kobashi has are submission moves when I they are face up, but face down you can either stomp or T guillotine drop (B button). T E "When you get around to A moves, you want to stay away from his D little Sobat (Grapple A+Down) because it's the worst attack he has for A grapple moves. Also, you probably want to start wearing the S opponent down a little with either headlock when they're face up T on the mat or start doing some lariats. R A "When the B moves start, just pound away at them. Both B+Up or T B+Down are pinning moves, so the basic idea is to do the other E moves! His Burning Lariat (Grapple B+Left/Right) is his finisher, G and for good reason since the thing Criticals like mad and can Y stop just about anybody in their tracks. R "You can opt to do his back grapple moves but when he can actually E pull somebody up, walk behind them and grapple, they would already A be pretty banged up so only do these if you are trying to make a D better match (see below) but if you are going to, just mainly do E his Half-Nelson Suplex (B+Up/Down) since it IS a favorite." R FIGHTING STYLE/MAKING A BETTER MATCH S "It doesn't take a genius to figure out what works with him and U what doesn't. You want to go a little slow, taking in a breather B every now and then or taking your time stomping on them. When you M go a little slow, those big moves turn into BIG moves against your I friends and they'll even feel the hit. Since his ascend speed is T near awful, don't try to do his right taunt then do a moonsault T because you WILL miss. Just do it way before the set up move, do E a Powerbomb Whip (Grapple X+A) then climb up and go for the D moonsault! (Post A) S "If you are trying to make a historic fight against a friend who T knows what he's doing, start pulling out everything against him. R Suicide Planchas? Kobashi can do it. Back Grapples? Kobashi can do A it. His R taunt and a Moonsault?...maybe after 20 Powerbomb Whips T and 5 Burning Lariats but he can do it! Just stay away from using E his kick moves and everything else is fine. The main idea is for G you, the reader, the apply these helpful hints and make your own Y style. Just mess around with Kobashi a couple of matches to see what his moves are and go from there...and above all else, have fun." ====================== ==SECTION 6: CLOSING== ====================== In closing, I would like to thank: * ViperMask, who borrowed my formatting for his great Tiger Mask FAQ. In return I borrowed some of his! =) * Richard Bownes for combo contributions. * Kazuki 1313 for his contribution. * www.puroresu.com and www.wwf.com for historical reference. * www.gswf.org for Skill and Parameter stats. * CJayC and GameFAQs for hosting this guide. Fire ProWrestling D Character Guide: Kenta Kobashi (c)2002 Bill Wood