Rokushiki/Rankyaku

It is possible to be fast enough to cause slicing winds...

Rankyaku is one of the six techniques of "Rokushiki".

Overview
The Rankyaku is a powerful projectile technique, in which the users start by kicking at very high speeds and strength, sending out a sharp compressed air blade or "Sickle Wind" (鎌風) that can slice objects and greatly damage a human body. However, it has been shown that almost any length of appendage (such as a tail or neck) at high velocities are also capable of this move.

Out of the CP9 agents, Kaku has the greatest mastery of this technique, which he utilizes alongside two blades in his Yontoryu. In addition, despite having no formal training or even general knowledge, he was able to create several new variants of Rankyaku while in his half-giraffe form.

Variations

 * Rankyaku "Hyobi" (嵐脚「豹尾」): Used by Lucci in his half-leopard form. Rob Lucci creates a large, powerful Rankyaku in the shape of a swirl, which is launched at the enemy like a razor blade. When it hits the opponent, he/she is damaged and stunned, with an ability to send him/her flying if they get caught in mid-air by it. In the Pirate Warriors series, the attack can also suck in nearby targets not unlike a miniature high-speed spiraling wind. In One Piece: Unlimited Adventure (dubbed by FUNimation), this is called Rankyaku: Leopard Tail, and in the FUNimation dub and Viz Manga, this is called Tempest Kick Leopard Tail.


 * Rankyaku "Gaicho" (嵐脚「凱鳥」): Used by Lucci. Lucci creates a large Rankyaku in the shape of a bird, but instead of using his legs, he uses his claws in his half-leopard form (though in some media like in One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, Lucci can perform this technique in his human form). This Rankyaku has a much wider range, greater attack power, and is capable of cleaving steel - something not witnessed from other variations. The cut also seems more focused, instead of flickering and jagged like a normal Rankyaku. The "Gaichou" can also mean "Injurious Bird", while the kanji 凱 is a kanji for "victory song". In One Piece Unlimited Adventure (dubbed by FUNimation), this is called Rankyaku: Gaicho, and in the FUNimation dub and Viz Manga, this is called Tempest Kick Victory Bird.


 * Rankyaku "Sen" (嵐脚「線」): Used by Kaku and Nero in a stomping action. The air is blasted straight ahead in a line towards the opponent like a bullet, instead of in a curve as witnessed in the normal version. In the FUNimation dub and Viz Manga, this is called Tempest Kick Line when used by Nero and Tempest Kick Straight Line when used by Kaku. In the anime, it is unnamed when Nero uses it.


 * Rankyaku "Hakurai" (嵐脚「白雷」): Used by Kaku. A much more powerful form of Rankyaku that is used by using both legs, it appears to cut the air in a larger area. It was shown to be equivalent in strength to Zoro's Nanajūni Pound Hō. In the Viz Manga and FUNimation dub, this is called Tempest Kick White Thunder. The kanji for "hakurai" can also be read as "byakurai" instead.


 * Rankyaku "Ran" (嵐脚「乱」): Used by Kaku. After using Geppo to launch himself into the air, Kaku stabs his swords into the ceiling to stay in the air, then launches multiple Rankyaku with both legs. Each cut is smaller than a normal Rankyaku. Lucci also used a version of this attack (without the swords) during his fight with Luffy, but he did not name it. In the Viz Manga and FUNimation dub, this is called Tempest Kick Slaughter.


 * Rankyaku "Amane Dachi" (嵐脚「周断」): Used by Kaku in his half-giraffe form. In this attack, he spins around quickly in a circle while standing on one hand, using his elongated neck to gain extra momentum and spin faster, and then performs Rankyaku with both legs to create a circle shaped Rankyaku which radiates outward. The attack was powerful enough to cut through the outer walls of the Tower of Justice in all directions. It can also be used to send an enormous mass of Rankyaku at the user's opponent, to inflict massive damage. Kaku says that this is his most powerful Rankyaku. In the English version of One Piece Unlimited Adventure, this is called Rankyaku: Amane Dachi, and in the Viz Manga and FUNimation dub, this is called Tempest Kick Sky Slicer.


 * Rankyaku "Kiri Shigure" (嵐脚「麒麟時雨」): Used by Kaku in his half-giraffe form. After turning himself into a cube with Tekkai "Mushikaku", Kaku uses Rankyaku towards the ceiling with all four of his limbs. There, the vast mass of small Rankyaku blades bounce back, falling like rain on the enemy, making the attack difficult to block, to inflict continuous damage. The "Kiri" part of the name can also mean "mist". In the FUNimation dub and Viz Manga, this is called Tempest Kick Giraffe Shower.


 * Rankyaku "Neji Hakujin" (嵐脚「ネジ白刃」): Used by Kaku in his half-giraffe form. He does a normal Rankyaku after using his Kyoku Bigan Kirimanjaro, then twists his neck into a screw so the Rankyaku spins in a drill motion. In the FUNimation dub and Viz Manga, this is called Tempest Kick Spinning White Blade.


 * Rankyaku "Rodan" (嵐脚「龍断」): Used by Kaku in his half-giraffe form. Kaku uses an upward Rankyaku with both of his back legs, creating a large cut similar in appearance to a dragon's fang. In the FUNimation dub and Viz Manga, this is called Tempest Kick Dragon Cut.


 * Rankyaku "Shuriken" (嵐脚「手裏剣」): Used by Kaku. Kaku fires multiple Rankyaku blades in the shape of shuriken. In One Piece: Unlimited Adventure (dubbed by FUNimation), this is called Rankyaku: Shuriken, and in the FUNimation dub and Viz Manga, this is called Tempest Kick Shuriken.


 * Rankyaku "Koro" (嵐脚「孤狼」): Used by Jabra in his half-wolf form. In this attack, the Rankyaku-cut skips across the ground, bouncing in curves towards the opponent. In the Viz Manga and FUNimation dub, this is called Tempest Kick Lone Wolf.


 * Rankyaku "Lupus Fall" (嵐脚「」): Used by Jabra in his half-wolf form. In this powerful attack, Jabra shoots four Rankyaku projectiles, each in the shape of a wolf, straight at the opponent. Because of their unusual shapes, these Rankyaku seem to explode upon contact rather than cutting, much like compressed air bullets rather than air blades. Jabra has honed this technique so he is able to initiate it correspondingly with Geppo. The kanji actually reads as "Gunrou Rensei". The kanji for both "wolf" and "star" are in the technique's name, most likely as a nod to the Lupus constellation. In the Viz Manga and FUNimation dub, this is called Tempest Kick Lupus Fall.


 * Rankyaku "Renge" (嵐脚「蓮華」): Used by Kumadori. In this attack, Rankyaku is performed with both legs instead of one, causing multiple cuts on either side of the opponent. The cuts at first appear small and then "blossom" into larger ones, perhaps explaining the name. In the Viz Manga, this is called Tempest Kick Lotus.

Trivia

 * Shiki has shown a technique similar to Rankyaku Ran and Renge, due to having Oto and Kogarashi grafted in his legs, kicking rapidly while floating in midair.
 * Donquixote Doflamingo performed a kick of such strength it resembles Rankyaku Amane Dachi, slicing through all three of the Dressrosa palace's towers, without the preparatory spinning.
 * In One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, Koby is also able to perform the Rankyaku as one of his attacks. In Episode of Luffy, Koby is also shown performing an attack similar to Rankyaku but instead of legs, he used it with his arms.
 * By swinging their swords with sufficient force and speed, swordsmen can create a powerful pressure in the form of a compressed air blade, allowing them to cut at long distances. This is known as a Flying Slash Attack (飛ぶ斬撃).

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