Hakkyoku-ken

Hakkyoku-ken (八極拳 Eight Extremities Fist) is a form of martial arts used by the Onmyouji.

Overview

The Hakkyoku-ken focuses on striking at high, mid, and low levels of the body and is most useful in close combat as it is an aggressive style that is meant to deal heavy damage. Hakkyoku-ken does not have many defensive techniques and stances, since it was primarily designed to allow Onmyouji to fight using it in combination with special barrier type Onmyoujutsu as well as reiatsu to augment themselves.

The Hachimichi no Sentou (八道の戦闘 Eight Ways of Combat) or the eight ways to fight are:

Genkotsu 拳骨: using the fist to pressure the opponent and deal significant damage.
Tenouchi 手の内: using the palm to keep the opponent at bay, redirect incoming attacks and/or use disbaling strikes.
Hiji 肘: using elbow strikes to cause severe damage, especially in close quarter combat.
Hiza 膝: using the knees in a similar fashion as the elbows.
Kakutou 格闘: grappling or techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage; such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent.
Handou 反動: using kicks to deal damage and/or disrupt opponent's rhytm.
Hitoashi 一足: using step movements for attacking, defending and detracting the opponent. According to Onmyouju martial artists, no matter how strong a fist is, if it cannot connect with the opponent then it becomes useless. That is why they are seen as some of the most fundamental techniques.
Ukeru 受ける: use of parrying is mainly for defensive purposes.

Techniques

Fist

Ichi (一 One): The first and most basic offensive technique of the Hakkyoku-ken. Basing itself upon the principle of flow, this technique teaches Onmyouji students how to first utilize their reiatsu for close quarter combat. To do this, the practitinioner uses any part of their body as a relay, transferring their own reiatsu into the opponent's body or any other opposing element (wall, ground etc...) causing damage. It can cause both internal and external damage, depending on how it's used. Users that have less reiryoku have been noted to have better control than others thus allowing them to concentrate the force against a certain point in the human body, causing internal damage. Users with more reiryoku on the other hand have been noted to have a harder time controlling it, thus mainly use larger amounts in a way as to smash it against the enemy, causing external damage such as blunt force trauma or breaking bones for example.

Leg

Mouretsu Hana Arashi (乱暴花嵐 Violent Flower Tempest) is a high level technique of the Hakkyoku-ken. Unlike most 360 spin kick, it is not an aerial move, rather the user never leaves the ground performing it. It involves using one leg as a pivot and turning the body 360 degrees. Then shifting the weight from one leg to the other while twisting the whole body. The attacking leg lifts from the side of the body in a spinning motion hitting the enemy usually in the middle of the body. However, experienced practinioners can perform it differently and entirely dependent on the situation. For Onmyouji, this technique is most useful in combination with reiatsu charged at the soles of the feet which increases the force of the kick.

Ukojizai (雨虎自在 Rain Tiger at Will) is an aerial spin kick. It starts with the user jumping in the air or bouncing off of solid surfaces, then they swoop down towards the opponent foot-first. The user then spins mid-air in a series of powerful rapid fire kicks to the opponent's body. Combined with reiatsu, the technique can deal a fair amount of damange, though that is not its main purpose. It should be used to pressure and/or disorient the opponent while preparing for a follow up.

Hasangeki (破山撃 Mountain Crusher) is one of the most powerful techniques in that a user can utilize with their legs.It is a vertical kick aimed at the target's defense even when the opponent is attacking and/or defending. Once the practitioner can identify the weakness in the opponent's defense, they must focuse all of their physical power and reiryoku in one single kick. All of this must be done while maintaining their center of balance, which can be a fatal weakness. Should the enemy manage to somehow shift that center of balance, the power of the technique will be reduced severely. However, according to the Onmyouji masters, should it be used correctly, then no one will be able to withstand it. It has been documented that the creator of the technique managed to destroy a mountain with a single kick, thus he named it the Mountain Crusher. Whether or not that's true however, is up to speculation.

Parry

Ni (丹 Red Earth): The first and most basic defensive technique of the Hakkyoku-ken. Basing itself upon the principle of flow, this technique teaches Onmyouji students how to first utilize their reiatsu to defend themselves against physical attacks. The technique requires the user to enter a stance. They begin by placing their right hand vertically in front of their face, and then place their left hand horizontally against the right. They make sure to place their feet firmly on the ground to keep their balance against the enemy's force of impact. Then, by channeling and extending their reiatsu outwards, they form a shield that is meant to nullify incoming attaks. Users that have extensive experience in this technique can enter the stance faster than beginners and even use it from different angles.

Step

Mueishō (無影翔 Shadowless Flight): By guiding the reiatsu flow to the soles of their feet, Onmyouji are able to reduce the friction between two physical elements. That is to say, between elements that can be touched, regardless of where they are. They can be solid surfaces, fluid layers, and other materials sliding against each other. In nearly all cases it is used on the Onmyouji's feet (usually one foot at a time), allowing them to slide against any surfaces and thus, increase their movement speed. The trick is to shorten the ground distance from, for example three steps, to a single step or slide and use it to move forward as if they're slipping or sliding on ice. Despite it seeming like it's easy to perform, the technique requires a good control of the flow. It's speed can be roughly compared to Shunpo, Hirenkyaku or Sonido, though in the end it entirely depends on the proficiency of the user. There are other factors that need to be mastered as well, such as balance when sliding. A poor balance can result in major injuries and even death, if the technique's user happens to be in a fight.

Edayami (枝闇 Branched Darkness): A follow up technique, it starts with the user sliding diagonally towards the opponent. Then suddenly, putting their foot down they stop their movement and using that momentum, continue to fall sideways. During the fall, they cross their legs to create an unbalanced stance, subsequently a sudden change of direction and simultaneously a sudden acceleration. At such a close distance to the enemy the switch from “forward” to “sideways” and the sudden change of direction in movement make it so it can’t be followed. The technique is best used in tandem with attacking, which can be lethal if the opponent isn't careful. It is also incredibly hard to master as the timing and execution must be perfect or else it can easily backfire, causing heavy injury or death.

Behind The Scenes

This article was created by User: Zikimura