The Hien (飛燕, Hien) is a speciality punch invented by Dankichi Hama with the left hand that is nearly unpredictable and effective against both in-fighters and out-boxers.[1]
Its name takes credit to the Japanese word for "Swallow". Swallows, the aviary type, are known to be quite agile and can quickly change course and direction in flight.
Usage[]
The user throws a left jab. When the user pulls their left back, they don't pull it in all the way. They then abruptly fly it back at the opponent. Arm, elbow, and wrist rotation is applied so the punch can change trajectory; depending on how they are bent, multiple variations could be made such as left jab to left hook, to a left uppercut and immediately to another left jab. The left also has to stay in a straight line based movement during those combinations.
When the opponent dashes towards the user, the user can twist their wrists to change their hand's course, making it difficult for in-fighters to step-in due to not knowing where the hand will be next. The timing changes also make it hard for out-boxers to counter. If the user mixes feints with the Hien, it would confuse their opponent more.[2] Depending on the user's hand speed, the speed at which these different punches can be linked together can be astounding.
It is noted that to use the Hien, the user must have strong wrists to use the Hien continuously, as Kimura, when he used it the first time, could not continue using it due to the strain it puts on his wrist.[3]
Mike Elliott noticed that the user has to stomp down on the ground in order to add power to the Hien, so by glancing at their lead foot, he could then tell when it was coming.
Trivia[]
- "Tsubame Gaeshi" and "Hien" are the names of sword techniques invented by Sasaki Kojiro, who is most prominently cited as the chief rival of legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi.
References[]
- ↑ Chapter 292, page 6
- ↑ Chapter 292, page 13
- ↑ Chapter 292, pages 12-13