Fighting Tanjiro in Versus Mode often feels like you are stuck behind a shield. His Water Breathing forms create relentless pressure strings that force you to block for long stretches. However, just holding back will slowly drain your health through chip damage and guard break mechanics. Knowing the best punishes after blocking Tanjiro versus mode combos is how you take back control of the neutral game. When you recognize which of his moves are unsafe on block, you can interrupt his offense and deal free damage.

Which Tanjiro moves are actually unsafe on block?

Not every attack leaves Tanjiro open for a counterattack. His standard light and medium attacks usually have positive or neutral frame advantage, meaning if you try to press a button right after blocking them, he will hit you first. The real opportunities come from his special moves and specific heavy attack enders. For instance, if he ends a pressure string with a blocked Water Breathing: Flowing Dance or a poorly spaced heavy slash, he experiences block stun that leaves him vulnerable. Learning how to counter his specific combo routes helps you identify these exact recovery windows without guessing.

What are the most reliable punish options?

Your punish depends entirely on how much recovery time the blocked move gives you. For minor frame disadvantages, a fast standing light attack or a quick dash-in grab is your safest bet. If Tanjiro uses a highly unsafe move like his airborne Dive or a fully charged heavy attack that you successfully block, you have time for a full combo starter. You can check our breakdown on finding the right punish for the situation to match your character's fastest startup frames with his recovery gaps. Always prioritize guaranteed damage over risky, high-execution combos when you are just trying to stabilize the match.

How do I avoid getting hit by his delayed attacks?

A common mistake players make is mashing their fastest attack the millisecond the first blocked hit finishes. Good Tanjiro players know this and will use frame traps, slightly delaying their next light attack to catch your panicked button press. To beat this, you must respect his turn. Wait until you see a clear visual cue, like a heavy attack swing or a special move animation, before committing to your punish. When you watch how competitive players use optimal combo structures, you will notice they rely on tight block strings that leave zero gaps, forcing you to stay patient until the string naturally ends.

What if he uses super armor or i-frames during my punish?

Tanjiro has access to Hinokami Kagura techniques that feature super armor or invincibility frames. If you try to punish a blocked move with a slow, multi-hit heavy attack, he might activate an armored skill right as you start your animation, absorbing your hit and breaking your guard. Against armored responses, stick to single-hit, high-stun attacks or use a guard break technique to shatter his posture instead of trying to win a direct damage trade. Seeing how skilled opponents execute signature moves will teach you to recognize the red flash of super armor so you can abort your punish into a well-timed sidestep or block.

How can I maximize damage after a successful block?

Once you confirm the block was unsafe, you want to extract as much health as possible. Start your punish with a move that launches or crumples the opponent, giving you enough time to link into your highest damage route. If you are playing as Tanjiro yourself in the mirror match, you can look into advanced chain setups that utilize wall bounces and ground bounces to extend the sequence. Remember to manage your stamina and skill gauges, as burning all your resources on a single punish leaves you with nothing for the next interaction.

For exact frame data numbers and move properties, checking the official game resource hub can help you memorize the exact startup and recovery frames for every character in the roster.

Training mode checklist for practicing punishes

  • Set the training dummy to Tanjiro and program him to perform his most common three-hit light attack strings followed by a special move.
  • Set the dummy's guard to "block all" and record your fastest light attack to see if it successfully interrupts his recovery.
  • Practice blocking his Water Breathing: Twisting Whirlpool and immediately responding with a medium attack to confirm the block stun window.
  • Test your punishes from both the corner and the middle of the stage, as spacing changes how quickly your dash-in attacks will connect.

Spend fifteen minutes in training mode running through this checklist before your next ranked session to build the muscle memory needed to confidently shut down his offense.

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