Devil Blaster

Devil Blaster
Devil Blaster in Ultimate.
User	Kazuya
Universe	Tekken

Devil Blaster (デビルブラスター, Devil Blaster) is Kazuya's neutral special move.

Overview

Kazuya using Devil Blaster in the air.

Kazuya turns into Devil Kazuya for a brief moment, as he fires a small beam from his forehead in front of himself. The damage varies depending on how far the opponent is, having a piercing effect and covering a long distance. A single beam can go through a maximum of three opponents, with each consecutive opponent receiving less damage than the previous. During the move, the player can angle it up or down, which has him fire diagonally up or diagonally down, causing a very small shockwave on the ground. Aiming downwards slightly decreases damage, but hits small or crouching opponents that would miss entirely when angled horizontally. If used in the air, he will fire diagonally downwards, but he can angle it horizontally or further downward. It will briefly stall Kazuya if used in the air, making it useful for recovery, but can only be used once before landing. Kazuya also fires the beam in his up throw known as Air Inferno, and as with most projectile based throws, it can be reflected, absorbed, and pocketed.

Instructional quote

Move List

On the ground, unleash a powerful beam forward. In the air, the beam will angle downward. It has a long range that can hit up to three fighters.

Origin

Devil Kazuya using his Devil Blaster on Michelle Chang in Tekken 2.

Devil Blaster—also called Inferno, Laser Beam, or Flying Killer Beam in the US and European versions of Tekken 2—is an unblockable move introduced in Tekken 2 as Devil Kazuya's signature move. It is also performed by two other characters, Devil Jin and Angel Kazuya can perform it through his Devil Transformation in Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and Tekken 7. It is also notable for being one of the very few projectile attacks in the series. The aerial version more closely resembles the move actually called Devil Blaster, performed with the 3+4 input, while the grounded version resembles Inferno, which is performed with the 1+2 input. Additionally, while Devil Kazuya has never had the ability to angle Devil Blaster, there are two separate moves that change its trajectory: Air Inferno, introduced in Tekken Tag Tournament, where he fires the laser upwards by pressing ↗ and the 3+4 input, and Sorai Zanba, introduced in Tekken Tag Tournament 2, where he fires the laser downwards by pressing ↓ and the 1+2 input while an opponent is downed. Air Inferno is additionally more blatantly referenced in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, being used as Kazuya’s up throw, though the laser is fired at a steeper angle to better suit its use as a throw attack.

In its debut game, the attack deals half of an opponent's health, making it extremely powerful, and leaving crouching as the only way to dodge it. Later games nerfed the attack by decreasing damage, increasing startup, and introducing sidestepping as a safe way to dodge the attack. In Tekken 7, Kazuya uses it as his final attack in his Rage Art. During the final battle of the game's story mode, Kazuya displays the ability to use this without having to fully be in the form, only requiring to manifest his third eye.

Gallery

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  Kazuya using Devil Blaster as shown by the Move List in Ultimate.

Names in other languages

Language	Name
Japanese	デビルブラスター, Devil Blaster
English	Devil Blaster
French	Devil Blaster
German	Devil Blaster
Spanish	Devil Blaster
Italian	Devil Blaster
Chinese	Devil Blaster
Korean	Devil Blaster
Dutch	Duivelsstraal
Russian	Дьявольский луч

Trivia

• Masahiro Sakurai showed an early version of Devil Blaster in a YouTube video, notably with the wings being in different positions. Sakurai suggested the wings catch the wind during startup, than release the wind and flutter upon activation.

References

Kazuya's special moves

Neutral special	Devil Blaster
Side special	Devil Fist
Up special	Devil Wings
Down special	Heaven's Door
Final Smash	Final Blaster