Hundred Hand Slap

Lore & Background

The Hundred Hand Slap was conceived as part of Honda's gameplay, which revolved around the idea of him rushing at his opponent. Akira "Akiman" Yasuda, the character's original conceiver, stated, "I wanted the fat characters like Honda to come charging at you—for some reason. I feel that fat characters have a duty to charge." Nakamura took this concept and gave Honda his horizontal flying headbutt attack, but the Hundred Hand Slap was fleshed out separately by the pixel artists on the team. The move was then drawn on paper by Nakamura, solidifying it as one of Honda's core techniques. Unlike traditional sumo strikes, which rely on single powerful thrusts, this technique focuses on cumulative speed and rhythm, reflecting Honda's unique approach to combat.

In Their Own Story

In the heat of battle, Honda plants his feet wide, his massive frame coiling with energy. With a deep breath, he unleashes a storm of palm strikes, each one landing with a sharp slap against his opponent's guard. The sound is like rapid thunder, a percussive rhythm that echoes through the arena. His opponent, caught off guard by the sheer volume of blows, struggles to find an opening. The Hundred Hand Slap is not just an attack—it is a statement, a demonstration of sumo's power and precision. Honda uses it to prove that sumo wrestlers rank among the greatest fighters in the world, as he teaches his students and travels the globe to promote the technique of sumo.

Reader's Guide

In gameplay, the Hundred Hand Slap is a rapid series of palm strikes that Honda unleashes in close range. The move is executed by pressing the punch button repeatedly or holding it down, causing Honda to deliver a flurry of hits that can break through an opponent's guard or stun them. It is a low-commitment tool for pressure and spacing, allowing Honda to maintain offensive momentum. The technique has appeared in every major Street Fighter title featuring Honda, from Street Fighter II onward, and remains a staple of his moveset. While the move is iconic to Honda, it has occasionally been referenced in other media, such as the live-action Street Fighter film where Honda's fighting style includes rapid strikes.

Did You Know?

• The Hundred Hand Slap was fleshed out by pixel artists on the development team, not by the character designer Eri Nakamura, who only drew it on paper afterward.
• Akira "Akiman" Yasuda stated that he wanted fat characters like Honda to have a duty to charge at opponents, which influenced the creation of Honda's rushing attacks.
• The move's name, 'Super Zutsuki,' was used in early design notes before it became the Hundred Hand Slap.
• In the Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, Honda uses the Hundred Hand Slap during his match against Dhalsim in Calcutta.
• The technique is a rapid flow of palm strikes, not punches, reflecting Honda's sumo background.