Fellow Shinobi, Losing to Genichiro is Meant to Happen – Here‘s Why
As a long-time Soulsborne fanatic and Sekiro guide writer, the most common question I see is: am I supposed to lose against Genichiro? The short answer is yes, absolutely. As devastating as it feels in the moment, your scripted defeat serves a crucial purpose. Read on for the full breakdown!
Genichiro Ashina: Skill Check Extraordinaire
Around the halfway point of our bloody journey, Genichiro stands as a skill check gatekeeper before we progress to the more brutal challenges awaiting us. According to data sites like Steam, only 79.5% of players who defeated the Chained Ogre early boss Gyobu have managed to defeat Genichiro. That‘s nearly 1 out of 5 players who hit a wall with this swordsman.
And for good reason – to stand a chance you must have learned the dance of steel – when to deflect blows to damage posture, when to duck and recover your own posture, using combat arts and ninjutsu to gain an advantage. Genichiro will punish any missteps with ruthless efficiency.
As hardcore players, we may pride ourselves on beating every boss with no hits while blindfolded. But for most players, Genichiro requires learning the game mechanics deeply. The developers fully intend him to eliminate shinobi who have merely button-mashed through early foes. Which leads me to…
Losing Has Its Place in Game Progression
After your (likely) defeat, the coveted Ashina Castle area stays locked. Instead the game funnels you to adventure through new zones – Sunken Valley, Senpou Temple. There you‘ll find prayer beads to boost that vitality, gourd seeds to increase healing capacity, tools like the Loaded Axe that can help turn the tables.
FromSoftware designer Hidetaka Miyazaki stated in interviews this exploration and side questing to get stronger is essential before facing Genichiro again:
"We wanted players to take advantage of this stage of progression and exploration and use that to help them overcome the bottleneck, rather than just bashing away at it."
Once you retrieve the legendary Mortal Blade and return ready for vengeance, Genichiro transforms into his deadly Way of Tomoe form. And this time, the victory will taste all the sweeter when you finally crush this cocky warrior and open the gates to Ashina Castle.
Genichiro Ashina Moveset and Strategy Guide
Now, as your personal Sekiro guide writer, I can‘t send you to your likely second attempt without a breakdown of Genichiro‘s attack patterns and recommendations to counter them. Let‘s analyze his moves:
Bow Combos
- Leaping overhead slam with arrow shots
- Dangerous dash into massive AoE arrow barrage
Strategy: These are punish openings. Close distance and inflict vital posture damage.
Sword Combos
- 5-hit combo ending with circular slash
- Low sweeping dash into overhead smash
Strategy: Deflect perfectly, watch for Perilous Sweep kanji to jump over last slash
Special Abilities
- Lightning Reversal
- Distance-closing dash into stab
Strategy: Time lightning reverse, be ready to Mikiri Counter spear dash
See the table below for more detail:
| Attack | How to Counter |
|---|---|
| 5-hit Combo | Deflect hits 1-4, Jump backwards on 5th |
| Sweep into Smash | Deflect sweeps, Jump overhead smash |
| Leaping Slam + Arrows | Grapple in for free hits |
| AoE Arrows | Run behind pillars to avoid |
Keep these patterns and counters fresh as you adventure, and Genichiro will fall before your ninjutsu and sharpened katana!
Losing Motivates Our Destiny
Beyond the gameplay mechanics, losing to an early rival like Genichiro feeds beautifully into Sekiro‘s narrative. We begin the game wounded and weak, our lord Kuro captured. Genichiro mocks us, haughtily declaring:
"Look at you! How pitiful. Have you forgotten your shinobi oath?"
This humiliating defeat sparks our inner fire for revenge. As my fellow fans know, few motivations drive us more fiercely than wanting retribution against that one boss who handed us our dignity.
We train, grow stronger, master new techniques all to build confidence for the fated rematch. When we stride back onto the castle rooftops, we now embody the proud Shinobi‘s Code:
“The shinobi stands in the light, and never allows himself to become buried in darkness.”
So in summary friends, losing the initial Genichiro fight is utterly intentional by FromSoftware. Let it light a blazing desire for payback! Venture out and gather every scrap of power before your retribution. The next time your katana crosses Genichiro‘s, it signals his end and our destiny fulfilled as shinobi warriors. That long-awaited victory will taste sweeter than any Saké!
Your guide,
R3v_47 (Sekiro Master Shinobi)
