Renzokuken


 * For videos of the various Renzokuken, please go to Renzokuken/Videos.

Renzokuken (連続剣 "Continual Sword", "Sequential Sword" or "Serial Sword"), in reference to the multiple time he hits an enemy) is Squall Leonhart's limit break. The first stage of Squall's limit break is a series of slashes from his gunblade. To increase the amount of damage, the player must hit the R1 shoulder button (the "trigger") as the bar of light sweeps through the gauge at the bottom of the screen and into a small box at the left . After this process, Squall may attack with one of his four finishers.

Execution
When Squall begins the Renzokuken, he rushes forward, and the shown gauge appears on the screen. Four to eight bars of light sweep through the gauge, and pressing the R1 button when the bars of light move into the trigger box on the left results in a hit. The animation for this phase of the attack may be different when used on large bosses, changing the timing of the triggers. It is also possible to set an option called "Gunblade Auto," which will allow automatic triggers, but will sometimes miss triggers for less chances at criticals and perfects. Once Squall has had all the allowed chances to hit or miss an enemy, he may use one of the following finishing moves as well.

Rough Divide
Rough Divide(ラフ分割 Rafu bunkatsu) Squall's weakest finishing move. It hits a single opponent via a charging diagonal upper-cut (similar to the one he used to give Seifer his scar), causing a fair amount of damage. He starts the game off with this ability.

Fated Circle
When using Fated Circle(宿命サークル Shukumei saakuru), Squall jumps up into the air while charging energy into his gunblade. At the peak of his jump he spins in a circle, releasing a shockwave that damages all enemies.

Blasting Zone
When using Blasting Zone(ブラストゾーン Burasuto zoon), Squall raises his gunblade overhead, charges up and extends a pillar of energy to the outer atmosphere (even when used against the Propagators aboard Ragnarok) and strikes all enemy with it to deal heavy damage. In most media depicting Squall outside of Final Fantasy VIII, such as the Kingdom Hearts series, the move is instead portrayed as magically increasing the size of the gunblade's blade.

Lion Heart
Lion Heart (完ハート "End of Heart" or "Kan haato" in the Japanese version) is Squall's ultimate finishing move. It can only be used after acquiring his ultimate weapon (also called the Lion Heart). It strikes a single opponent 18 times (the enemy also suffers damage when it's slammed on the ground after the Lion Heart is over) and generally causes massive damage. It is the strongest limit in the game, accounting for the plus damage of the Renzokuken's 4-8 hits.

Kingdom Hearts series
In most of his appearances in the series as a combatant Squall's most iconic attack is an attack similar to the Blasting Zone limit break where he increases the size of the gunblade's blade in a similar way to Final Fantasy VIII. While in this mode his attacks become more powerful and his reach increases drastically. Other more mundane attacks do resemble Renzokuken techniques, such as the Fated Circle and the multi-combo swipes he sometimes uses however the "Blasting Zone look-a-like" is the most notable and powerful.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
Squall's EX Burst in Dissidia is the Renzokuken, requiring him to successfully time button presses to land a potential eight hits. Landing all eight causes him to finish the EX Burst with a variation of Lion Heart; rather than attack enemies with several rapid attacks, this version of Lion Heart is a single attack reminiscent of the final blow seen in the original.

Rough Divide, Fated Circle and Blasting Zone also appear as HP attacks for Squall. He also has an alternate version of Fated Circle called Aerial Circle, which has a vertical area of effect as opposed to the horizontal area Fated Circle has.

Trivia

 * If the Renzokuken is performed on the Jumbo Cactuar the summon will dance around in a comical way while Squall attacks it.