How to Beat Genichiro Ashina — The Game's Real Tutorial

Genichiro is where Sekiro stops being forgiving and starts being Sekiro. He has three phases, and each one tests a different skill. The first two are pure swordplay: he opens with a bowshot or a running slash, then settles into long, rhythmic combos you are expected to deflect rather than dodge. The single most important habit here is aggression — attack him until he deflects your swing, which is your signal to stop and prepare to block, then resume once his counter ends. Standing back and waiting lets him dictate the fight, and his bow punishes exactly that.

Watch for his two unblockable attacks, both telegraphed by a red kanji. The thrust attack is answered with the Mikiri Counter, which staggers him and gives you a free heavy hit — this is the single biggest damage window in the fight. When he leaps and comes down with a sweep, jump and land on his head rather than blocking. After a Mikiri, an Ichimonji or heavy combat art does enormous posture damage, so save your strongest tool for that moment.

The third phase is the one that kills most attempts, and it is also where the fight becomes fair. He adds lightning attacks: when he raises his sword and lightning gathers, jump into the air and deflect it back at him, which staggers him badly and costs him a chunk of posture. Practise the timing once or twice and this phase is actually easier than the first two, because his lightning is a bigger gift than his swordplay. Take the fight one phase at a time and treat deaths as rehearsal.