If you’re trying to decide on the gakuran best fighting style, the good news is that there isn’t only one “correct” pick. Different styles shine depending on your height, your preferred pace, and whether you want raw pressure, mobility, or reliable crowd control.
In Gakuran, fighting styles can all be useful, but some clearly give you stronger tools than others. Below, I’ve ranked the main styles based on how they generally perform in PvP, how easy they are to use well, and how much they reward good fundamentals like parrying, spacing, and timing.
Gakuran best fighting style tier list
| Tier | Fighting Style |
|---|---|
| S | Boxing |
| A | Hakari, Wrestling |
| B | Capoeira, Karate |
| C | Slugger |
This tier list is based on common in-game performance patterns and the style perks described by players. Since fighting styles can be adjusted in updates, it’s a good idea to check their current effects in-game before committing to one.
Best fighting style in Gakuran: Boxing
Boxing is the strongest overall style for most players right now. It’s especially effective on shorter to medium builds, where speed and pressure matter a lot.
Why it stands out:
- M2s have built-in iFrames and can’t be interrupted
- Perfect blocks reduce M2 cooldown
- It deals chip damage through block
- Its heavy attack can pressure opponents in a way that’s hard to react to
Boxing is powerful because it controls the pace of a fight. You can force enemies to guess whether they should parry, dodge, or block, and that creates constant pressure. If you’re confident in your parries and want a style that performs well in competitive fights, this is the one to beat.
A-Tier styles
Hakari
Hakari is one of the best high-damage styles in Gakuran, and it becomes much stronger when you can consistently land full M1 strings.
What makes it strong:
- Landing a full M1 combo unlocks a massive M2 damage boost
- Heavy attacks can ragdoll enemies without needing a charge
- The animations are widely considered some of the best in the game
Hakari works best on short and medium builds because they can confirm combo pressure more easily. It’s a great pick if you like explosive burst windows and smart punish play.
Wrestling
Wrestling is a brutal style when played well, but it asks for good timing and patience. It’s best for taller builds and players who like to brawl up close.
What makes it strong:
- Grab attacks can give you hyper armor after the hit lands
- The grab deals increased damage
- It has chip damage and extra guard-break pressure
- It can disrupt fights around you when someone gets knocked down
Wrestling rewards players who know when to commit. If you enjoy reading enemy movement and punishing bad dashes, it can feel extremely strong. It’s less flashy than Boxing or Hakari, but it can still dominate in the right hands.
B-Tier styles
Capoeira
Capoeira is a mobility-focused style that helps you reposition and keep fights on your terms.
Why players use it:
- Shorter dash cooldown
- Extra damage on guard-break hits
- Heavy attack ragdolls opponents
- Strong movement and spacing tools
Capoeira is better for players who enjoy a hit-and-move approach. The downside is that its ragdoll is usually too short to create long combo chains, so you get more value from spacing, footsies, and follow-up pressure than from raw combo damage.
Karate
Karate is solid, dependable, and easy to understand, but it doesn’t have the same explosive upside as the best styles.
Why it’s decent:
- Good posture regeneration
- Heavy attacks can ragdoll
- Landing heavies can refund posture
- Some chip damage through guard
Karate is the kind of style that feels fine in many situations without being amazing in any one area. If you want something balanced and straightforward, it’s a reasonable option. If you want the strongest style possible, though, there are better picks.
C-Tier style
Slugger
Slugger is the weakest style on this list for most players. It can hit hard, but the drawback is usually too punishing.
Why it falls behind:
- You deal more damage
- You also take more damage
- The tradeoff can snowball against skilled players
- Its animations are less appealing compared with stronger styles
Slugger can work if you’re already good at surviving pressure and landing clean hits, but the risk is often not worth the reward. Against experienced opponents, the extra damage taken becomes a serious problem.
Best fighting style by build type
Different styles feel better depending on your character’s height.
| Build type | Best styles |
|---|---|
| Shorter builds | Boxing, Hakari |
| Medium builds | Boxing, Hakari, Karate |
| Taller builds | Wrestling, Muay Thai, Capoeira |
In general:
- Shorter builds benefit from faster pressure and easier combo windows
- Taller builds usually get more value from range, damage, and crowd control
- Medium builds can flex into most top styles without feeling too restricted
If you are rerolling height, it’s worth matching your style to your build instead of picking based on rarity alone.
Quick style recommendations
| If you want… | Best pick |
|---|---|
| The strongest all-around style | Boxing |
| Big burst damage | Hakari |
| Grapple pressure and brawling | Wrestling |
| Mobility and repositioning | Capoeira |
| A simple, balanced style | Karate |
| A style to avoid unless you really like it | Slugger |
Best style for beginners
If you’re new to Gakuran, Boxing is usually the safest answer because it gives you strong tools even before you master advanced timing.
If Boxing is not available to you, Karate is a decent beginner fallback because it is straightforward and forgiving. Wrestling can also be strong, but it asks more from your timing and positioning.
Best style for aggressive players
If you like nonstop pressure, Boxing is the best aggressive style overall. Hakari is also excellent if you want big punish windows and explosive damage after combos.
For pure brawling and close-range takedowns, Wrestling is a strong alternative, especially if you like reading enemy movement and forcing messy fights.
Best style for defensive or spacing players
Capoeira is the best fit for players who prefer movement, spacing, and repositioning. It is less about overwhelming damage and more about staying hard to pin down while looking for openings.
Karate can also work for a more patient approach, but Capoeira usually offers more practical mobility.
Final verdict
If you only want one answer for the gakuran best fighting style, go with Boxing.
It has the best mix of pressure, safety, chip damage, and overall fight control. If you prefer burst damage, Hakari is the next best option. If you want a more technical grappler-style pick, Wrestling is very strong too.
FAQ
What is the best fighting style in Gakuran?
Boxing is the best overall fighting style for most players because of its pressure tools, iFrames on M2s, and strong block chip damage.
What is the best fighting style for short builds?
Boxing and Hakari are usually the strongest choices for shorter builds because they reward fast pressure and combo consistency.
What is the best fighting style for tall builds?
Wrestling is one of the best options for taller builds, and Capoeira can also work well if you prefer mobility.
Is Slugger worth using in Gakuran?
Slugger can be fun, but it’s generally the weakest style on this list because the extra damage taken can hurt you more than the damage boost helps.