Shin was able to keep up with a dualist focused Legendary Great General in Gaimou back during the Fire Dragon Arc, he kept up with Gyou'un who was considered greater than Renpa as a dualist and he took Houken down after Kyoukai weakened him.
So we had an injured Top Tier vs an injured Top Tier with an injured Top Tier emerging victorious.
No arse pulls here. Lel.
So we had an injured Top Tier vs an injured Top Tier with an injured Top Tier emerging victorious.
No arse pulls here. Lel.
First Houken vs Ouki was a lot more impressive. Houken against Ouki was amazing. Houken at one point was superior to Ouki in his unshackled state and both gave it all, both hurt each other, both had moments where they had the upper hands etc. During Shin fight I didn't feel anything from Houken, and Shin was a lot less impressive than Ouki. Houken just ragdolled Shin left and right and at the end Shin managed to cut down Houken. Houken vs Kyoukai was nice just before and even with Kyoukai best dance Houken was hurt but managed to brutalize her. Houken vs Shin fight seems a lot too shonen like and too forced.
Shin vs Rinko was interesting (Rinko best boy). Shin vs Mangoku was interesting. Against Gyou'un it was nice too. But against Houken I felt nothing.
Some panels were just ridiculous :
Shin was beaten up and dominated way too much to pull a victory out of his ass. The whole fight was too much.
Then Houken character, the guy didn't evolve in 500 chapters. The old same Houken, no dev. The point that Houken didn't understand true battles and weight was brought up and was crystal clear since Ouki battle, Shin fight didn't bring nothing new here, just saying again the same things we heard all along the story. Houken was just alive for Shin to beat him.